Brits should fit solar panels to their home to receive green
electricity, an expert has said.
National Home Improvement Council director Andrew Leech noted this
renewable energy technology requires a "big outlay" but will eventually save individuals money on their
gas and electricity bills.
However, alterations to the
Feed In Tariff (FiT) mean people will not receive as high a return on their investment as they might have originally thought, he remarked.
Ministers today (January 25th) lost an appeal against a ruling made by the High Court that claimed its alterations to payment schemes for solar panels were illegal, following a challenge led by environmental charity Friends of the Earth and two firms that develop the
alternative energy technologies.
Energy and climate change minister Greg Barker argued reducing FiT solar payments would ensure the budget for this initiative does not go bust.
Mr Leech stated the financial incentives to encourage members of the public to utilise photovoltaic cells to generate
renewable energy in the home are "no longer a selling point" and suggested firms develop a new approach to marketing the devices.
He said this could be by highlighting how it can be a more "long-term investment" due to the clean electricity production capabilities of the items.
The representative argued it is unlikely that there will be an increase in the uptake of these
green energy generators in the immediate future.
Mr Leech argued the smaller subsidies and difficult economic situation has "added to the problem".
It will take more than a matter of months before many homeowners consider fitting solar panels to their roofs, he asserted.
The Court of Appeal has refused the Secretary of State permission to go to the Supreme Court and confirmed the retrospective change to FiT was illegal.
Ministers will release the results of their consultation into this policy on February 9th, with legislative changes thought to be enacted from April 1st.
Posted by James McDonald
