The Green Electrician has introduced new energy saving technologies to help customers reduce their energy bills now and in the future.

Technologies include solar thermal, low energy lighting, voltage optimisation and monitoring alongside the installation of solar panels to generate electricity, for which we are known as a UK industry leader.

Top scientist says renewable energy offers best value for money
• Developing renewable energy saves £84 per person per year in UK
• Cost of relying on gas and coal nearly £4,700 per person per year
• Meanwhile Government reveals companies investing £2.5 billion in renewable energy projects since April, creating 12,000 jobs.
More... http://www.bwea.com/media/news/articles/pr20111229.html
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DECC 26/1/11 - They will start the appeal process and the rate remains at 21p throughout this process. They have 28 days to launch the appeal - which they confirmed they would be doing - the complete process can take up to a year before it is heard in the Supreme Court if indeed they are granted an appeal. The decision as to whether or not the Supreme Court can hear the appeal may take up to 6 weeks too.

So , we recommend all customers base their calculations on the new tariffs and we they will be generously reimbursed should the appeal be thrown out again.

24/1/12 Our Solar Future Update on whether the Government can appeal again:

As you may well have already heard, three Appeal Court  judges have today upheld the finding of the High Court before Christmas.  This is a very important finding - it means that the Government cannot retrospectively change FITs contracts.

It also means that the proposal to reduce tariff rates for systems fitted after 12 December 2012 is illegal.  However, it does not affect the Government's proposal to cut rates for systems installed after 3rd March 2012, because that reduction has followed the correct procedure with regulations being tabled in Parliament already, and the cut coming after the 40 day period required by law.

There is still some uncertainty about rates paid on installations fitted between 12/12/2011 and 3/3/2012 because it is not yet clear whether the Government will appeal.  However, the minimum tariff that people installing in this period will get is 21p, and if Government decides not to appeal (or if it eventually loses its appeals) then they would get the 43.3p rate*.  There is speculation that Government will appeal to prolong the uncertainty in the hope it will put some consumers off - but no doubt DECC will be setting that against the political damage done to them by yet another defeat and the image of a Government refusing to accept it has got it wrong and working to make amends.

As appeared in Click Green 25/1/12: The Court of Appeal has upheld a High Court ruling that Government cuts to the Feed-in Tariff were unlawful.

The three Lords Justices of Appeal announced their reserved judgement this morning following a hearing 10 days ago.

Today's decision is a damaging blow to Ministers and officials at the Department of Energy and Climate Change, who must now introduce the contingency date of March 3 for the start of the 21p rate for solar PV and not the original December 12 deadline.

The court judgement also means customers who have had solar panels installed and are registered ahead of the new March 3 cut-off point will now receive the original 43p rate for 25 years.

Customers who register on or after March 3 will qualify for the current higher rate until April 1, when it will drop to 21p.

DECC was also ordered to pay the full costs of around £125,000 for the appeal hearing. In a Twitter message immediately after the ruling was handed down, Energy Minister Greg Barker, wrote: "Win, lose or draw today, important we move forward together, drive down costs + step up deployment."

The original legal challenge was made by Solarcentury, Friends of the Earth and HomeSun, and the High Court ruled on 21 December that a Government proposal to cut payments for any solar scheme completed after 12 December 2011 – 11 days before an official consultation into the proposal had even closed – was unlawful.

Jeremy Leggett said today: "A historic judgement has been made today, one that should be welcomed by the entire renewable energy industry.

"Renewables can only play the pivotal role necessary to deliver a new green economy, if we have a stable market and investor confidence backed by lawful, predictable and carefully considered policy.

15/12/11 - New Government deadline will create a new solar panel rush as householders get their solar panels on the roof before restrictive proposals on home energy efficiency forcing homeowners to rethink any plans of having solar panels in the future.

Here is a look at the new deadlines and how they will effect homeowners and businesses:

1 April 2012
A new deadline is emerging - April Fools Day. This is when the Government Fools are suggesting that that homeowners will need to have a compulsory energy rating (currently suggesting Category C) to obtain the full 21p feed-in tariff. If they are less than Category C (currently more than 80% of housing stock and all houses built before 2002) they will face thousands of pounds upgrading their homes in order to get the full FIT. This is estimated by the Government at £5-7k for a house with a current D rating (already highly efficient) and in excess of £10k for older properties.

To upgrade a property to reach a category C rating some of the following is required:
•         200mm loft insulation
•         New high performance double glazing throughout
•         New high performance heating systems.
•         New high performance insulation to the entire house, cavity fill insulation
•         Installation of new lighting systems throughout with low energy fittings

plus solar PV /thermal

15/12/11 - In a meeting with DECC on Monday 12th December, the Solar Trade Association has provided minutes to provide some clarity on the Governments activities and plans for the solar industry over the coming weeks.

The Minister’s overriding concern is that there is to be life for the industry beyond 1st April 2012.

•For the Phase 2 consultation DECC is having to think more creatively.
•There will be a consultation in early January setting out a proposed degression methodology - this will cover tariff degression and timescales.
•DECC is hoping to report on the outcome of the priority decisions from the Phase 1 consultation before the end of January.  It will definitely be published by 8th February. 
•There is an “ambitious trajectory to get to 2 ROCS/MWh for solar”.
•To “lift solar PV out of the ‘nice to have’ category that needs additional subsidy” we “need to get there ASAP” 
•The aim is to “deploy at scale and sustainably at a level comparable to mainstream renewables”.
High level update in Phase 1
In January, as part of the Phase II consultation, DECC will announce a “cost control mechanism” which might kick in quickly after 1st April 2012.

DECC will also put out a statement clarifying the certainty of 21p as the minimum tariff for householders between now and 1st April 2012.

Cost control mechanisms
DECC have considered 4 options

1.Gradual degression, on pre-planned timescale
2.German-style degression, with % reductions linked to the capacity installed
3.Frequent reviews
4.Rationing or quotas
DECC does not intend to do number 4.  This felt not logical for a demand-led policy.

Need to give industry the predictability and build it in to the mechanism.

9/12/11 – The Green Electrician offices in Wardle, Cheshire, were one of the last buildings in the UK to have Solar PV fitted before the Govnt deadline for the 50% cut in the Feed-in Tariff.  The 16 panel system emphasises our commitment to green energy and will make a difference to the running costs of the offices.

"It will not surprise you that fitting on the head offices was extremely swift and took just under 4 hours. This set a new record for an installation of this size. After fitting there was just enough time for the lads to nip home for a wash and a brush up and then head off to the company Christmas party."  Reports Tony Hayward, Site Surveyor

Surely the Government must listen when the head of the CBI criticises its proposals to cut the feed-in tariff and attempt to destory the industry.

The CBI said the decision to halve "feed-in tariffs" earlier than planned would force companies to cancel planned work, destroying projects and jobs.The government said the changes would ensure the scheme carried on in future.

CBI director general, Jonathan Cridland said the cut, which it was thought would end in April next year, was the latest in a string of own goals by the government. He said it already turned the carbon reduction commitment incentive scheme into "a pure revenue-raiser" and taxed North Sea oil and gas. In a speech to the CBI East Midlands annual dinner he said: "Moving the goal posts doesn't just destroy projects and jobs, it creates a mood of uncertainty that puts off investors and they wonder what's coming next. Some companies have invested heavily in solar photovoltaic systems and in the supply chains needed to install them. That commitment has been undermined by the feed-in tariff decision - and so industry trust and confidence in the government has evaporated. This bodes poorly for investment in future initiatives."

Legal challenges

The Department of Energy and Climate Change is also facing two possible legal challenges over the plans from Friends of the Earth and lawyers acting for installers. The Green Electrician has also joined installers from 'Our Solar Future' to take legal action against the Government.

To support legal action or find our more visit www.oursolarfuture.org.