A whole town in the UK county of Nottinghamshire has had solar panels fitted to its roofs as the British government prepares to slash subsidies for sunlight-powered electricity.

Cashing in on grant money before the forthcoming cuts, homes in Aspley and Broxtowe have had the eco-friendly system put in ahead of the payments potentially being slashed by half for new customers.

Ministers have warned that feed-in tariffs (FITs), which pay people for the electricity they generate from small-scale renewables, must be cut for solar to reflect cost reductions in the technology and the current economic situation.

The UK newspaper Mail Online reported this story saying that, “Installations of solar ‘photovoltaic’ panels have outstripped expectations and the government claims reductions in the subsidies, which are funded from consumer bills, are needed to ensure the scheme is sustainable. But the industry is warning large-scale cuts could seriously damage the sector and the thousands of jobs it now provides. A leaked document has suggested the subsidy could be reduced by more than 50 per cent for all installations registered after early December, which would bring down average domestic payments from almost £1,200 to under £650.”

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