Consultation outcome

Changes to financial support for solar PV

This was published under the 2015 to 2016 Cameron Conservative government
This consultation has concluded

Read the full outcome

Government response to the consultation on changes to financial support for solar PV

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Impact Assessment: Government response on changes to financial support for solar PV

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Illustrative draft Order: Government response on changes to financial support for solar PV

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Detail of outcome

This document sets out the government response to the proposals for controlling spending on solar PV projects of 5MW and below within the Renewables Obligation.

A further consultation on the solar-specific banding review has been published and can be responded to online until the consultation closes on 27 January 2016.

See here for more on government cost control measures for the Levy Control Framework.


Original consultation

Summary

Consultation on how we can cost effectively manage the deployment of solar PV of 5MW and below within the Renewables Obligation.

This consultation ran from
to

Consultation description

This consultation proposes:

  • Closing the RO early in Great Britain to new solar PV projects of 5MW and below, and to additional capacity added to existing accredited stations up to a total of 5MW total installed capacity, from 1 April 2016;

  • Grace periods for developers who either (1) have obtained preliminary accreditation on or before 22 July 2015, or (2) have made significant financial commitments to projects on or before 22 July 2015, or (3) experience grid connection delays that are outside their control. The grace periods would allow projects to enter the RO on or before 31 March 2017;

  • Removing grandfathering for new solar PV projects on 5MW and below, and additional capacity up to a total of 5MW total installed capacity, that are not accredited under the RO as of 22 July 2015. We also propose an exception to the removal of grandfathering for projects that satisfy the criteria for the significant financial commitment grace period;

  • Our intention, subject to the present consultation, to publish proposed bandings for new solar PV projects of 5MW and below for further consultation.

The closing date for submission of responses is 2 September 2015. Responses can be returned by e-mail (preferable) or post.

This is one of the three cost control measures for the Levy Control Framework announced on 22 July 2015. The other two are the consultation on the removal of pre-accreditation from the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) and the Government response confirming removal of grandfathered support for new biomass.

Further cost control measures were considered as part of the government consultation on a review of the Feed-in Tariff scheme.

Documents

Consultation on changes to financial support for solar PV

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@beis.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Impact Assessment: Consultation on changes to financial support for solar PV projects at 5MW and below under the Renewables Obligation

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@beis.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Updates to this page

Published 22 July 2015
Last updated 17 December 2015 + show all updates
  1. Government response to the consultation on changes to financial support for solar PV.

  2. First published.

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