Energy secretary Chris Huhne has tendered his resignation after learning that he is set to face criminal charges following a driving offence he allegedly attempted to cover up. 

The allegations relate to a 2003 speeding charge which saw Huhne’s former wife allegedly take the blame for an offence which he is said to have committed. His ex-wife Vicky Pryce will also face prosecution over her involvement which lead to her accepting penalty points for the speeding offence.

Although the energy secretary continues to protest his innocence, following the news this morning that the Crown Prosecution Service intends to lay charges for perverting the course of justice, Huhne made the decision to step down from his post. He has since issued a short statement, in which he described the decision to charge him as ”deeply regrettable.”

“Whatever the terms of his departure, few can deny that Chris Huhne has really shaken up the energy debate over the last 2 years. He has certainly been successful in driving that agenda forward,” commented Juliet Davenport, CEO and Founder of Good Energy.

While Friends of the Earth’s Executive Director, Andy Atkins commended the energy secretary for championing the environment despite being part of an administration that’s been less than enthusiastic about being the greenest ever Government.

However Atkins added that his the way his department has incompetently handled the solar cuts fiasco has put almost 30,000 jobs in jeopardy, not to mention leaving energy consumers to compare energy tariffs to fight the problem of soaring fuel bills cannot be overlooked.

“What we really need is decisive Government action to get us off the hook of expensive fossil fuels and invest in clean British energy instead,” said Atkins.

It remains to be seen what effect Huhne’s resignation will have on the renewable energy sector. The news has be received with mixed reaction from the renewables industry, but by and large most seem to welcome the news.

Liberal Democrat Ed Davey has been announced as the new Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.

The case against Mr Huhne and Ms Pryce is scheduled to be heard in court on 16 February.

The University of Leeds has completed a two-year study into the potential benefits of creating a low carbon area in the region around the city of Leeds.

Researchers at the university have calculated how a region-wide implementation of energy-saving measures such as installing solar photovoltaic panels and establishing park-and-ride schemes might benefit the city. According to the findings of the study, substantial savings on energy bills – both domestic and commercial – could be made if sufficient investment is provided by government.

Professor Andy Gouldson of Leeds University’s Centre for Low Carbon Futures, claimed that the region of Leeds, Barnsley, York, Wakefield, Calderdale, Bradford, Craven, Kirklees, Harrogate and Selby, which has an approximate population of three million, would be able to shave £1.2 billion off its annual energy bill of £5.4 billion by implementing basic energy-saving measures, however, any such initiative would require £4.9 billion of public funding or private investment.

A more ambitious strategy to cut carbon emissions in the area was examined by the university. Costing £13.03 billion, the measures would save the region £1.71 billion in annual energy bills.

Professor Gouldson wrote: “The business case for major scale investments in energy and carbon management is very strong.

“If local government can underwrite early stage investments, as is happening in some places, then major flows of private sector investment can be secured. Investments can come from institutional investors such as pension funds, or in the near future through the Green Deal”.

The professor further noted that, despite the high levels of investment required, there were compelling “economic, social and environmental” reasons for implementing energy-saving measures at region level.

Responding to the study, Tom Riordan, the Chief Executive of Leeds City Council, wrote: “What this report demonstrates very clearly is that rather than being a ‘nice to do’, this is a ‘must do’ for an economy which wants to become more competitive”.

Implementing conventional energy-saving measures such as solar panels, loft insulation and cavity wall insulation is arguably essential at every level of society if the UK hopes to meet its obligations to cut carbon emissions. As highlighted by the University of Leeds, investing in green technology can pay off in the long-term, whilst providing hope of a better future for subsequent generations.

The British Government’s attempt to halve solar subsidies has been ruled unlawful by the High Court following a request by three organisations for leave of judicial review, which was granted by the same court earlier just weeks earlier.

The decision, which was reached on 21 December 2011, comes after Friends of the Earth, HomeSun and Solarcentury took the decision to reduce solar subsidies from 43.3p kWh to 21p kWh to court. Following an analysis of the decision, the High Court took the view that the Government’s proposals were legally flawed. Solicitors acting on behalf of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) immediately sought to appeal the ruling.

Although not against the proposal to reduce solar subsidies, Friends of the Earth is opposed to the way in which the matter has been handled by the Government, which chose to halve subsidies with very little notice and mid-way through a consultation on the subject.

Andy Atkins, Executive Director of Friends of the Earth, said: “These botched and illegal plans have cast a huge shadow over the solar industry, jeopardising thousands of jobs. Solar payments should fall in line with falling installation costs but the speed of the Government’s proposals threatened to devastate the entire industry”.

By ruling in favour of the solar industry challenge, anyone who registers for the feed-in tariff (FiTs) between now and and the end of March is legally entitled to receive the current 43.3 subsidy rate for the full 25 year length of the scheme. However, the Government is set to appeal the decision. The December deadline could be reinstated if their appeal is successful, meaning anyone registered after 12 December 2011 would only be entitled to the higher rate until 31 March 2012.

The Government has also been criticised for proposing a further change that would threaten community projects to install solar photovoltaic panels, which harness energy from the sun before converting it into electricity. According to reports, the UK’s “greenest ever” Government is planning to lower the new tariff of 21p by as much as 80 per cent for renewable generates who register more than one unit for FiTs.

Following a consultation, MPs said: “This could have a disproportionate impact on disadvantaged and poorer communities for whom such schemes are a good way of accessing the benefits of renewable energy and reducing electricity costs”.

Meanwhile, Tim Yeo, who chairs the energy and climate change committee, reiterated the need for a reduction in solar subsidies. Mr Yeo said: “There is no question that solar subsidies needed to be urgently reduced, but the Government has handled this clumsily. Ministers should have spotted the solar gold rush much earlier. That way, subsidy levels could have been reduced in a more orderly way”.

There’s no denying that the High Court blocking solar subsidy cuts is some much needed good news for the UK solar industry. But at what cost?

In a move that affords Friends of the Earth and two renewable energy companies the opportunity to go head-to-head with the Government, the High Court has granted leave for a judicial review of the Coalition’s decision to halve solar subsidies.

This week, the organisations will be able to argue in court that the ministerial decision to cut the amount paid to producers of solar electricity under FITs (Feed-in Tariffs) was inequitable or unlawful. Regardless of the outcome of the judicial review, the Government is unlikely to be comfortable with being dragged through court on an accusation of reneging on renewable commitments.

Andy Atkins, the Executive Director of Friends of the Earth, said: “We’re delighted the High Court has given the go-ahead to our legal challenge.

“We believe government plans to abruptly slash solar subsidies are not only unfair, but illegal. These proposals have already had a disastrous impact on the solar industry – fledgling clean businesses have had the rug pulled from under their feet and a shadow hangs over thousands of jobs”.

HomeSun is one of the three organisations to challenge the Government’s decision to cut the tariff paid to producers of solar electricity from 43.3p kWh to just 21p kWh. Daniel Green, who founded the firm, said: “The Feed-in Tariff to solar was hugely popular with homeowners, would help keep energy bills down and divorce consumers from deeper reliance on the ‘big six’ energy companies.

“The only downside is the Government decision brought the sector to a virtual standstill on December 12th when it cut support in the middle of a consultation period”.

Feed-in Tariffs had provided the perfect opportunity for households to make money by generating electricity from solar energy. Under the scheme, producers are paid a fixed amount of cash for green electricity exported to the National Grid. Coupled with the savings made by using renewable energy in the home, solar PV installations are estimated to make substantial savings for households over the 25-year-period applicable to FITs. By cutting subsidies, the Government has threatened to ruin one of the few viable green industries in Britain.

Friends of the Earth and HomeSun are joined by SolarCentury in taking action against the Government.

At roughly the same time as Prime Minister David Cameron vetoed an EU initiative to control the finance sectors of EC member states, a report published by Adam Smith Institute and Scientific Alliance has questioned the British Government’s reliance on renewable sources of energy such as wind and solar.

That the UK Government relies so heavily on renewables will come as a surprise to many people in the country, especially those who are aware of the Coalition’s recent decision to halve the rate paid under FITs (Feed-in Tariffs). Surely no responsible government that is evidently reliant on renewable sources of energy would limit support for solar subsidies on grounds of cost whilst agreeing a £30 billion bail-out package for an economic zone from which it has been left so desperately isolated?

According to Martin Livermore, a staunch global warming sceptic who co-authored the report, the UK’s desire to convert to renewables is costing energy consumers dearly. Mr Livermore said: “For too long, we have been told that heavy investment in uneconomic renewable energy was not only necessary but would provide a secure future electricity supply.

“The facts actually show that current renewable technologies are incapable of making a major contribution to energy security and have only limited potential to reduce carbon dioxide emissions”.

Energy security is an interesting topic in so far as no single source of energy is more secure than the sun, which shines constantly on planet Earth, but not always on the UK. Short of developing a technology to harness solar energy above the cloud cover, the UK would probably need to look to North Africa for a permanent source of solar electricity – and would buying solar energy from Morocco prove any more secure than buying oil from the Middle East? Mr Livermore is doubtful.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has responded to the report, claiming it “completely misses the point”. A DECC spokesperson added: “Our policies are aimed at developing a mix of energy sources here in the UK rather than relying so much on expensive fossil fuel imports”.

Households can avail of solar PV technology by installing panels on suitable rooftops – a move that can significantly reduce domestic energy bills.

To help cut escalating fuel bills, a prestigious golf club has undergone an energy efficiency overhaul, including the installation of a solar photovoltaic panel system.

While most golf clubs are heavily steeped in tradition, Coventry Golf Club has managed to combine old fashioned values with a very modern approach to energy efficiency, which has seen the club turn to renewable energy technology to help achieve cuts to both its energy bills and its carbon footprint.

After undertaking a thorough audit of their energy consumption, a survey was carried out to identify which energy saving measures would be most appropriate for the club. Most notably, a 16 panel solar PV installation was chosen to help save on electricity costs, and so far the club has been able to achieve a 25% reduction in its electricity bills, which in turn has resulted in a saving of 5 tonnes of CO2.

Thanks to the Government’s feed-in tariff (Fit) scheme, over the course of just 12 months, the golf club has been able to generate £1,500, with the system projected to generate in the region of £56,000 over the next 25 years.

The club has also invested in energy saving LED lighting and was advised of the energy saving benefits of using ‘A’ rated energy efficient appliances, as well as implementing certain behavioural changes to help reduce their energy bills even further.

“Understandably, in these economically challenging times, golf clubs nationwide are focusing on reducing costs across the board – Coventry Golf Club included,” explained course manager Phil Weaver.

“From our perspective the technology makes sound fiscal sense. Helping to save the planet while saving money is an absolute no-brainer,” he added.

Phase one of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) scheme went live on Monday, inviting applications from the non-domestic sector interested in switching to renewable heating.

Under the Government’s flagship £865 million scheme, companies are eligible to install renewable energy technologies, such as heat pumps, solar thermal panels and biomass boilers, and get paid money for generating their own green heating and hot water.

Tariff levels and the amount of money paid will depend on the  the type of renewable heating technology installed, as well as the size of the system.

As one of the UK’s leading suppliers of wood pellets, CPL Distribution is pleased to see the phase one of the scheme finally go live, after a series of delays knocked industry confidence.

“There is no denying that the delays to the Renewable Heat Incentive’s launch knocked confidence among board-level decision makers and a large number of projects to install renewable systems have been stalled as a result,” commented Tim Minett, the firm’s chief executive.

“With the delays now behind us, this green light for the Renewable Heat Incentive will be a significant stepping stone in the UK’s transition towards a low-carbon economy.”

If you’re a business and you would like to know more about the scheme, give energy regulator Ofgem’s dedicated enquiries helpline a ring on 0845 200 2122 or visit www.ofgem.gov.uk.

The domestic side of the RHI will be launched next year.

A pioneering eco-village – a housing estate consisting of environmentally friendly properties located in the middle of nowhere – has failed to attract significant interest from private buyers, casting doubt over the commercial viability of greening Britain’s housing stock.

The eco-village, which is situated in Balvonie Braes, near Inverness, comprises 52 eco-friendly properties, of which 10 have been purchased under a co-ownership scheme and a further 10 have been occupied by housing association tenants. The remaining 32 properties have been put on the market for private sale.

Unfortunately, only four properties have sold since August, during which time the newly completed eco-village was put on display for public viewing, attracting thousands of people who were seemingly very keen on the idea of living in a purpose-built eco-home.

The properties built at Balvonie Braes offer several advantages, but perhaps none is more attractive to new buyers than energy efficiency. According to developers, some of the eco-homes can be heated for an entire year at a cost of £100 or less.

Energy efficiency is an important consideration for any prospective home buyer, not least because energy bills are expected to rise steadily over the next few years. Homeowners throughout Britain have employed various measures to control energy bills, which can be reduced by installing solar photovoltaic panels or cavity wall insulation. The homes at Balvonie Braes, however, include many environmentally friendly measures as standard.

So why are potential buyers looking elsewhere?

The issue might have little to do with energy efficiency and everything to do with price and location. Although situated close to the A9, the Balvonie Braes eco-village may be described as a little too remote for some buyers, whilst asking prices of around £300,000 for three-bed semi-detached properties is hardly representative of current market conditions.

Affordability and location are obviously more important to buyers than energy efficiency – and understandably so. The implications for developers and the local council, however, are potentially dire.

Highland councillor Roddy Balfour, who suggested the properties might not be as environmentally friendly as advertised, noted: “Exaggerated claims have been made about the design of the houses but the public have not wanted to buy any. Now we are stuck with these houses, which won’t sell”.

Whilst many seasoned political observers have watched on in dismay as the Liberal Democrats allowed their Tory masters free rein to implement austerity measures, it would appear that the recent decision to halve solar subsidies has lit the touchpaper of discontent.

In a move that is likely to rock the political fabric of the UK, members of the Liberal Democrat Party are reportedly planning to prepare for the possibility of a potential revolt. If a revolt fails to inspire councillors and MPs – or, as may seem more likely, fail to happen at all – the Lib Dems are thought to be willing to settle for a compromise: that the cut-off point for applications under the Feed-in Tariff system (FITs) be pushed back to April next year.

Published by the Guardian online news service, a leaked briefing document is said to highlight the extent to which the Lib Dems have been upset by the Conservative Party’s decision to slash the rate paid under FITs from 43.4p per kilowatt hour to just 21p.

Written by Liberal Democrat sources in the Local Government Association, the leaked document reads: “To do it [slash solar subsidies] at such short notice isn’t good governance and [it is] bad for business planning. Changes were expected next year, not to be imposed with a month’s notice. We want the cut-off point to be extended to the end of the financial year, as originally promised”.

Although failing to propose a revolt in explicit terms, the authors of the document clearly want action to be taken to protect the UK’s solar industry. The document continued: “We fought the last general election on getting more green jobs. The Feed-in Tariff was helping to grow a new industry and get more people into work. We don’t want to see this put at risk”.

The Government’s decision to slash the rate paid under FITs for electricity generated by solar PV installations is expected to severely weaken, if not completely kill off, the UK’s domestic solar industry. Reducing solar subsidies was deemed necessary to sustain a growing industry, but to halve solar subsidies at such short notice is deemed reckless and short-sighted by many. Whether the Lib Dems’ discontent prompts change remains to be seen.

The largest business group in the UK has voiced its concern over the Government’s decision to halve solar power subsidies available to households and businesses.

CBI claimed the 50 per cent reduction in feed-in tariffs would likely create uncertainty in an economy that is already struggling to escape another recession.

Jonathan Cridland, the Director General of CBI, said: “Moving the goal posts doesn’t just destroy projects and jobs, it creates a mood of uncertainty that puts off investors – and they wonder what’s coming next. Some companies have invested heavily in solar photovoltaic systems and in the supply chains needed to install them”.

Mr Cridland added: “That commitment has been undermined by the feed-in tariff decision and so industry trust and confidence in the Government has evaporated. This bodes poorly for investment in future initiatives”.

In plain terms, reduced investment means increased risk of recession; without the investment necessary to sustain economic growth, the UK is unlikely to recover in the near future. Austerity measures may be required to curtail spending and manage the public deficit, but if investment opportunities are lost the economic crisis will almost certainly deepen.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has adopted a different position on the subject. A spokesperson for the DECC said: “We appreciate this will be difficult for companies affected, but what we want is an enduring future for the industry.

“If we left things as they are, the feed-in tariff budget would be eaten up entirely, full stop – and that would be even worse for employees in this sector and those working on other technologies too”.

The spokesperson added: “We believe solar photovoltaic can have a strong and vibrant future in [the] UK and we are proposing changes to ensure a lasting feed-in tariffs scheme to support that future”.

When the feed-in tariff changes take effect next month, the implementation of domestic solar PV will remain an attractive option for households, albeit not as profitable as it has been for the past couple of years. Rather than receiving 43p per kilowatt-hour of solar electricity exported to the grid, households will earn just 21p per kilowatt-hour, extending the cost of the average solar installation by five or ten years.