policy

The Energy and Climate Change (ECC) select committee is to be officially abolished following the conference season, with the business, innovation and skills (BIS) department to take on the energy brief.

Despite outperforming the rest of the UK, Scotland will need to increase its renewable electricity deployment by 1.3GW per year to 2020 if it is to meet its decarbonisation targets, according to a new report from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).

The conservative think tank Policy Exchange has thrown its weight behind the government’s proposals to axe solar thermal from the Renewable Heat Incentive, claiming that lower cost non-renewable technologies should be allowed onto the scheme.

With the launch of an environment and energy manifesto this week, Jeremy Corbyn may have signalled a renewed focus from Labour on energy policy. In the same week that saw Barry Gardner launch a campaign against rising business rates on solar installations, could it be that Corbyn’s Labour is about to bring green energy policy to the fore?

The number of new community companies setting up to deliver renewable energy projects has dropped by more than 80% following cuts in government support, according to new findings from Co-operatives UK.

The UK would adopt a target of 65% of electricity to come from renewable sources by 2030 under a Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn, creating around 316,000 jobs in the renewables sector.

The Treasury is to launch a consultation setting out proposals for transitional relief measures for companies affected by upcoming changes to business tax rates on solar installations, Solar Power Portal has learned.

The solar industry was singled out for cuts in subsidy support by the UK government, new Scottish energy minister Paul Wheelhouse MSP told a conference in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

Labour has stepped up its pressure on the government over proposed increases in business rates taxation on solar installations and launched a campaign against the plans.

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has labelled cuts to the small-scale feed-in tariff “nonsensical” during a speech launching a pledge to invest £300 million in low-carbon technology.