Lack of clarity remains sore subject for UK solar industry
The Conservative party conference being held in Birmingham this week may prove to be the last word from politicians before the comprehensive spending review by the Treasury is released on the 20th of October. Concerns over the possibility that the feed-in tariff, [only introduced in April this year] could be changed in a retroactive way have been heightened in recent days as no clear unequivocal message from the cabinet or party leaders in the coalition, have been made.
However, according to media reports from the Conservative party conference, the Guardian newspaper in particular quotes Oliver Letwin, Minister of State in the Cabinet Office and a former shadow Chancellor, as saying;
"I predict the 20th of October will see the preservation of our carbon agenda and indeed the ability to follow it through," he said. "Both growth and the green bits of the agenda are equally important to us."
Granted this was no unequivocal statement but the messaging suggests that UK’s low carbon future will remain a centerpiece of government policy and that has to include the FiT should targets on emissions be met.
With solar installations reaching 10,000 since the launch of the FiT and a total of 20MW the market is just beginning in the UK.
However, the uncertainty factor has the potential to spook investors until the FiT issue is clarified.
