Secretary of State Chris Huhne is urged to stand by the UK Solar Power Industry’s three-year take-off in an open letter signed by dozens of prominent individuals from a wide range of organisations and political parties. Diverse signatories include Brendan Barber, Zac Goldsmith, Charles Kennedy, Baroness Angela Smith and Tony Juniper.

The letter was co-ordinated by the We Support Solar campaign which reactivated in response to the negative speculation about the future of the solar PV Tariff rates under the Comprehensive Spending Review.

The latest figures on solar installations from Ofgem show that September installation rates slowed to levels last seen in May, in response to growing uncertainty. While demand for solar PV naturally reduces over winter months, early figures for October are surprisingly low.

Leonie Greene, Campaign Manager at WSS said, “We co-ordinated this letter to remind the Coalition Government that very different people of all political colours support solar power. They want to see solar power take off for many reasons including jobs, social and commercial enterprise, climate change, energy security - and just sheer love of this incredible technology.”

The letter is signed by politicians (including two former energy ministers), environmental campaign groups, unions, academics, social housing providers, industry leaders, rural interest groups, transition towns and even church ministers. It follows a letter from solar power companies last week which warned the government risks destabilising private sector investment in green growth if changes are made to the Tariff ahead of the scheduled 2013 review.

Ed Mayo, Secretary General of Co-ops UK, who signed the letter said “Solar power at a community level is the best hope we have to turn the Big Society from words to action. What new and emerging energy co-operatives need from the state is a stable and effective framework, after years of empty promises and practical penalties.”

Leonie Greene added, “I’m hearing astonishment from all kinds of people that ‘the greenest government ever’ could even contemplate rocking the boat on what is surely our last chance to catch up with the huge solar revolution happening around the world. There may be specific issues to address, but the UK really can’t afford wobbles for the whole sector just six months in.’

‘Germany will celebrate installing around 6GW of solar power this year, while the UK is working up a sweat about 16MW – that’s 375 times less. You just want to say ‘relax and enjoy – this is what green growth looks like! This is what ‘power to the people’ means!’”

The We Support Solar letter remains open to signatories online and the campaign urges people and organisations from all walks of life to write to their MP and to sign on and actively show their support for solar.

Signatories include:
Brendan Barber, General Secretary, TUC
William Worsley, President, Country Land and Business Association
Simon McWhirter, Campaign Director, Great British Refurb
Dr Doug Parr, Chief Scientist & Director of Policy, Greenpeace UK
Keith Allott, Head of Climate Change, WWF-UK
Caroline Lucas MP, Leader, Green Party
Rt Hon Charles Kennedy MP
Zac Goldsmith MP
Gaynor Hartnell, Chief Executive, Renewable Energy Association
Tony Juniper, Sustainability Advisor and Campaigner
Martin Horwood MP
Simon Hughes MP
Marco Dell’Aquila, Chariman, Power Capital
David Caro, Chair, Federation of Small Business Environment Committee
Alan Whitehead MP, Chair, Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group
Peter Ainsworth, Robertsbridge Group & Chair, Plantlife International
Dave Sowden, Chief Executive, Micropower Council
Paul Foote, Director, Conservative Environment Network
Ed Mayo, Secretary General, Co-operatives UK
Craig Jackson, Senior Architectural Technician, South Yorkshire Housing Association
Dr Robert Gross, Director, Centre for Energy Policy and Technology, Imperial College
Howard Johns, Chairman, Solar Trade Association
John Hemming MP
Steve Norris, Co-author, Conservative’s Quality of Life Report
Rev Canon Peter Challen, Christian Council for Monetary Justice
Alan Simpson, Sustainable Energy Advisor, Friends of the Earth
Juliet Davenport, Founder and Chief Executive, Good Energy
Andrew Lee, General Manager, Sharp Energy Solutions Europe
Sean Kidney, Chair, Climate Bonds Initiative
Derry Newman, Chief Executive, Solarcentury
Ed Matthew, Programme Director, Transform UK
Adrian Sanders MP
Chrissie Godfrey, Taunton Transition Town
Will Frazer, Farming Futures, Forum for the Future
Gavin Markham, Editor, Green Guide
Oliver Heath, Eco designer, Writer and Television Presenter
Cathy Debenham, Founder and Director, YouGen
Professor Peter Lynn, University of Essex
Dr John Pugh MP
Professor Jim Marshall, University of Liverpool
Alice-Marie Archer, Schumacher Institute
Tony Faulkner, Centre for Alternative Technology
Penny Velander, Eastleigh Transition Network
Dr Peter W Skelton, Honorary Visiting Reader, The Open University
Dick Wolff, United Reformed Church Minister & Oxford City Councillor
Brian Berry, Director of External Affairs, Federation of Master Builders
Ray Horwood CBE, Chief Executive, National Federation of Roofing Contractors
Gerry Doherty, Chief Executive, Brent Housing Partnership
Kevin Webster, Managing Director, Romag Ltd
Steve Bratt, CEO, Electrical Contractors Association