UK’s Leading Installer and Founder of Free Solar Supports Government’s Decision to Slash FIT Payments

SHEFFIELD, England, November 4, 2011 -

“A Shade Greener fully supports the Government’s decision to slash the FIT Payments,” says Stewart Davies, Managing Director of A Shade Greener Ltd, the UK’s leading installer and founder of Free Solar.

Stewart Davies continues, “A Shade Greener was consulted and fully supports the decision by the Government to slash the Feed In Tariff payment for Solar Photovoltaic systems to 21p per kilowatt hour for the following reasons:

  1. The new tariff is entirely reflective of the reduction in equipment prices that the whole of the solar industry has experienced over the last few months.

  2. Contrary to the beliefs of some members of the public, the reduction in the FIT Tariff will in no way affect the amount of electricity produced by a Solar PV system, and the free electricity that Solar PV produces will only increase in value to the user year on year.

  3. It is a fact that electricity prices will continue to rise, and eventually there will be no need for any subsidies.”

Whilst A Shade Greener completely supports the reduction to 21p, Stewart Davies adds: “At a rate of 21p we can continue to install our free systems and provide our service to many thousands of homes, particularly those of pensioners and young families. The vast majority of our customers can’t afford to buy Solar PV, and therefore can’t take advantage of the Feed In Tariff Scheme. Many of these households have been taken out of fuel poverty, because fitting Solar PV slashes 37%* off their bills.”

“Whilst we agree with what the Government has done, the plans on aggregation to take effect in April 2012 will result in firms such as ours receiving only 80% of the domestic tariff of 21p, this may scupper our plans to provide individuals, Local Authority and Housing association homes with our free systems. Installing Solar PV could take many more thousands of homes out of fuel poverty, which is believed to cause the deaths of 2,700** people each year.”

Note to editors

* Following a survey of customers who’d had our system for 12 months it was found that the average annual savings on their electricity bill was 37%

**According to the independent fuel review of Professor John Hill - released on 19th October 2011

For further press information, contact: Stewart Davies, A Shade Greener - +44(0)845-519-1597

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