Thursday 2 March 2017

Children hand in 200k signatures against solar tax hike

Children have handed in a petition to drop a solar tax hike threatening their school's renewable energy project.

This morning, students from Eleanor Palmer Primary school in Camden, London, visited the Treasury to deliver the 200,000 signature request.

They want the Chancellor to rethink the planned business rate tax increase on solar energy for self-consumption, so schools, hospitals and businesses generating their own clean power aren't penalised.

In April, the tax is expected to rise by up to 400% for schools and hospitals and up to 800% for businesses, sparking fears that people will be put off from installing solar panels in the future.

Campaigners argue if the goals of the Paris Agreement are to be achieved, the government should be encouraging investment in UK solar power, not curbing the industry.

A third of solar jobs have been lost in the past year and 30% of businesses expect to cut staff in the next 12 months.

The school children hand-in was organised by Greenpeace UK and the Solar Trade Association.