A reduction in the UK’s feed in tariff for new connections has seen solar power installations drop by 90% due to households not understanding that even at current rates, the case for going solar is still strong.
The Guardian reports in the few weeks since the feed-in tariff was slashed from 43p/kWh to 21p/kWh, 2.4MW of solar photovoltaic capacity has been added each week – down 87% last year’s weekly average of 18MW.
The incentive reduction was designed to end solar booms and busts. While it may well have ended the former; if the trend continues the latter could be even more of a surety in the short term.
Along with thousands of green collar jobs, the move may also put the UK’s target of 22GW of solar capacity installed by 2020 at risk.
According to Caroline Flint MP, Labour’s Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary, the UK may miss its target by a staggering margin.
“For months Labour has been warning that the Government’s cuts to solar power would destroy thousands of jobs, cut off a green hi-tech British industry and stop families controlling soaring energy bills. These shocking figures prove that because of the Government’s cuts, it will take a staggering 169 years for us to reach our targets for solar power.”
However, the country’s Solar Trade Association has pointed out a lull is normal after incentive reductions and is beating the drum to try and override the negative press.
“Despite all the reported ups and downs for the solar industry in recent months we want to get the message across to householders solar is a good investment at current tariff rates,” said STA Chief Executive Paul Barwell in a statement last month.
“Cutting the tariffs in half may look drastic, but the public need to understand this is not a problem for them because the costs of solar have fallen so fast.”
Feed in tariffs have proven key in promoting the uptake of solar panels, which in turn helps drive down equipment cost. The number of PV arrays in the UK jumped from just 25,461 systems in January 2011 to 314,043 at the end of April this year – with 301,857 of those units being solar arrays under 4kW capacity.
