HC 1605 Energy and Climate Change and Environmental Audit CommitteesWritten evidence submitted by David Holmes
I believe that the current changes to the FITs tariffs as announced on the 1st of November 2011 are unfair, and will put my family in finical hardship.
In addition to this the proposed changes to the application process in the future will remove a massive proportion of the UK households from the low carbon agenda.
1. We entered into a contract in good faith with a local supplier of Solar PV on the 15th of October 2011, paying them a deposit for the work to be completed. I was aware that there were going to be changes to the FITs payments in April 2012, but was assured that I would have the system fitted before then. All my calculations on pay back of the system were based on information provided by a reliable source the DECC, it would appear that on reflection this was a less than reliable source. We took out a small loan to cover the differences between what we have saved over the last 18 months to do this project, and the cost of the system £12,000. These calculations now are invalid and put us in a position where we may not be able to afford the loan repayments.
2. We have been looking to do this project on our house for a number of years, but because of the cost could not afford the installation of a system, which would be viable for us. The FIT system made it viable so we entered into the system in good faith. The supplier that I am working with gave me an initial installation date of the 18th of December 2011, but after the announcement on the 1st of November he said he would work to a new date before the 12th of December.
3. However due to the weather conditions at this time of year and the now rush for inverters and panels my supplier is finding tit very hard to source the system that he originally contracted for. We have already had to change the panel, which was going to be installed, due to the total lack of them in the UK and Europe.
4. The time frame that has been imposed on the changes to the system is simply unrealistic, since my current installation time from when I originally signed the contract, was over 8 weeks. Where the DECC get their 6 weeks from is anyone’s guess, it is not reality. In addition to this the rush that they have imposed has led to a shortage of equipment, thus further increasing the installation time. To cap it all how the DECC can still be consulting on the changes on the 23rd of December when changes are made on the 12th of December leads me to think that they have made changes that are not based in reality.
5. We believe in the green agenda, and therefore believe that we should be looking to increase the efficiency of our houses to lower our Carbon output, this is why we decided to go ahead and install a solar PV system on our 300-year-old house. We have made changes to the house increasing the efficiency of the house over the time in which we have lived there, by insulating and installing low energy appliances. However our house will never meet the level C on the efficiency charts, so this monitor for future application to the FITs system would not work for us and many other houses pre 1900, which is a massive proportion of the UK housing stock. One way in which we can change our CO2 output is to install low carbon technologies so that even if our houses are not the most efficient at least they are reducing their carbon output. This way of looking at the solution leaves the door open for everyone to be part of the low carbon agenda, and is not exclusive to those that are lucky enough to live in areas where new high efficient houses have been built.
6. The cost of Solar PV systems have reduced, and this is testament to people like myself who have been early adopters of the system, and the FITs system which has made this possible. The proposed changes to the FITs system will.
Make may more people unemployed
Put people like myself in financial hardship
Reduces competition in the market place and drive costs back up after an initial dip.
Remove many peoples ability to enter in the low carbon agenda
7. I am aware that changes have to be made in our current austere environment, but these changes should not be made, if they are going to
Cost more in the long run
Reduce peoples ability to access low carbon technologies
Put people in more financial hardship
Make massive changes to a system, which people were expecting to change, but not to the extent, or at the speed of change.
8. We find ourselves in awkward position where we want the technology; believe in the technology, and all it benefits. Having made informed decisions on information available, only to have this information drastically changed. In addition to this being unable to exit a contract that is signed with a supplier, due to us being outside the cooling off period, we are in a no win situation which has been imposed on us by ill thought through rushed policies. I hope that the DECC sees sense and sees what it is doing to a developing sector and people like myself.
22 November 2011