Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps she is taking to encourage the use of photovoltaic-generated electricity in Eastbourne constituency; and if she will make a statement.

Government recognises the significant role that solar deployment under the Feed-in-Tariffs (FITs) has played in engaging non-energy professionals in the electricity market, and the role that small-scale generation can play in the future energy mix. We therefore decided to keep the FITs scheme open in order to support the solar industry on a path to subsidy-free deployment.

Over 1,250 solar installations directly supported by FITs have been undertaken in the Eastbourne constituency, providing 4.4 MW of generating capacity.

The new tariffs we’ve introduced will provide appropriate rates of return within a capped budget, encouraging further solar deployment whilst providing significantly better value for money to bill payers.