Solar crackdown by Freesource

Wiltshire renewables company Freesource Energy is backing a campaign launching tomorrow to crack down on unscrupulous installers of solar panels seeking to cash in on the confusion surrounding the Government’s feed-in-tariff incentives.



The independent renewable energy website YouGen has developed the campaign after receiving a growing number of complaints from concerned consumers.
It has been backed by some of the most successful renewable energy companies in the UK including Corsham-based Freesource Energy, which is accredited by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme and the REAL Assurance Scheme, providing a quality guarantee for small-scale energy generation systems.



In total, more than 20 companies in the sector have pledged their support for the crackdown.



Cathy Debenham, Founder of YouGen, said the campaign was being launched today to coincide with the reduction in available feed-in-tariffs available for installations of less than 4kW from 43.3p/kWh to 21p.
The feed-in-tariff rate for installations completed between December 12 and March 3 is currently unknown due to the Government’s ongoing legal challenge over an earlier High Court ruling that its proposed reduction to the rates was unlawful.


If the Government is unsuccessful in its appeal to the Supreme Court, the rate for this period will be 43.3p, but should it be successful it will revert to 21p.



The issue of tariffs is further complicated by the current consultation being undertaken into rates post July 1 which will almost certainly bring about two further cuts in the incentives available before the end of 2012.