MP visits leading Cornish renewable energy specialist
MP for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, George Eustice has visited Cornish renewable energy specialist Enact Energy to gain an insight into the key issues affecting businesses operating in the renewable energy sector.
Enact, which was established in 1996, has grown to become one of the UK’s leading energy efficiency and renewable energy companies. From its Cornwall-based offices in Tolvaddon, Enact now employs over 50 staff, houses a dedicated customer service call centre and works with a large network of installers across the country enabling it to provide coverage to customers across mainland Great Britain and the Isle of Wight.
Enact was keen to discuss the recent changes to Government green schemes with Mr Eustice, such as the Feed-in Tariff (FiT), announced at the end of October 2011, which saw payments of 43.3 pence per kilowatt hour of electricity produced reduced to 21 pence per kilowatt hour and the potential knock on effects this will have on the industry.
‘We were delighted that Mr Eustice was able to visit us to see the work we are doing here in Cornwall and across the UK. We were able to discuss the impact that the FiT changes will have locally as well as nationally and gained his insight into Government thinking on the future of the industry, particularly in relation to the impending launch of the Green Deal in 2012.
“We are already meeting regularly with the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) in London to help shape the Green Deal and raise some of our concerns. It was important for us to meet with Mr Eustice to highlight the key issues that need to be addressed at governmental level moving forward,” said Enact CEO John Egan.
Following his visit, Mr Eustice praised Enact’s work in driving the energy efficiency sector forward nationwide.
“I was very pleased to have an update on the work that Enact are doing at Tolvaddon and it is good to see a national market leader here in Cornwall.
“Improving energy efficiency in homes and encouraging the use of green energy has an important role in managing our energy needs in the future,” he said.
Following his visit, Enact said it would be keeping Mr Eustice fully updated with developments within the renewable energy sector.
“Given the importance of the renewable energy sector nationally and here in the South West particularly, this was a welcome opportunity to meet and we will be keeping Mr Eustice up to date with developments in the renewable energy sector and how it is benefiting businesses here in Cornwall,” added Mr Egan.
Despite the Government’s decision to dramatically reduce solar incentives by more than 50% - a decision which was successfully challenged by solar energy companies and Friends of the Earth in the Court of Appeal in December – Enact believes the future of solar and renewable energy technologies in Cornwall remains bright.
“There is no doubt that the decision to cut Feed In Tariffs has already had a major downward impact on the numbers of people looking at solar, a situation which is likely to remain whilst legal action over the decision remains active,” said Mr Egan.
“However, whilst in the short term the Solar PV industry will shrink, in the medium term we fully expect the renewable energy industry as a whole, to grow, albeit in a much more sustainable way, so it is not all doom and gloom,” he added.
For more information about solar energy contact Enact Energy free on 0800 093 40 50.
