by Marie Kauna – EMTV Online, Port Moresby
Sudden job losses have mounted for UK solar companies, affecting the industry, workers and their families.
While this sudden move can partially be blamed upon a lack of government support, the solar power industry has proposed an emergency plan to rescue its renewables.
The proposed plan will add £1 to consumer bills by 2019, from the £9 a year that clean technology subsidies cost for bill payers.
The emergency plan was made in response to the government’s plan on cutting subsidies for rooftop solar panel installations by 87 per cent.
The Solar Trade Association, based on this move by the government, has warned that the move could cost up to 27,000 jobs and waste public money already being spent on supporting the technology.
While the government’s move is focused on cutting subsidies to the industry to relieve cost on the public, a department spokesman said, “our priority is to keep as low as possible for hard working families and businesses, while reducing our emissions in the most cost effective way”.
The Solar Trade Association is planning to allow the solar power industry to become subsidy free, and reserve 15,000 to 20,000 jobs and to enable more homes to become solar powered.
The plan includes higher initial tariffs for subsidies to make investing viable, and a reduction to allow government to control costs.
This will ensure families, farmers, housing associations and community groups continue their involvement in the move towards low carbon power, giving them more control over their energy.
