Following the leaks last week, Energy Minister Greg Barker today announced that the Feed-in Tariff for solar PV installations is to be slashed and that it is to happen with very short notice. He said that solar panel prices have fallen by up to 70% since 2008 leading to "unsustainable returns for investors". The reality is that the only real growth industry in the UK is being decimated, putting 25,000 new jobs at risk.

We have been waiting for several months for news of what will happen to the Feed-in Tariff next April when the rate is set to change. We've known the Government has been examining the solar energy market and that they were likely to cut the rate for PV installations below 38p/kWh which had been the original 2010 plan. Yesterday, in what they claimed was an error, the Energy Saving Trust released the news that the figure is to be 21p/kWh, down from the present 43.3p. And what is worse, the date for the change has been brought forward from April 1st 2012 to December 8th - less than 6 weeks away.

Beechdale Energy will be exhibiting at the forthcoming Hertfordshire Farming Conference 2011 on Tuesday the 1st of November. We look forward to seeing you there from 9am, be sure to book ahead!

On Saturday three of the Beechdale Energy team loaded up the big yellow van with all the items needed for the forthcoming solar PV system installation trip to The Gambia. They then set off on their six hour round trip to Leeds, taking in the delights of the A1 before sunrise.

As you may have seen in the press today (and from your ever increasing energy bill), the UK’s ‘big six’ providers are set, according OFGEM, to increase their individual customer profit margins from £15 to £125. The hike in service costs come as a knock on effect of the increase in open market prices for gas, coal and oil.

Today we collected over £500 worth of tools that have been kindly donated to the people of The Gambia Schools Trust by Ridgeons. The package will be added to the rest of the materials and hardware needed to install the Solar PV system and shipped out this weekend ahead of the installation in January.

After a busy couple of months promoting the working relationship between Beechdale Energy and The Gambia Schools Trust, we at Beechdale HQ are hastily preparing for the first shipment of material to be sent by sea to The Gambia. Therefore we would like take this opportunity to thank the good people (and companies) of Cambridgeshire (and beyond) for their generosity in supporting this wonderful and lasting project.

Beechdale Energy will be exhibiting at the East of England showground this coming Sunday (9th October) as part of the East of England Autumn Show.