City council homes could be fitted with solar panels
A project to put solar panels on 1,000 council houses in Leicester could be back on following a court ruling.
The Government announced in December that "premium rate" payments to people with solar panels putting energy into the national grid would be scrapped for new projects.
Under the new rules, any solar panel installed after December 12 will earn 21p per kilowatt-hour of energy, compared to 43p for existing panels. That means fewer new projects will be worth the money.
Leicester City Council had plans for 1,000 homes to be fitted with panels and had to reduce that number to 550 following last month's announcement.
But the full project could be back on after a positive start to a court case being brought against the Government by the environment charity Friends of the Earth and two energy companies. The High Court ruled recently that the Government's change of policy was not legally sound. There will now be a judicial review.
Leicester's deputy city mayor Rory Palmer, said he welcomed the court decision.
Malcolm Hunter, a spokesperson for Leicester Friends of the Earth, added: "If we do not provide the support needed to help renewables to take off, we will have no chance of reducing CO2 emissions enough to prevent dangerous climate change. We will also be unable to stop electricity prices continuing to rise."
8 Comments
by nursemad
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 10:28PM
“Actually Foxfan99 it appears to have started several months ago in saffron lane estate, Belgrave doesn't have many council houses as far as i know. I think they are mostly private householders, or paying rent to someone other than the council.”
by sydney11
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 5:59PM
“So if you have a council house you will receive free energy too, as well as being subsidised by council tax payers for the roof over their heads! - not forgetting being rehoused for free if something unfortunate happens to the house you are living in!”
by FOXFAN99
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 2:58PM
“Will this be in Belgrave by any chance? The council does have its "preferred" areas of the city.”
by oldhenry
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 1:33PM
“So the solar panels are not 'to save the planet ', as most people know. But to make money for those that can afford them. This money is taken directly out of the pockets of all energy users but affects the poorer ones more than the rich. It is a very regressive tax on energy and not something a 'good' socialist should entertain.
But where are there 'good, or any, socialists?”
by eastgates
Tuesday, January 03 2012, 5:15AM
“Having a stab in dark with this,how many of the properties are in mr palmers constituancy?”
by davidh1967
Monday, January 02 2012, 12:30PM
“As long as the tenants don't receive any benefit from this, then i am happy. No doubt the Liebour voters in the houses will be kept happy with the benefits of the feed in tariff!”
by nursemad
Monday, January 02 2012, 9:45AM
“So if you have a council house they provide you with free electricity now too. Makes me wonder if it is worth working these days as the amounts of benefits to not working and living off benefits, etc always seem a better alternative. If i want solar power, i would have to buy the thing myself. Stupid council idea again!”
by Neil0123
Monday, January 02 2012, 8:45AM
“I may be wrong but isn't part of the rise in energy bills caused by extra costs being imposed on energy providers to help fund the 43p per unit "feed in" tariff paid to homes with solar panels. By reducing this to 21p then the costs will be reduced and price rises not so necessary ?”