The heat is on: DECC’s multi-billion pound “exemptions” raise serious questions

The Department of Energy and Climate Change is responsible for delivering 13 key Government projects that over their lifetime will be worth £81 billion, but it is currently withholding details on how 12 of those projects are progressing – including on the Green Deal, smart meters and electricity market reform. Why?

Crowdfunding and renewables: is power for the people by the people about to come of age?

16 years ago upon a Cumbrian hilltop, it was proved for the first time in the UK that ‘crowdfunding’ could harness renewable energy. Today, crowdfunding in general is forcing its way into the mainstream. So, will 2013 be hailed as the year when decentralised finance for decentralised energy came of age?

Why we have to turn the anti-renewables press around

Recent research conducted by communications experts CCgroup has found that 50 per cent of newspaper articles portray the renewables industry negatively. So why does this matter and what can the industry do about it?

RHI and FiTs: the unintended consequences of penalising green energy ‘early adopters’

The Renewable Heat Incentive and the Feed-in Tariff are Government mechanisms that are meant to incentivise people to generate green energy, but poor regulation means renewable power is going to waste and functioning renewable technologies are being scrapped in order to qualify for subsidies.

The solar Feed-in Tariff still offers a good rate of return – so why have installations dried up?

Since the beginning of April solar PV installations have fallen off a cliff, but the Feed-in Tariff still offers a good rate of return. So why have enquiries dried up?

Government loses Feed-in Tariff appeal, but what next?

The Government lost its appeal to restore its solar Feed-in Tariff cuts, but it’s seeking permission to appeal to the Supreme Court. So is now a good time to buy solar PV?

What’s the Feed-in Tariff saga costing and whose going to pay the ultimate price?

Three appeal judges have unanimously upheld a High Court ruling that Energy Secretary Chris Huhne lacks the power to introduce controversial plans to cut the Feed-in Tariff for solar electricity “retrospectively”. Huhne has said he intends to seek to appeal to the Supreme Court. But can he justify the costs?

“Greenest Government ever” – how do you rate the Coalition’s green performance?

On January 12, the House of Lords will debate the Government’s green performance and its claim that it is the “the greenest Government ever”. So how do you rate the Coalition’s green performance?

2011: the year of solar…or its demise?

2011 will remembered for many tumultuous events, but for those of us reporting on the UK green business sector, there’s one that stands out amongst all the others: the solar Feed-in Tariff debacle.

The Feed-in Tariff and life after 43p

What will life after 43p for solar Feed-in Tariff users be like? That will depend on wether we can make the shift to using the PV harvest ourselves.