News

Tomorrow the Court of Appeal will decide whether it will grant a hearing for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), which holds fast in its opinion that it was necessary to cut solar feed-in tariff rates by up to 50 percent with a cut off date of December 12, 2011. Although the findings of a hearing – if granted – won’t be heard until next week, Friday the 13th could hold great significance for the future of the UK solar market.

According to a report published today by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the UK has no hope of reaching its binding 2050 target for CO2 reductions without a serious shake-up of the way homes are heated. The publication, Heat: degrees of comfort, finds that even with the most modern gas boilers and state-of-the art insulation, we cannot continue to heat so many homes by natural gas and still achieve an 80 percent cut in emissions as laid down in the Climate Change Act 2008.

The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has published the latest solar photovoltaic installation figures for 2012, which show that from January 1-8, only 532 solar PV installs were registered for the feed-in tariff scheme.

Portsmouth Water has invested in solar photovoltaic technology to power six water treatment works. The 50kWp systems were designed and installed by Solarcentury to provide direct on-site electricity for pumping and treating water.

The current furore surrounding feed-in tariff levels for solar photovoltaic installations has been bought about by the impending depletion of the feed-in tariff budget. The spending envelope the feed-in tariff scheme operates within is a level agreed between Treasury and DECC to help minimise the impact feed-in tariff policies have on bill payers.

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond is to travel to the Middle East this week on a two-day visit to sign a technology research agreement with renewables enterprise, Masdar.

Community Energy Warwickshire, a local energy co-operative, has financed the installation of a solar PV array at Stratford-upon-Avon Hospital. The installation marks the first time a community-based renewable energy project has been installed on an NHS site.

Riders Junior School in Havent has received a free solar installation as part of Keep Britain Tidy’s Eco-Schools Solar programme.

Although the UK saw record demand for PV modules up until the December 12 feed-in tariff cut, on average December saw module prices in the UK decline in response to the heavy cuts that took place; albeit temporarily. Although the high court ruled that the changes to tariff were unlawful just over a week later…

The Co-operative Group has published a new report revealing that growing numbers of people are choosing to start renewable energy co-operatives in their communities despite current economic uncertainty.