Today Amber Rudd, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, seems to have a taken a big step towards dropping the “Climate Change” element of her monicker, announcing further dramatic reductions in support for renewable energy generation.  Just weeks after the planning changes for onshore wind turbine developements though out England, DECC have announced the removal of Biomass ‘grandfather rights’, under the RO and launched two further consultations;  the first on closing the RO  to new solar PV schemes of 5MW and under as of 1 April 2016 with the removal of grandfathering and pre-accrediation from 22nd July 2015, the second on removal of pre-registration and pre-accrediation for any new projects under the Feed-in Tariff.  A further comrehensive review of the Feed-in Tarrif is due later this year and reeling developers and investors are not going to hold out hope this this will offer them any lifelines.

The Chancellor’s budget announcement on the removal of Levy Exemption Certificates from all forms of renewable power align with the  proposed changes from DECC, all of which are being promoted under ‘cost savings’.  In times of  austerity we must all make sacrifices, but lets hope that future generations don’t reflect on this government as those that ‘robbed Peter to pay Paul,’ turning their backs on important long term environmental issues in favour of short term economic gain.

There is still detail to come out as part of, and after, the consultation process and some doors for support will still be open to renewable energy developers, but project selection and financing and will be absolutely critical to the success of individual projects.

The Renewables industry will find ways to continue and adapt, but recent announcements set the tone that it will not be with the help of the current UK government.