From September, householders in Wales will find it easier to install renewable energy devices in their homes.
Under plans announced today by the Welsh Assembly Government, rules for microgeneration equipment such as solar panels will be relaxed so that planning fees will no longer need to be paid for installing the green technology.
Welsh Environment Minister Jane Davidson explained: "Microgeneration has a major role to play in decarbonising energy supply and helping tackle climate change. Wales in particular has a large share of properties not connected to the gas grid; hard to heat and hard to treat homes. In these cases, microgeneration can be the most effective method of removing people from fuel poverty and providing energy security.”
She added: "I am particularly pleased that we have gone further than the authorities in England by allowing stand-alone solar panels up to the boundaries of properties, providing they satisfy certain height and highway criteria.”
Microgeneration equipment includes solar panels, ground or water source pumps, heat pumps and biomass burners.
While the planning rules have not yet been removed in England, the Green Energy Bill, which proposes similar planning laws to the ones introduced in Wales, has been put forward to the House of Lords with support from members of all three major parties.
The promoter of the Bill, Peter Ainsworth, Conservative MP for East Surrey, said: “I am delighted that this important Bill has completed its Commons stages. This brings us one step nearer to implementing practical policies to help green business and enable the public to play an active role in combating climate change.”
The Micropower Council, the UK’s biggest promoter of microgeneration, is pleased the red tape holding back the introduction of microgeneration in English homes could finally be removed.
Dave Sowden, Chief Executive of the Micropower Council, said: “We are delighted that Parliament once again is pushing the microgeneration agenda, and thank the Ministers David Kidney and Joan Ruddock, and previously Mike O’Brien, for lending Government support to the Bill”.
.jpg)
Post a comment