REA

Industry body the Renewable Energy Association (REA) is calling on the U.K. government to reduce tax on various clean energy technologies and energy efficiency measures in the residential sector, with particular emphasis on battery installations. The association sees this as one of the most effective ways to protect consumers from volatile energy prices, as well as for the country to meet its stated decarbonization goals.

Former start-up Husk, which originally based its business on renewables powered by rice industry waste products, has agreed to develop seven solar-plus-storage mini-grids across rural communities in Nasarawa state.

Solar support is on the way for businesses and communities struggling to cope as the coronavirus outbreak ripples across the continent.

Britain’s renewable energy trade body has published a report examining the state of flexibility market readiness in nine European markets. The result makes for sobering reading for Germany, France and the U.K.

A World Bank presentation in London drew an encouraging picture for the Nigerian market by explaining why the mini grid segment will take off in the next 12 months.

Regulator Ofgem has said that 10 MW of small-scale solar projects have breached the deployment cap, leaving stakeholders uncertain about feed-in tariff payments. A failure to collect FITS could spell disaster for investors, says the U.K.’s Renewable Energy Association.

The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has proposed a replacement for the flat rate FIT payment regime that is hard to argue with, as it is linked to the actual amount of electricity exported back into the grid.

The U.K. government has cold-shouldered PV with a row of disfavourable policies, which have put at risk the financial viability of new arrays. In the past few last years, the market has remained almost flat, with installations sitting at around 200 MW per year.

Twelve signatories from the energy and consumer goods industry have sent an open letter to the EU and U.K., calling for continued cooperation after Brexit to protect both consumer, and business, interests. The document highlights the importance of tariff-free electricity trading as intermittent renewable energy will require a higher degree of market integration.

RECC survey respondents say they will face major job cuts if solar tariffs are phased out in April, as proposed by the UK government. Reportedly more than 75% of jobs in the UK’s solar sector could be lost. A previous cut in tariffs prompted the loss of 9,000 jobs. Last week the industry sent an open letter to the energy minister opposing the policy.