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The Solar Trade Association is urging the government to make a decision on allowing solar thermal to remain within the Renewable Heat Incentive.
The Association said that the industry needs certainty to invest and that the application of solar thermal should be fully recognised.
In March this year the government launched a consultation into the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) and considered removing solar thermal from the scheme. A letter backed by 21 organisations called on ministers to abandon plans, arguing that the technology should not be unfairly disadvantaged and that the “scope for solar thermal to displace fossil heating in industrial process heating is remarkable”. The letter also suggests that instead of cutting support to solar thermal, government should expand the number of applications allowed from the technology.
The Solar Trade Association (STA) chief executive Paul Barwell said: “The industry was shocked when the Government proposed removing solar thermal from the RHI, whilst retaining support for heat pumps and biomass. Now, six months later, the industry is still in limbo as it waits for the Government’s response.
“We are confident that the Solar Trade Association made a compelling case to support solar thermal and hope the Government rethinks their proposal. However, it is urgent that we get a decision quickly to end this uncertainty.”
The STA warned that the government will struggle to meet its dual targets of alleviating fuel poverty and reaching 12 per cent renewable heat by 2020, if the proposal to remove solar thermal from the RHI is implemented.
Support for solar thermal could be removed from the RHI from 2017.
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