After more than 50,000 respondents; pressure from other MPs within the Conservative party; the discovery of a leaked letter she wrote to the cabinet, acknowledging that the UK is likely to be fined heavily for missing its CO2e targets, and wondering whether the UK could effectively buy carbon credits from other countries (she really doesn’t get this carbon thing does she!); plus numerous petitions and powerful protests outside the DECC (Department of Energy & Climate Change) office, we wait with baited breath to hear if Amber Rudd, the Secretary for Energy and Climate Change, will continue with her stubbornness and cut the Feed in Tariff in the new year.

The consultation on the FIT’s future closed on October 23^rd, but it seems unlikely that there will be a response much before Christmas – especially as the DECC now has 50,000+ rants to read through.  Rumours are rife in the green energy industry, with talk of a less severe cut, a couple of months’ extension, or a complete review of the situation all apparently on the cards.

CSP have of course been overwhelmed with enquiries, and despite bringing in extra teams (something we do very cautiously anyway, to ensure we don’t compromise quality), most of the available installation slots are taken. However, if you didn’t get a slot then don’t despair – even with the lower FIT that the DECC have proposed, there’s still more than a 10% ROI available, and with new storage solutions hitting the UK market early next year, that can easily rise to over 12.5% ROI.

#SaveOurSolar

Image: solar panel-like patterns pressure-washed onto paving stones outside the DECC offices – ‘clean graffiti’ designed to help protest the FIT cuts. Credit: businessgreen.com