Clegg Renews Coalition’s Commitment To Renewable Energy

How do you know when a politician is lying? When they open their mouth. It’s an old joke, and one that we have to hope is not the case this time because when addressing the British Business Embassy on Energy, the Deputy Prime Minister renewed the Coalition Government to green energy.

Deputy PM Renews Coalition's Commitment to Solar Energy

“Global Energy Revolution”

Reminding the audience that the UK is the 6^th largest market for low-carbon products, he assured those listening that the Coalition is “committed to… a clean, green, low carbon economy.”

He recognised the “global energy revolution” occurring right now and claimed that they are “not going to be left behind”.

Of course one of the only reasons to make a speech of this kind is because the actions of the government have evoked fears that it is not actually the case. After all there have been significant reductions in the feed in tariff, making solar energy less attractive as an investment opportunity.

Of course the government are right when they say that the costs of installations have come down and that the feed in tariff still makes solar panel installations a good investment. However, it sends out bad signals. As do reported grumblings from the Treasury about renewable energy.

“Stable Policy Framework” Needed

The CEO of the Renewable Energy Association (REA), Gaynor Hartnell, welcomed the sentiments of Clegg’s speech. However, he also added that the Coalition needed to provide a “clear and stable policy framework” in order to assure that the renewable energy sector continued to grow.

After all, investing in solar energy is a long term commitment, and if businesses or individuals are going to invest, they have to feel that the situation is going to stay much the same. That they are treading on stable ground, in other words. However with the reductions in the feed in tariff recently, many people have been put off, not just because of the lower payouts but because of the uncertainty of it.

It is important to remember, however, that once you have your solar panel installation, any further changes to the policy are not going to affect you. Those who had their solar panels installed when the feed in tariff was at its highest are still getting that higher rate. Indeed, even more than that since it is also linked with inflation, ensuring that your payments retain their buying power.

Still, the whole financial incentives business for solar energy UK production is quite complicated, and can tend to be confusing. This has been confirmed by a recent survey which revealed that many consumers are confused about the incentives available for solar energy and other renewable energy systems. It is no wonder really, with the Treasury appearing to be hostile to any further spending on renewable energy, and the Deputy Prime Minister coming out in its support.

Solar Energies UK

With the costs of a solar panel installation coming down significantly, government incentives for solar energy in the UK are not as important anymore, but the sooner you get your installation the more that is likely to be on offer. If you’d like more information for your specific circumstances, or a free quote, get in touch with Solar Energies UK on our free phone number.