High Court approves legal challenge to solar PV FIT cuts

U.K.'s High Court gave permission for Solar Century Holdings Ltd. (London, U.K.), HomeSun Holdings Ltd. (Wembley, U.K.) and Friends of the Earth U.K. (London, U.K.) to proceed with legal challenges to the U.K. Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) over the timing of feed-in tariff (FIT) cuts. Judicial review on December 20th, 21st The cases filed by the three organizations will now go to a rush judicial review on December 20th and 21st, 2011. The organizations claim that the Conservative government's decision to slash FIT levels for solar photovoltaic (PV) generation two weeks before a consultation ended is unlawful and that it has already led to projects being abandoned and damage to the U.K. solar industry. Solarcentury Company Secretary John Faulks: "A cut of over 50% that is irrational" "The industry was expecting a cut in tariff and would have actively engaged with DECC to create a sustainable scheme including accepting significant but workable cuts," stated Solarcentury Company Secretary John Faulks. "A cut of over 50% that occurred in just six weeks and before the end of a consultation period is irrational." "Win or lose on Tuesday next week the industry still has to sort out the chaos DECC have already caused. They seem to have learned nothing from Spain, France or Germany about how to develop a viable renewable energy industry for the future benefit of the country." Suitors must prove DECC broke the law Solarcentury states that the December 15th decision by the High Court is only the first step of the legal challenge, and that now the organizations must prove that the DECC has acted illegally. The company notes that presiding Justice Mitting recognized the urgency of the case in assigning such a rapid date for judicial review. Solarcentury also states that its legal challenge is part of a broader campaign to get the U.K. Government to recognize the strategic value of PV in the energy mix and to maintain support to build a successful industry in the nation.