If elected, the Conservatives will pay early adopters of microgeneration technologies the same rate of Clean Energy Cashback (the government's new financial incentive for renewable generation) as new installers according to a new campaigning website.

Charles Hendry, the shadow minister for energy says in an email to site founder Paul Truelove: "You will be pleased therefore to hear that we have decided that if a Conservative government is elected, we would ensure that microgeneration equipment installed before feed-in tariffs come into effect will nevertheless be entitled to the same terms as new installations".

Under DECC proposals due to come into force from April this year, existing microgenerators will get just 9p per kWh generated, compared with 41.3p new installers of solar panels will get. Mr Truelove has set up a petition on the Number 10 website calling on DECC and the prime minister to give fair treatment for early adopters of microgeneration systems, who are "saving the same CO2 and producing the same electricity".

This carries on from the campaign YouGen ran during the consultation period last year to alert those affected of the proposals, and encourage them to respond to the consultation. Sadly, DECC did not listen! As a result many of the early adopters will find they are worse off, statutory level of the feed-in tariff is less than the rates they were previously receiving from their energy company.

At YouGen, we think that this penny pinching is shortsighted. People who could be great ambassadors, encouraging the take up of renewable energy, are instead angry and disillusioned.

Photo by lepiaf.geo

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