Latest on the court challenge!!!

[SolarCity]

I just wish I knew.

Jeremy Leggett and co. should be proud of what they have done for the industry.

 

[Broadswordcalli]

Hear Hear. Thanks to Friends of The Earth, Jeremy Leggett and others for mounting this legal challenge. Let's hope the legal powers rule on clarity for 2012 so we all know where we stand, and here's to a happy and peaceful New Year.

 

[Eco Deal]

so in theory if the GOV dont appeal then its back to normal from 4th Jan ?

then april the tariff will drop lower than 21.1p in my op

 

[Somecamel]

Agree with MEP on the tariffs reducing further come April 2012.

The Government deserves everything they get with this but we don't. I would have much preferred a staggered reduction to the tariffs to bring some sort of sustainability to the industry.

However as far as the Law is concerned the Government broke it and we'll be the ones that end up paying for this cock up

 

[SRE]

If the 43p goes ahead then the last 10% of the budget will be blown quickly and the government is then entitled to make an emergency decision about the funding and could cut it as soon as the funds are spent. It won't take long (weeks I reckon)to spend the extra 10% - then we'll be left with the export tariff only.

I'd have preferred an early cut (say Sept) to 30p and 21p from next year to give us a bit of sustainability. There's going to be no solar industry at all if it goes back up to 43p.

 

[Somecamel]

The other option is to increase the 'funding' which has only had a cap on it since the Tories got into power and embrace this new low carbon industry.

Without these new companies who exactly is going to 'invest' in the Governments flagship 'Green Deal'.

The DECC is quite capable of moving funds around from other areas in the short term to cater for this.

 

[SolarCity]

Absolutely. Yes, the budget will be blown.

The sensible response to this would be to recognise the huge benefit that this has had to the economy, the terrific boost that the green industry has received, the positives that many homeowners have installed systems at a fraction of the cost of their German counterparts and the huge leap towards our green targets. With this in mind, adjust the tariff accordingly and allocate more funds.

Meanwhile, sort out the MCS so that it is more than just a paperwork exercise so that customers actually get a genuine benefit from it.

 

[solarsavings]

Meanwhile, sort out the MCS so that it is more than just a paperwork exercise so that customers actually get a genuine benefit from it.

What do you mean by that?

 

[SolarCity]

What do you mean by that?

MCS is a joke. There is nothing to differentiate between a firm full of skilled and able people that will design a tailor made system for the customer and a firm of salespeople that know next to nothing about PV systems.

Becoming MCS accredited is a paperwork exercise and virtually nothing else. A lot of the inspectors have no idea what a well designed system looks like - but they'll be on to you in a flash if you happen to have forgot to log all those phantom meetings that you had with your business partner or failed to indentify a quarantine area for all those none existent faulty panels.

Ask your customers what is important to them and the amount of people that will be even slightly interested in a QMS will be around zero.

The MCS has utterly failed the customer in the Great Solar Gold Rush.

 

[moggy1968]

Got to agree. MCS was designed to avoid what happened in double glazing, infact it turned out even worse. There are too many companies out there using hard sell for over expensive poorly designed and poorly installed systems, Meanwhile I'm here as installer, director and admin man spending days trying to sort out my paperwork for my inspection. It's like a sick joke.

No company should be MCS certified unless they have someone IN HOUSE who has the technical competence and no company should be able to sell solar systems unless they are MCS registered

 

[solarsavings]

Seriously, is any tradesman surprised that has been "required" to be a member of one of the trade bodies that the mcs requirements are total ****e. It was clearly intended to give jobs to suits and grief to the working man.

That's why I get upset when guys slag off our own there's more than enough do that already. And when guides get confused with robust documents and A is then claimed as the only way it should be done.

 

[moggy1968]

indeed, often more than one way to skin a cat!!

 

[Broadswordcalli]

Saucer of milk moggy 1968.

What the f is going on?
We want clarification of everything on Jan 4th, if not just to get on with our lives & livelihoods. Is that too much to ask from our elected representatives?

It's a very very mad world.

Keep the faith.

 

[GoB2Bservices]

The point that seems to be being overlooked IS correctly put by Somecamel.

The TORY stance of slapping the brakes on and (Apparently) not giving much thought to the alternatives. ALWAYS makes me suspicious of politicians, i.e. who benefits if the power struggle to supply the UK with alternative energy is halted, who is disadvantaged?

As a guess I would say ANY lobbying by the NUCLEAR, Major Power Companies or Oil Industry would get a much better response than any of us troublesome swines! (Troublesome swines BECAUSE we take all of the achievable profits but A Are smaller and easily ignored and B Don't contribute to TORY party funds). We are all small players in a fragmented and industry which WAS earning BIG money):smartass:

Where is the cost/benefit analysis of Nuclear (FULL LIFE-CYCLE COSTS?) to Solar and the natural fit/benefit of power at the source of generation improving the efficiency of the national grid?

 

[GoB2Bservices]

[h=1]Comical so I couldn't resist adding here Press release from 30th Dec by DECC.

the MINISTER For Energy LOOKS FORWARD TO "PROSPEROUS 2012" FOR OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY[/h]​

“Oil and gas remains crucial to the UK economy – contributing around 2% to the country’s GDP. Our innovative licensing system continues to make the UK one of the most attractive places to do business.”
(Charles Hendry)
​

[h=2]PRESS REF: 2011/116
30 DECEMBER 2011[/h]​