Companies contest feed-in tariff cut at High Court

Solar firms hit by last month’s decision by the government to scale back subsidies for the renewable technology have launched a petition for a judicial review.

On 18 March climate change minister Greg Barker ordered a severe cut in the amount of feed-in tariff subsidies available to solar arrays above 50kW – around the size of two tennis courts.

There have been warnings since that this has brought many large projects on schools and social housing to a “screeching halt” and damaged confidence in the industry.

Seven companies and three individuals have now filed a petition at the High Court demanding a judicial review of the government’s decision to carry out an emergency review of the subsidies, which lasted one and a half months.

The companies and individuals reported to be involved are: Alectron Investments, Element Power, Juwi Renewable Energies, Lark Energy, Low Carbon Solar UK, mO3 Power, Donald Anderson, Guy Anderson, Kate Kenyon and The Green Company (Europe).

On behalf of the group filing the claim, Mark Shorrock, CEO of Low Carbon Solar UK, said: “In pulling back on a commitment to support solar energy, the Government will cause the abandonment of hundreds of community scale schemes. The cost of not getting this right now, aside from the Government meeting its climate change targets, include the creation of new jobs, a diversified income for farmers and landowners, reduced energy costs for businesses and the provision of more secure and reliable energy for the UK. “