Friends of the Earth is now urging the Government to end the uncertainty hanging over the solar industry by coming up with a plan to safeguard around 30,000 jobs currently under threat from Ministers' plans.

The environmental campaigning charity is calling on the Government to come up with a Plan B, including:

" Putting regulations before Parliament on Monday to enable solar tariff payments to be cut by the end of February - in a forward looking and planned way, in line with falling installation costs.

" Increasing the amount of money available to the scheme using the multi-million pound tax revenues generated by solar firms - this will safeguard the industry and enable more homes, businesses and communities to switch to clean energy.
Friends of the Earth Policy and Campaigns Director Craig Bennett said:

"By pushing through with this appeal Ministers have prolonged the uncertainty hanging over the solar industry - now they must urgently come up with a Plan B to safeguard the 30,000 jobs under threat.

"David Cameron should put a proposal before Parliament on Monday to cut solar subsidy rates before the end of February - and give the industry some much-needed certainty.

"More money could easily be found to save solar from the multi-million pounds in tax that solar firms generate.

"Win or lose the Government must breathe life back into UK solar to help more cash-strapped families free themselves from soaring fuel bills by plugging into clean British energy."

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Stuart