Government Is Out Of Step With Public Over Support For Small Scale Solar

Over 50,000 people have submitted responses to a government consultation calling for them to maintain support for rooftop solar.  The consultation, which closed on 23 October, proposed ending or massively reducing the feed-in tariff scheme, which helps pay for solar on the roofs of homes and schools.

Tens of thousands more people have written to their MPs to protest about plans that would see government support for small scale solar fall to just £2 million a year over the next three years.

Friends of the Earth renewables campaigner Alasdair Cameron said: “There’s a lot of public backing for keeping support for solar power and other small scale renewables, as these responses show, and the government should urgently rethink its planned cuts.

“In just a few years rooftop solar could be one of the cheapest energy sources available – as large scale solar already is – but we need to maintain investment.

“These devastating cuts could cost over 20,000 jobs, take power away from consumers and leave the UK trailing far behind other countries like China and the US who are now investing heavily in solar.”

Individuals were encouraged to submit responses to the consultation by a coalition of campaigning groups, including Friends of the Earth.