FITs appeal blocked
The Supreme Court has refused to allow the government to continue the legal case defending its attempt to change the feed-in tariff (FIT) rates retrospectively
In January, the Court of Appeal confirmed a High Court ruling that DECC had acted illegally in proposing to lower future subsidy levels for solar photovoltaic panels installed under the FIT scheme.
The energy department had recommended lowering tariffs for installations erected after 12 December 2011 by up to 55% in a consultation that did not end until later that month.
After the High Court decision, DECC pushed back the date from which installations would be affected (until 3 March), but appealed to the higher court, arguing that urgent changes to the FIT were needed to prevent the scheme from exceeding its budget.
On 23 March, DECC’s legal battle was ended by the Supreme Court. It rejected the department’s application to continue its appeal saying that it did not raise “an arguable point of law of general public importance”.