News that 17 solar companies are chasing the UK's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) for £140 million worth of damages has polarised opinion in the solar industry.
The companies claim that earlier cuts to the UK's solar feed-in tariff was “illegal” and that they are therefore entitled to compensation for lost revenues.
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A poll currently being conducted by the Solar Power Portal, PV-Tech's sister website, is showing a split in support of legal action. The head of the UK's trade body the British PV Association said the claim would further harm an industry that is beginning to find its feet once again following the resolution of the UK's FiT controversy.
But Simon Gillett,Chief Executive of E-Tricity, one of the named claimants, explained to Solar Power Portal why his company is taking DECC back to the High Court.
“It will have a positive impact because it shows that solar in the UK is a professional industry that isn’t prepared to be bullied or dictated to in an illegal manner by government,” he said
“If you don’t react the bully of the playground gets away with it until someone pushes back and says, 'No, you can’t do that'.”
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