Feed-in tariffs, the latest information on 25th January 2012

The Court of Appeal has upheld an earlier ruling that government cuts to household solar subsidies were illegal.

Three Court of Appeal judges ruled that parliament did not have the power to make such a modification “with such a retrospective effect”. The government must now pay costs for the solar industry and has been refused permission to appeal.

It will also have to pay its original higher subsidy for customers who installed panels between early December and the start of March.

Solar subsidies will still be reduced as of March 3. But companies which would have seen their subsidies slashed from December 12 have now won a delay of nearly three months.

The solar industry had previously scored a major victory last month in the High Court which ruled that the rushed way the government had introduced the subsidy cuts was illegal.

The government first announced in late October that it would reduce the amount of money paid to anyone fitting a small solar system after December 12 from 43.3p per kilowatt hour to 21p/kWh.

The new cut-off point of March 3 was introduced last week after Mr Huhne announced a new proposed eligibility date. In a written statement to parliament, Mr Huhne said this could provide a level of certainty to companies which had been unable to explain to potential customers what level of payments they could expect.

Contact Mipower now to learn how to take advantage of this final period of higher payment and how it can benefit you. There is only a short window of opportunity!