The UK's biggest business group today added its voice to criticism over Government plans to slash the subsidies for household solar electricity.
The CBI's director-general John Cridland said plans to halve feed-in tariffs, which are paid to people who generate electricity from small scale renewables, for domestic solar panels was 'the latest in a string of Government own goals'.
Under the proposals, the subsidies will be halved for new units installed from December 12, even before the consultation is due to end.
Ministers say the reductions are necessary to ensure that the feed-in tariffs paid for household solar, which has proved much more popular than anticipated, do not end up costing consumers - who pay for the scheme on their bills - too much.
But Mr Cridland said moving the goal posts in this way destroyed projects and jobs, and undermined investor confidence.
In a speech to the CBI East Midlands annual dinner tonight, Mr Cridland called for an industrial policy that helps the UK expand its share of the low-carbon sector, which has been growing globally throughout the recession.
He said the dramatic cut in the solar feed-in tariff, on the cards from April next year but now being brought in in December, was the latest in a string of own goals by the Government, which had already turned the carbon reduction commitment incentive scheme into 'a pure revenue-raiser'.
He said: 'Moving the goal posts doesn't just destroy projects and jobs, it creates a mood of uncertainty that puts off investors and they wonder what's coming next.
'Some companies have invested heavily in solar photovoltaic systems and in the supply chains needed to install them.
'That commitment has been undermined by the feed-in tariff decision - and so industry trust and confidence in the Government has evaporated. This bodes poorly for investment in future initiatives.
'A new industrial policy needs to recognise the real-time costs of these decisions, and should set out a clear path that investors understand and can believe in.'
His comments follow an attack on the Government's plans to cut solar subsidies by the Local Government Association, who warned it would cost councils who had attempted to roll out the technology to poorer households hundreds of millions.
Projects would be cancelled and low-income families would miss out on the chance to see reductions on their energy bills delivered by access to free energy from the solar panels, the LGA warned.
The LGA is urging the Government to extend the deadline for qualifying for the existing tariffs to the end of the financial year, next April, and protect schemes which are beneficial to the community.
2011年10月13日星期四
Solar panels on UWSP campus
The solar panels on UW-Stevens Point campus help save money by using energy from the sun, which is technically free. School leaders said say the panels on one building on campus have never been hooked up because they can't afford it.
Some students on UWSP campus said they think it's important to find ways to go green.
"You do see so many things going on that use energy so this is a way that we can conserve it and use other ways," said UWSP freshman Samantha Kucan.
Solar panels on top of the newest addition on campus -- The Suites @ 201 -- help heat water for the dorms. Knutzen Hall has some just like it. School leaders said all those panels work fine, but some on campus don't.
"We do have somesolar panels that are sitting on the top of the Health Enhancement Center," said UWSP sustainability coordinator Shelly Janowsky. "Those panels have never been functional."
School leaders said say they acquired additional panels in an agreement when a company went out of business. In order to protect the panels for future use, they put them on top of the HEC.
"We made the decision at the time to just put those on the top of the HEC building on the roof until we had time later to do something with them," said Janowsky.
Years later, campus leaders say those panels are out of date. They say it could cost more than $200,000 to install upgraded equipment -- a price tag they can't afford. With tighter budgets, campus leaders said they're not sure when that could happen. But they still hope to keep UWSP's campus as green as possible.
"We are looking at different types of renewable energy and will continue to do that andsolar might be the answer," said Janowsky.
"I think it is taken as a back burner but I think it should be almost one of the top things on the list because it does help out so much with the environment," said Kucan.
School officials said 16% of the energy used on campus is considered "green." They said if they ever get the opportunity to fix the HEC'ssolar panels, the plumbing is already in place to heat the swimming pool inside.
Some students on UWSP campus said they think it's important to find ways to go green.
"You do see so many things going on that use energy so this is a way that we can conserve it and use other ways," said UWSP freshman Samantha Kucan.
"We do have some
School leaders said say they acquired additional panels in an agreement when a company went out of business. In order to protect the panels for future use, they put them on top of the HEC.
"We made the decision at the time to just put those on the top of the HEC building on the roof until we had time later to do something with them," said Janowsky.
Years later, campus leaders say those panels are out of date. They say it could cost more than $200,000 to install upgraded equipment -- a price tag they can't afford. With tighter budgets, campus leaders said they're not sure when that could happen. But they still hope to keep UWSP's campus as green as possible.
"We are looking at different types of renewable energy and will continue to do that and
"I think it is taken as a back burner but I think it should be almost one of the top things on the list because it does help out so much with the environment," said Kucan.
School officials said 16% of the energy used on campus is considered "green." They said if they ever get the opportunity to fix the HEC's
2011年3月30日星期三
'Going green': Solar panels installed on roof of town's community center
WOODFORD - Woodford officials are doing their part to help the environment and conserve money at the same time.
Mayor Charles Stoudemire says the town has installed energy- and cost-saving solar panels to the roof of its community center, added more insulation to its buildings and upgraded to energy-efficient air conditioning and heating units.
Jeffery Derwort, Lower Savannah Council of Governments community development planner, helped the town apply for a federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant of approximately $45,000 to make all of the improvements, the mayor said.
"Step one of our 'going green' campaign was to install solar panels on the community center," Stoudemire said.
"The solar panels were installed on the roof of the community center where they would remain safe and sit, quietly doing their job," he said. "Even with thousands of visitors here for the Hummingbird Festival, I am not sure that anyone even noticed them."
The mayor said while the initial cost for the panels was a big investment, they will pay for themselves in 20 years and carry a life expectancy of more than 50 years.
"There are no moving parts, nothing to wear out and the panels will provide service as long as the sun shines," Stoudemire said.
He said the town has seen a benefit from the panels since they were installed three months ago, adding that he hopes more towns will start looking at renewable energy sources.
"We don't need any more radiation like they have in Japan right now. We don't need more pollution which comes from coal plants," Stoudemire said. "We need to start looking at ways that we can be clean and efficient."
The solar panels were installed by Sunstore Solar Energy Solutions of Greenville, he said. The panels convert sunlight into energy for the community center, Stoudemire said, noting, "Any unused power is sold back to SCE&G."
Stoudemire said town officials are happy with the savings and look forward to future improvements in solar technology. As more people use solar panels, the price will come down, he noted.
"The price of the solar panels went down just during our grant process," he said.
The mayor said with the savings Woodford has realized, there was enough money left over to purchase 22 additional solar panels, which will be installed soon.
"So we are benefiting from the price coming down already and doubling the amount of energy we will be able to produce," Stoudemire said.
While the town still has to purchase electricity from SCE&G, the panels have reduced Woodford's utility bill, he said.
Woodford Town Council members have been big supporters of the solar panels, the mayor said.
"Anything to save money, and since the money was there, we went for it," Stoudemire said.
The town has even converted its Christmas decorations to energy-efficient LED bulbs.
"One of the big expenses for a town is streetlights and other electricity that we use, and if we can cut that, then we can cut down our operating costs," Stoudemire said.
"We can use the money we save for other improvements in the town that we need."
Mayor Charles Stoudemire says the town has installed energy- and cost-saving solar panels to the roof of its community center, added more insulation to its buildings and upgraded to energy-efficient air conditioning and heating units.
Jeffery Derwort, Lower Savannah Council of Governments community development planner, helped the town apply for a federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant of approximately $45,000 to make all of the improvements, the mayor said.
"Step one of our 'going green' campaign was to install solar panels on the community center," Stoudemire said.
"The solar panels were installed on the roof of the community center where they would remain safe and sit, quietly doing their job," he said. "Even with thousands of visitors here for the Hummingbird Festival, I am not sure that anyone even noticed them."
The mayor said while the initial cost for the panels was a big investment, they will pay for themselves in 20 years and carry a life expectancy of more than 50 years.
"There are no moving parts, nothing to wear out and the panels will provide service as long as the sun shines," Stoudemire said.
He said the town has seen a benefit from the panels since they were installed three months ago, adding that he hopes more towns will start looking at renewable energy sources.
"We don't need any more radiation like they have in Japan right now. We don't need more pollution which comes from coal plants," Stoudemire said. "We need to start looking at ways that we can be clean and efficient."
The solar panels were installed by Sunstore Solar Energy Solutions of Greenville, he said. The panels convert sunlight into energy for the community center, Stoudemire said, noting, "Any unused power is sold back to SCE&G."
Stoudemire said town officials are happy with the savings and look forward to future improvements in solar technology. As more people use solar panels, the price will come down, he noted.
"The price of the solar panels went down just during our grant process," he said.
The mayor said with the savings Woodford has realized, there was enough money left over to purchase 22 additional solar panels, which will be installed soon.
"So we are benefiting from the price coming down already and doubling the amount of energy we will be able to produce," Stoudemire said.
While the town still has to purchase electricity from SCE&G, the panels have reduced Woodford's utility bill, he said.
Woodford Town Council members have been big supporters of the solar panels, the mayor said.
"Anything to save money, and since the money was there, we went for it," Stoudemire said.
The town has even converted its Christmas decorations to energy-efficient LED bulbs.
"One of the big expenses for a town is streetlights and other electricity that we use, and if we can cut that, then we can cut down our operating costs," Stoudemire said.
"We can use the money we save for other improvements in the town that we need."
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