ao link
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In

Legal challenge to FIT cuts to go ahead

A campaign group has confirmed it will take the government to court over cuts to financial incentives for solar energy.

Linked InTwitterFacebookeCard

Last week Friends of the Earth laid down an ultimatum to climate change minister Greg Barker warning him to amend the proposed cuts by 4pm on Friday or face a judicial review.

Friends of the Earth said it received a brief response indicating the government didn’t believe the issues raised were urgent and therefore it didn’t intend to respond within the deadline.

The legal challenge follows the announcement earlier this month of government plans to impose lower feed-in tariff payments – cash given to households generating green electricity through solar panels – on any installations completed after 12 December this year.

Friends of the Earth said this cut-off point, two weeks before a consultation on the changes ends, is unlawful and said it has evidence that projects are already being abandoned and solar firm redundancies have either taken place or are being urgently considered.

Craig Bennett, policy and campaigns director at Friends of the Earth, said: ‘Ministers have failed to listen to our concerns about the legality of their plans to slash solar subsidies – we have now been left with no choice but to take the government to court.

‘Slashing payments to any scheme completed after 12 December will unfairly pull the plug on thousands of clean energy schemes across the UK, preventing homes and communities from escaping soaring fuel bills.’

Inside Housing is calling for the social housing sector to be given an improved offer on feed-in tariff payments through our Green Light campaign. See our campaign page for more, or sign our petition to express your support.


READ MORE

Government issued with legal threat over FIT cutsGovernment issued with legal threat over FIT cuts

Linked InTwitterFacebookeCard
Add New Comment
You must be logged in to comment.