UK Government needs to rethink solar policy, says report

[ujoni08]

http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/4150/

'The UK Coalition Government needs to rethink its solar energy policy, according a report from the Solar Trade Association (STA).

But while the report urges the Government to do more to support the burgeoning solar industry, it does not call on the Government to scrap its plans to cut feed-in tariff rates for developments over 50 kW by 40-70%.

The STA argues that falling prices mean that the feed-in tariff could be cut by 25% across the board – regardless of size of installation – without damaging sustainable growth in the sector.

However, the Government’s solar strategy comes in for severe criticism in the report.

“The Government has got it wrong on solar. We are on the cusp of a global solar revolution, major markets all over the world recognize that solar energy is critical to our future,” says Howard Johns, chair of the STA.

Germany, he points out, plans to generate 50% of its daytime electricity from solar sources by 2020 with an overall target of 52 GW. By comparison, the UK’s target is a measly 2.7 GW by 2020'.

Jon

[RenewableCandy]

To be fair, Germany gets more sun than the UK, and that spread more evenly through the year (further south, and Continental climate, both make for more winter sun).

But perhaps that's no excuse: after all they generate far more wind energy than us, with quite a bit less wind!