Labour leader Ed Miliband today lent his weight to the campaign against cuts to the feed-in tariff incentive scheme he introduced as Energy and Climate Change Secretary, signing an Early Day Motion (EDM) calling on the government to ditch plans to slash the level of support available to large solar installations.
EDMs rarely secure enough support to pass through parliament, but Labour is hoping that a significant turn out in favour of the motion could prompt the government to host a parliamentary debate on the controversial decision. Shadow climate minister Irranca-Davies, who has led opposition to the proposed cuts to feed-in tariffs, has urged the government to rethink its decision to cut incentives by between 40 and 70 per cent for all solar installations with over 50kW. Read the full article HERE
Chris Huhne’s Emergency Energy Summit with UK’s leading independent suppliers to facilitate increased competition in the energy sector
Energy Secretary Chris Huhne will today hold a high level Energy Summit with new energy suppliers to find out what help they need to break the dominance of the Big Six utility companies, boost competition and keep household energy prices down.
Around 80pc of the electricity in the UK is generated by the Big Six: British Gas, npower, Scottish and Southern, Scottish Power, E.ON and EDF. These same companies also supply 99pc of electricity. Small electricity and gas suppliers will today ask ministers to help them break the market power of the Big Six companies that provide energy to 99pc of households. Chris Huhne, the Energy Secretary,said “Our energy market has been too cosy for too long,” he said. “We need more competition to keep bills down. It is madness that 99pc of people get energy from the Big Six.”
Solar is an important and fundamental technology that can help increase competition in the UK energy sector and put power into the hands of small innovators, individuals and communities.
The Solar Trade Association believes that solar – now recognized as the fastest growing energy technology in the world – should play an important role in opening up the electricity sector to new entrants and that this fact has been overlooked by the Coalition Government and urgently requires attention.
“The lack of competition in the electricity sector is increasing cause for concern from consumer groups, to politicians of all parties. However, despite current political rhetoric, the government is limiting the potential for solar to open up the electricity sector with its 50kW cap on the FIT scheme and the exclusion of solar from its Electricity Market Reform analysis and proposals”, says Howard Johns, Chairman of Solar Trade Association.
“STA is urging the government to recognise the strategic role of solar with proper support under FITs and the RO. Ernst and Young anticipate with support today solar could be subsidy free by 2017, totally transforming electricity sector competitive and choice beyond all recognition.”
Ernst and Young’s recent UK Solar Outlook report said: “solar PV sector has provided the opportunity for a number of new, non-traditional players to enter the UK energy market. As such the solar sector is a useful platform for increasing the level of competition in the UK energy market.”
We think that solar power could be a solution to Chris Huhne’s problem. Solar has the potential to increase competition and finally put power in the hands of the people!