We call on Huhne to stop solar becoming an ‘endangered species’ in the UK.

We Support Solar has launched a new campaign calling for the Government to raise its solar ambitions. “Save our solar” depicts solar as an endangered species, to raise awareness of  the limited support for solar power in Government and the damage caused by Chris Huhne’s shock feed-in tariff review announcement on 7th February.  We Support Solar emphasises that the technology is the fastest growing electricity generating technology in the world, with the UK far behind the ambitions of comparable economies. The group, with thousands of supporters across the UK, illustrates solar as a leatherback turtle with solar photovoltaic shell.

Prompted by the Governments shock immediate review of solar photovoltaic Feed-in tariffs for business and community scale solar; the campaign calls for three things from

Secretary of State Chris Huhne MP:

- Raise the UK’s solar ambitions to match those of other big EU economies

- Leave the solar Feed-in tariff alone for households and communities until April 2012

- Back community owned renewables, as the Coalition promised.

We Support solar has collected over 300 signatories on its current letter to Chris Huhne MP, including support from the Federation of Master Builders, the Micropower Council, NFU, Friends of the Earth and the National Federation of Roofing Contractors.   In addition, the campaign has received backing from politicians including Huw Irranca-Davies MP, Shadow Energy Minister, Caroline Lucas MP, leader of the Green Party; and John Hemming MP, Chairman All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas.

Huw Irranca-Davies MP, Shadow Energy Minister said: “The “We Support Solar” Campaign shows the widespread concern and anger over Chris Huhne’s rash decision to bring forward an early review of the feed-in tariffs.  The government must take notice, and act now to protect the recent growth in green solar jobs, restore investor certainty, and deliver solar energy benefits for individual householders, community schemes and our overall carbon reduction commitments.”

Caroline Lucas MP, Leader of the Green Party said: “With its ill-advised plan to review solar feed-in tariffs, the Government is creating uncertainty in one of the few industries to have generated thousands of much-needed new green jobs. The We Support Solar campaign is crucial to putting pressure on the Government to show more clarity and consistency in its approach to the renewables sector - and give solar energy the support it needs to thrive.”

Brian Berry Director of External Affairs at the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) said:

“The Federation of Master Builders backs ‘We Support Solar’, because solar  has the potential to create much needed jobs in the building industry. As many as 100,000 so called ‘green collar’ solar jobs could be created by a Feed In Tariff encompassed in a truly green strategy. This would benefit both building owners by helping to create more energy efficient  buildings and builders by the creation of much needed new jobs.  If the Government is really serious about its commitment to being the ‘greenest ever’ then it needs to raise the  its solar ambitions to at least match those of other major EU countries.”

Ray Horwood CBE, Chairman, National Federation of Roofing Contractors said: “The National Federation of Roofing Contractors fully supports the need raise the UK’s solar ambitions. The time has come for roofs to be active parts of a building to provide a viable solution to support a generation of new jobs for roofers who are eager to become involved in the emerging green economy. A commitment to the feed-in tariff for solar will help tackle the triple challenge of credit, energy and climate.”

Support the campaign and sign our letter to Energy Minister, Chris Huhne MP.