News Article
Solarcentury Calls For Investigation Of Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Solarcentury wants full exposure of subsidies to the energy sector. As many of the pricing support mechanisms to renewable energy are transparent and visible, critics describe them as subsidies. This is true. But it's also true that all energy sources like fossil fuels and nuclear energy are being subsidised.
Frans van den Heuvel, CEO, Solarcentury said: "We receive subsidies at a level that drives growth and improvement and thus, our prices go down. Renewable subsidies do what they are meant to."
He added: "The rest of the industry is heavy subsidised and yet prices go up dramatically. We want to know who is getting what and for there to be clear accountability."
Whilst the energy sector is run by private enterprise, in practice it is subsidised by the government via the tax system, limiting liabilities, trade measures, and historic subsidies in building infrastructure.
According to the IEA, global subsidies to fossil fuels were 6 times higher than subsidies to renewables in 2010.
"The Chancellor announced brand new subsidies for gas recently, without giving details. Naturally we fear that enormous subsidies have been promised privately to sweeten his efforts to turn the UK into a "gas hub", skewing energy markets still further away from renewables." said chairman Dr. Jeremy Leggett.
Both chairman and CEO of Solarcentury are signatories to a letter calling for light to be shed on the industry.
