First solar farm in ‘red mud’ community renewable energy project joins the grid
The first commercial solar farm in a project aiming to provide options for Australia’s struggling vignerons has gone live. The 187kw site in the South Australian town of Renmark was switched on to the electricity grid on September 26. It is the first of three similar-sized sites expected to be up and running before the […]
Business rates on rooftop solar installations could go up nearly eight times next year
As reported by the Financial Times today, the Solar Trade Association has uncovered that business rates taxes on commercial rooftop solar installations will rise by between six and eight times as of April next year unless Ministers intervene. Paul Barwell, CEO of the Solar Trade Association, commented: “This is a huge increase in the running […]
UK solar industry sees new record in electricity generation
The UK solar industry is today (Monday 4th July) celebrating its third ‘Solar Independence Day’, the UK’s annual celebration of solar energy. To mark the occasion, which will see people all over the country post photos using the #SolarIndependence hashtag, the Solar Trade Association (STA) has launched its latest initiative to raise standards in the […]
Push to keep solar thermal set to continue as consultation closes
The solar industry has pledged to continue to push to keep solar thermal as the Government’s consultation on plans to cut off all support for the technology closes today (Wednesday 27 April). If the plans go ahead the long established and strategically important heat technology would be removed from the Renewable Heat Incentive entirely as […]
Parliamentary ructions over Government treatment of solar power
Parliamentarians of all parties, in both the Lords and the Commons, are objecting to the government’s treatment of solar power. Labour has tabled an amendment to the Finance Bill which would prevent a damaging potential VAT rise on domestic solar systems in future, which will be voted on next Tuesday. The Solar Trade Association was […]
MP committee criticises Government for damaging investor confidence in energy sector
An influential House of Commons Energy and Climate Change Select Committee has today (Thursday 3 March) published a report into “Investor confidence in the UK energy sector”. The report focuses in particular on the low-carbon energy budget, called the Levy Control Framework (LCF). It describes how a lack of understanding surrounding the LCF is hampering […]
Stats show need for Government solar thermal push
Government statistics published today on the Renewable Heat Incentive have shown that in November and December of last year solar thermal hot water heating made up 12% of the residential systems and only 2% of non-domestic systems supported by the scheme. Since the domestic Renewable Heat Incentive was introduced in April 2014 there have been […]
Despite reduced tariffs, solar remains good investment for householders
The Feed-in Tariff rate which is paid out for rooftop solar is to change at midnight tonight. Householders who go solar will from tomorrow onwards be eligible for the new rate of 4.39p/kWh which will be paid out from February. Although technically the Feed-in Tariff system will be paused for three weeks and restarted on […]
European Commission extends ‘unfair’ import tariff on Chinese solar panels
The European Commission over the weekend extended its punitive import tariffs and price controls on solar panels from China which were originally due to expire today, Monday 7 December. The move, called an Expiry Review, will mean that the import tariffs could remain in place for several more years and possibly until 2020. The Commission […]
