Solar treachery!

SOLAR boss Wayne Brierley: attack on government

Company blasts tariff cut - but the future remains sunny
AN Oldham solar-energy company has described the decision to drop “feed-in” tariffs — money paid for supplying energy back to the grid — as “an act of treachery”.

Wayne Brierley — managing director of local renewable energy company Greenteam Renewables Ltd in Lees Road, said: “When the Government announced its proposals to cut feed-in-tariff incentives it sent major shock waves around the solar industry.”

Mr Brierley, who has invested £100,000 in his Greenteam Renewables venture, added: “This seems to be very short-sighted and extremely unjust for a new industry that came into being because of Government encouragement.

“For the Government to now turn on that industry for being too successful looks like an act of treachery that will undermine confidence in all future Government-led environmental initiatives.

Mr Brierley described the Government reasoning for its “huge U-turn” as nonsense.

On October 31 the Government launched its consultation on feed-in tariff incentives for photo-voltaic installations. The consultation was due to run until December 23 with the results expected to be announced early in 2012.

Out of the blue the Government announced a huge reduction in tariffs — an arbitrary decision imposed well ahead of the consultation deadline.

For a typical scheme of less than 4KWp the Government is reducing the incentives from 43.3p/kwh to 21p/kwh, applicable to installations registered as complete as of Monday.

Mr Brierley said: “Despite the initial doom and gloom there is still a bright future for photovoltaic installations.

“Under the old regime for feed-in-tariffs investors were easily making between 10 to 15 per cent returns on their investments. The proposed feed-in-tariffs are still likely to make a return of up to 10 per cent, which is fantastic when compared with bank interest rates and other investments.”

He believes the Government is right to link incentive payments with overall energy performance adding: “As we are able to offer our customers a one-stop shop for energy generation and energy efficiency our order book has remained strong.”

The showroom at the junction of Lees Road and Cross Street offers information on all aspects of green technology — photo-voltaic, ground and air source heat pumps, solar thermal, hydro and wind generation.