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Feed-in Tariff Changes Needed To Create Sustainable Solar Industry
The controversial changes to the Feed-in Tariff (FiT) proposed by the Government are needed in order for the solar industry to become sustainable, a North East conference on the state of the photovoltaics market and technological developments heard. Emma Hughes, editor of a UK online solar service was speaking at the Solar Flair conference at the Radisson Blu hotel, in Durham, about the Government's plan to reduce the Feed-in Tariff next April by up to 50 per cent for installations made after the December 12 cut off point.
Ms Hughes, who gave an overview of the UK solar photovoltaics sector, told delegates: "At the moment the market is being stimulated by FiT incentives. We're hoping that in the next couple of years there won't be any need for a Feed-in Tariff and that the cost of PV will be the same as using conventional power.
"The Government has realised that they need to act now in order to sustain the industry to prevent a boom and bust scenario. If no action is taken, Government will find itself in a position where it has to cut off the (Feed-in Tariff) system before we reach grid parity.
"While the new rates will be a significant reduction, the people we are speaking to in the industry are saying the changes are needed. With PV prices continuing to fall and energy prices rising grid parity is moving even closer."
Dr Tom Taylor told the conference about some of the latest developments in the solar field, including organic photovoltaic applications on lightweight flexible materials which could be used to provide off-grid power in areas of the developing world.
"Being able to access lighting during the night by charging batteries during the day via solar power is the key to education in some of these areas because they have to work during the day," said Dr Taylor.
"The risk of transporting a whole glass-based silicon system across Africa and it breaking is quite high whereas if it's a film on plastic or metal it's more robust, particularly when driving across these remote areas or when faced with damage by the elements."
Solar Flair 11 was organised by the County Durham Development Company (CDDC), the business services arm of Durham County Council.
Stewart Watkins, managing director of CDDC, said: "It was incredibly exciting to hear about some of the latest developments in the photovoltaic field from the people who are at the forefront of new technologies, many of them here in the North East.
"This year's Solar Flair event has highlighted just how many opportunities there are in the solar industry for businesses to take advantage of."
Other speakers at the event included David Thorpe, editor of Energy & Environmental Management magazine and author of Solar Technology; Dr Chiara Candelise, of the Institute for Energy Systems, University of Edinburgh; Prof James Durrant, professor of photochemistry, Imperial College London; Dr David Lane, reader in analytical physics and advanced materials, Cranfield University and Dr Douglas Halliday, deputy director of the Centre for Materials Physics, Durham University.
