Moray MP Douglas Ross is pleased that Forres-based renewable energy firm AES Solar will join him to meet energy ministers to take part in discussions that will help shape the UK’s future energy policy.
Douglas said: “A Government consultation is now underway looking into suppliers paying small-scale green electricity generators for the electricity they put into the national grid.
“I was keen to raise this with the Energy Minister following an excellent visit I had to Forres-based AES Solar recently. I sought reassurances from Claire Perry that the responses to this consultation would be listened to, after 91 per cent of respondents to a previous consultation by her department were opposed to the ending of export tariffs, yet it looks like this will go ahead.
“I was also keen to get the Minister to meet with AES Solar to learn more about the great work they are doing and listen to their concerns and I am glad she has agreed to this meeting.
Although the minister pointed out that she believed the era of crude subsidies was over, Claire Perry said “We are trying to ensure we bring forward the centralised energy that we believe is so important to this system going forward and I would be very interested in his and his constituents’ views.”
George Goudsmit, Managing Director of AES Solar, said he would be delighted to join Douglas at a meeting with the Minister.
He said: “We are very grateful to Douglas for championing us and the industry in Parliament. The consultation shows good intentions from the government, but the devil is in the detail.
“The government must use this consultation to address real market barriers which may prevent suppliers delivering fair market payments to people who provide solar electricity to the grid, despite their best intentions. We look forward to a productive meeting with the Minister and hope our views, and those of the industry, are heard loud and clear.”