Wed, 04/01/2012 - 09:45
The u.K. Government will appeal a high court ruling against its decision to cut subsidies for solar power, a spokeswoman for the department of energy and climate change said.
Lawyers for the government will submit the appeal today, the spokeswoman said by phone yesterday, asking not to be named in line with the department's policy. The high court in London ruled on dec. 21 That a government decision to cut a feed-in tariff for solar energy starting on dec. 12 Was "unlawful"-
The court decision was a victory for companies including solarcentury holdings ltd., Which challenged the plan to reduce rates paid for solar by as much as 55 percent before a consultation with the industry finished on dec. 23.
Barker said on twitter yesterday he planned to publish proposals to reform the feed-in tariff scheme this month to make it "more like Germany". The spokeswoman said the government aimed to publish the proposals, a second consultation that would consider tariffs for non-solar photovoltaic technologies, "as soon as possible".
Lawmakers in both the ruling conservative party and the labour opposition say cuts are necessary to prevent a surge in solar power from jacking up electricity bills. Climate change minister greg barker wrote on his twitter feed yesterday that he would appeal the decision.
