What does the court hearing mean for Planet Solar customers?
This morning the high court rejected the appeal made by the government regarding the drop in solar PV feed-in-tariffs for systems up to 4kWp to 21p from the earlier cut-off date of 12th December 2011. The media speculation has been rife and existing and potential Planet Solar customers are no doubt wondering what to do next – please see below some clarity and what the outcome means at this stage:
In basic terms, this outcome means that any customers who had a Solar PV system installed up to 4kWp from 12th December 2011 onwards should now receive the higher tariff of 43.3p for every kilowatt hour their system produces, for 25 years. What it also means, is that customers who have a system installed and commissoned before 3rd March 2012 will also receive the 43.3p rate.
The government tried to appeal for a second time however this was rejected by the appeal court. Energy & Climate Change Secretary, Chris Hulme, has made an official statement to the solar industry, which states that the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) are seeking permission to appeal directly to the Supreme Court. This leaves yet more uncertainty as to whether the higher tariff does apply.
On a more positive note in terms of clarity to the industry, the court decision was unanomous, and the appeal court have already rejected one chance to appeal. This suggests that it will be unlikely that DECC will be granted a second appeal at the Supreme Court.
If the appeal is rejected and the 43.3p rate is 100% confirmed, then we are likely to see a rush for installs over the next few weeks, therefore if you are ready to place an order it is recommend you contact us today to ensure you do not miss out.
In terms of going forward, if the appeal is granted then the lower rate of 21p per kWh will apply for installs from 12th Dec 2011. It is also worth noting that after 3rd March 2012 the tariff is also set to be 21p going forward, even if DECC lose the chance to appeal. This still makes Solar PV a great investment and we see a positive future for Solar PV, whatever the final result.
For full details on the feed-in-tariff and how it works, visit our financial benefits page or contact us on 0800 533 5130.
