The British Photovoltaic Association (BPVA) is lobbying the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to freeze the gradual decrease in the two main support mechanisms for solar in the UK.
The UK industry body want DECC to keep the feed-in tariff and Renewable Obligation Certificate (ROC) rates constant for at least 12 months, with six-month reviews thereafter.
BPVA aims to raise the matter at the next meeting of DECC's Solar Finance Strategy Group on 10 July.
BPVA chairman Reza Shaybani revealed the organisation’s plans at the Associate Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group seminar held last week to examine the impact of the EU-China PV trade dispute on the UK solar industry.
Shaybani said: “The BPVA has been monitoring the [anti-dumping] case from [the] start… We are aware that the current situation will bring more uncertainties for the industry, the government and ultimately for the customers. We are still hopeful that the situation will be resolved through negotiations between the Chinese companies involved and the European Commissioner. However in the meantime, not to damage the industry further, we are asking DECC to suspend any further degression of FiT & ROC.”
Shaybani said a suspension would “bring stability to the industry, confidence to the investors and give us all time to find alternative solutions”.
Shaybani continued: “DECC has the power to suspend further degression of the subsidies for a limited period of time. I have spoken to Greg Barker the [energy] minister and other officials at DECC about this issue and [we] are currently working on the financial impact this may have on the [solar industry’s] budget.”
Under government policy, the FiT and ROC, the two main support mechanisms for solar in the UK, are due to decrease gradually over time.
