Wind industry frustration at Government inaction on domestic renewables grants

BWEA, the country's leading renewable energy business organisation has been left frustrated by latest government announcements on grants for domestic wind turbines.

This week the Government department for Business Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) announced its intention to extend the poorly performing Low Carbon Buildings Programme into the next decade against the widespread advice of the renewables industry.

Alex Murley, BWEA Small Systems Manager said "To extend LCBP in its current form is to extend the illusion that Government is sufficiently supporting the UK microgeneration industry at a critical stage in its development."

Government statistics have long shown the scheme to be providing domestic grants at such a low rate that the microgeneration market is barely affected. Yet BERR announced they will not be removing a widely acknowledged barrier to the scheme's operation, the cap on individual grants made available to domestic onsite renewable projects.

Murley added "The Government is under-supporting an industry key to meeting its renewable energy targets, the LCBP simply doesn't work, we need a new policy that does.

"If zero carbon policies are to be successfully delivered, a steady and consistent ramp up in the deployment of microgeneration technologies must start now."