FoE confirm legal action over solar FiTs

---

FoE's Policy and Campaigns Director Craig Bennett announced the legal action

14/11/2011

Friends of the Earth (FoE) have confirmed they are launching a second case of legal action against the government, over its plans to slash the solar Feed-in-Tariffs (FiTs).

The environmental group announced on Friday it would commence court proceedings over the proposals to cut the tariff by more than 50 per cent for solar schemes installed after December 12.

The group claims this cut-off point, two weeks before the consultation on the new tariff rates ends, is unlawful, and has already resulted in abandoned projects and job losses.

FoE had written to Climate Minister Greg Barker a week earlier warning it would take legal action if the government did not amend its proposals. They received only a brief response indicating the government did not believe the issues raised to be urgent.

"Ministers have failed to listen to our concerns about the legality of its plans to slash solar subsidies - we have now been left with no choice but to take the government to court,” said FoE’s Policy and Campaigns Director Craig Bennett.

"Slashing payments to any scheme completed after December 12 will unfairly pull the plug on thousands of clean energy schemes across the UK, preventing homes and communities from escaping soaring fuel bills.”

Last week, a group of leading solar companies led by Solarcentury announced they would be launching legal proceedings against the government.

They said introducing the new tariffs before the consultation ended was illegal, irrational and unreasonable.

Add your response below to discuss this story or start a related discussion thread using our forum rooms: