Posted on 03/18/2011 9:57:08 PM PDT by fight_truth_decay
The Government plans to slash subsidies for large-scale solar installations to divert money to smaller alternative energy projects, in a move that the industry has called a “horrendous strategic mistake”.
A review of the Feed-in Tariffs was announced in February, in response to concerns that large solar projects would soak up the available subsidy at the expense of other technologies.
This followed a study that showed there could already be 169 megawatts of large-scale solar capacity in the planning system - equivalent to funding solar panels on the roofs of around 50,000 homes if tariffs were left unchanged.
Greg Barker, climate change minister, said: “I want to make sure that we capture the benefits of fast falling costs in solar technology to allow even more homes to benefit from Feed-in Tariffs, rather than see that money go in bumper profits to a small number of big investors.”
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
The move is expected to deal a death blow to low-carbon projects such as a plan put forward this week by Toyota and British Gas to provide low-carbon electricity for the Burnaston car plant near Derby.
Greg Barker, climate change minister, said: "The Fits scheme was never designed to be a profit generator for big business and financiers."
Subsidies for 5 megawatt schemes such as Toyota's will be cut from 30.7p per kilowatt (kW) hour to as little as 8.5p – although schemes of up to 50kW for the average domestic homeowner will remain the same.
Baker said the proposals out for consultation aimed at rebalancing a subsidy scheme introduced last April in an effort to prevent larger scale solar projects "soaking up" all the cash.
The feed-in tariff is paid for through a levy on customer bills.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/mar/18/slash-feed-in-tariffs
In the U.S.: "While feed-in tariffs are most closely associated with solar photovoltaic panels, utilities managing the programs in Vermont and California will also pay a set price for electricity generated from other renewable sources, like wind. Gainesville, Florida, enacted a feed-in tariff in 2009. In 2009 the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission required Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO & MECO & HELCO) to pay above-market prices for renewable energy fed into the electric grid. In 2009, Oregon established a pilot solar volumetric incentive rate and payment program* with legislation. Vermont adopted feed-in tariffs in 2009.In Puerto Rico the net metering program pays the energy fed back to the grid at the same rate it is charged. Maine in 2009, killed the bill which was closely modeled on the German law.
Yes, tragic as england is known for its balmy bright sunny days...
They aren’t going to need Solar Power. They will soon have all the oil they can tap-—in Libya, if they play their cards right.
That was my first thought as well.
One of which we're enjoying right now...
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