Following the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) unsuccessful appeal against the High Court’s ruling on UK Feed in Tariffs, solar advocates predict that the Government is likely to pursue every legal avenue available to avoid another solar feeding frenzy.
Court officials announced on Wednesday 24th Jan that DECC were denied their hearing after previously ruling that their handling of the Feed in Tariff consultation was unlawful.
This recent development indicates that any customers who have solar PV systems (of 4kW or below) installed between 12th Dec 2011 – 3rd March 2012, will have access to the original Feed in Tariff subsidy at 43.3p per Kilowatt for the full 25 year period.
However, this declaration still brings a degree of uncertainty. If the Government chooses to appeal to the Supreme Court, clarification on the process will yet again be delayed resulting in tentative consumers.
Although solar campaigners seem to have won their battle against the Government in the first instance, solar customers and installers are still waiting for any concrete evidence of Feed in Tariff stability. Cynic’s predict that the Government will try everything they can to delay the process into late February to prevent another solar installation rush.
There is still no information on what rate the Feed in Tariff will reside at for customers who get systems installed after April 2012. There is a possibility that the rate could drop again following the end result of this legal battle.