Updated: Solarcentury resigns from BPVA
26/01/2012
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The firm has withdrawn from the BPVA
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Solarcentury, one of the two firms to mount a successful legal challenge over the government’s proposed cuts to the solar Feed-in Tariff (FiT), has resigned from the BPVA (British Photovoltaic Association).
Giving the reasons for its withdrawal from the trade body, the company cited “attempts to intervene on the side of DECC” by BPVA Chairman Reza Shaybani, in DECC’s failed appeal to overturn a High Court decision on proposed FiTs cuts.
Both Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker today praised BPVA for its support in the government’s appeal to overturn the decision.
Solarcentury said the trade association has “allowed itself to be used in a classic government ‘divide and rule’ manoeuvre.”
Derry Newman, CEO of Solarcentury, said: “We cannot understand how a trade body claiming to represent the best interests of the UK PV industry could have arrived at such a position, nor why the BPVA is supporting the right of the department to make retrospective changes to the feed-in tariff at any time, thus jeopardising all future investor interest in PV and other FIT technologies.”
LATEST (Friday 30 Jan):
In a statement to E2B Pulse, Reza Shaybani, the BPVA’s Chairman, clarified the association's position:
“We believe that the reference date of December 12 and the retrospective changes to law through secondary legislation are illegal,” he explained.
“The majority of our members feel tariff levels should be reduced, and they wish there to be clarity and stability of the feed in tariff as soon as possible. The longer the higher tariff levels persist, the more rapidly the budget will be depleted. This would not be in the long term interests of the solar industry or the other technologies supported by the feed in tariff.
“We believe that Solarcentury has made their statement not knowing the above position of the BPVA. Since then we have spoken to Solarcentury and the situation has been clarified,” he concluded.
Latest (Monday 30 Jan):
However, responding to the above BPVA statement, Solarcentury today (30 Jan) said its decision to resign from the BPVA still stands, stating:
“The BPVA applied to intervene in the recent court case and its application was refused.”
“The BPVA made no genuine effort to discuss the move with Solarcentury who at the time was both a claimant in the case and a member of the BPVA.”
“We have agreed to meet the BPVA to discuss, but this does not alter the resignaton.”
You can see the official application to intervene here.
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