- Reaction score
- 205
Sounds like good news, folks - Press Association reporting:
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A judge has ordered an urgent hearing of a High Court challenge over Government plans to cut financial incentives for solar electricity.
Environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth (FoE) and two solar companies - Solarcentury and HomeSun - won the go-ahead to seek a ruling that the proposals are unlawful.
The case centres on Government plans to cut feed-in tariff subsidies - payments made to households and communities that generate green electricity through solar panels - on any installations completed after Monday this week.
Mr Justice Mitting, sitting in London, said the proposals had given rise to "economic risk" for those engaged in the solar industry and the challenge should be heard as a matter of urgency next week.
FoE and the solar companies argue the December deadline, which comes before the end of a statutory consultation exercise, is fundamentally flawed. The group says the move could cost tens of thousands of jobs and bankrupt businesses - and has already led to unfinished or planned projects being abandoned.
The judge said the application for judicial review against Energy Secretary Chris Huhne should be heard next Tuesday and Wednesday as it seemed to him an immediate risk had been created "for those who are installing solar panels after December 12".
The judge added: "There is a decision which is susceptible to challenge, even if consultation leaves open the possibility that a different (deadline) date may ultimately be chosen."
A recent report commissioned by FoE and an alliance of solar firms and consumer and environmental organisations known as "Cut Don't Kill" estimated the allegedly premature cuts could cost up to 29,000 jobs and lose the Treasury up to £230 million a year in tax income.
FoE's executive director Andy Atkins said: "We're delighted the High Court has given the go-ahead to our legal challenge - we believe Government plans to abruptly slash solar subsidies are not only unfair, but illegal.
"These proposals have already had a disastrous impact on the solar industry - fledgling clean businesses have had the rug pulled from under their feet and a shadow hangs over thousands of jobs. Ministers must change direction and put the solar industry at the forefront of building a clean, safe future."
*********************
A judge has ordered an urgent hearing of a High Court challenge over Government plans to cut financial incentives for solar electricity.
Environmental campaign group Friends of the Earth (FoE) and two solar companies - Solarcentury and HomeSun - won the go-ahead to seek a ruling that the proposals are unlawful.
The case centres on Government plans to cut feed-in tariff subsidies - payments made to households and communities that generate green electricity through solar panels - on any installations completed after Monday this week.
Mr Justice Mitting, sitting in London, said the proposals had given rise to "economic risk" for those engaged in the solar industry and the challenge should be heard as a matter of urgency next week.
FoE and the solar companies argue the December deadline, which comes before the end of a statutory consultation exercise, is fundamentally flawed. The group says the move could cost tens of thousands of jobs and bankrupt businesses - and has already led to unfinished or planned projects being abandoned.
The judge said the application for judicial review against Energy Secretary Chris Huhne should be heard next Tuesday and Wednesday as it seemed to him an immediate risk had been created "for those who are installing solar panels after December 12".
The judge added: "There is a decision which is susceptible to challenge, even if consultation leaves open the possibility that a different (deadline) date may ultimately be chosen."
A recent report commissioned by FoE and an alliance of solar firms and consumer and environmental organisations known as "Cut Don't Kill" estimated the allegedly premature cuts could cost up to 29,000 jobs and lose the Treasury up to £230 million a year in tax income.
FoE's executive director Andy Atkins said: "We're delighted the High Court has given the go-ahead to our legal challenge - we believe Government plans to abruptly slash solar subsidies are not only unfair, but illegal.
"These proposals have already had a disastrous impact on the solar industry - fledgling clean businesses have had the rug pulled from under their feet and a shadow hangs over thousands of jobs. Ministers must change direction and put the solar industry at the forefront of building a clean, safe future."
