UK Microgeneration: A Matter of Priorities

London, UK --The traditional stop-start development of the UK renewables industry continues. Just shy of one year after the feed-in tariff for small-scale electricity generation was introduced, it has had its first major cut proposed. Although the anger from industry and other advocates is understandable, the moves from government are understandable too.Having spent two months interviewing a wide variety of actors involved with the FIT for a new study, it all starts to make sense.

What I mean is, it makes sense according to the picture one gets from conversations with government, as well as through historical perspective. First, no UK government has yet been ready to commit in concrete terms to a major renewables strategy. Second, the current government is taking a pragmatic approach to energy and industrial policy, as well as feeling pressure from the Treasury. When caught between these two facts, you will get what we now have: a limited policy, of limited use to some parties wishing to engage with it.