Make Budgets while the Sun shines
Published on 24th March, 2011
If you’re feeling that all this sunshine and Spring-is-in-the-air atmosphere is just too darn cheerful and light hearted, then panic not, for a large (and unwelcome) dose of reality is available, free of charge, every time you switch on the TV or open a newspaper. Yes, it’s none other than the 2011 Budget, telling us precisely where our money isn’t going any more in order to be fed into the ravenous mouth of the deficit monster.
Earlier this month, DECC released the bad news that Feed-In Tariffs are being reduced for Photovoltaic installations over 50kW. Greg Barker, the Minister for Climate Change made this statement;
“Our cash for green electricity scheme is a great way to reward homes, communities and small businesses that produce their own renewable power…
“…I want to make sure that we capture the benefits of fast falling costs in solar technology to allow even more homes to benefit from feed in tariffs, rather than see that money go in bumper profits to a small number of big investors.
“These proposals aim to rebalance the scheme and put a stop to the threat of larger-scale solar soaking up the cash. The FITs scheme was never designed to be a profit generator for big business and financiers.”
Whilst we at EcoLogicLiving understand that the idea of large businesses and financiers taking the lion’s share of Feed In Tariff income is not the aim of the programme, we do wonder if stopping small communities escape dependency on fluctuating fossil fuel prices and generate fantastic income for worthy local causes is throwing out the Big Society baby with the bathwater.
With this in mind, the Renewable Energy sector approached the 2011 Budget with some trepidation. The outcome of the Budget has been met by the sector with the kind of muffled applause, enthusiastic acclaim and or angry looks that you might see at a Bernard Manning gig.
Our good friends at the Renewable Energy Association have kindly produced a summary, which can be found here, detailing in particular the Carbon Price Floor- a minimum price for each tonne of carbon used to generate electricity- and the announcement of increased funding for the Green Investment Bank. Likewise, Climate Change Matters have outlined their reaction to the budget, and the BBC has naturally come up with a nifty tool, which lets you know exactly how screwed you are personally. And if all this information is sending you into a panic, take a look at our energy saving tips, or consider investing in some renewable technology- while the sunshine lasts!
And finally…
Last night we attended the 11th Annual CBEN Environmental Awards, and after a wonderful dinner and networking evening with other Cumbrian businesses, we found that we’d been shortlisted in the top three of the Silver Level Excellence Award! Sadly, we missed out on the top prize, but would like to congratulate Hunter Hall School, Wildly Rural and Pure Lakes for winning the Excellence Awards, and all the nominees for the incredible achievements they have all made in improving their environmental performance.
