Solar Markets & Finance

Lightsource Renewable Energy was able to connect 23 new solar sites in December 2015 as it prepares to deliver its first subsidy-free sites in 2016.

Energy industry regulator Ofgem has yet to finalise plans on how it will implement the new feed-in tariff regime a month before it is due to come into place.

Insurance firm Watchstone Group is to spin off its property maintenance and renewables businesses citing market uncertainty created by government cuts.

Opposition MPs have accused the government of double standards in its energy policy, particularly in relation to differing levels of support offered to solar and nuclear power.

Energy minister Andrea Leadsom has said the government will do everything in its power to remove the “unwelcome drain” of the minimum import price attached to Chinese solar modules.

Distribution network operator Western Power Distribution has signed a contract with Renewable Energy Systems (RES) to deliver an energy storage system co-located with large-scale solar, which will be used to develop ways to commercialise services to the grid.

The UK solar industry has been warned not to get its hopes up after motions were laid to annul the government’s feed-in tariff cuts.

Canadian Solar brought five new solar power plants online in the final quarter of 2015, adding almost 23MWp to its UK portfolio of operational sites.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Featherstone have both laid motions in an attempt to block the government’s controversial feed-in tariff cuts.

A number of prominent figures within the solar and wider renewables industry figures received awards as part of the 2016 New Year’s Honours list.