The number of new community companies setting up to deliver renewable energy projects has dropped by more than 80% following cuts in government support, according to new findings from Co-operatives UK. The industry body claims that just ten new community energy organisations have been registered between the start of the year and 6 September, compared to 76 green energy start-ups launched in the same period in 2015. The severe reduction follows a series of policy changes to have hit the community energy sector, with cuts to tax reliefs and feed-in tariff rates enacted in November 2015 and January 2016 respectively leading to new projects being described as “not financially viable”.
Solar Portal 8th Sept 2016 http://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/news/community_energy_companies_fall_by_80_following_policy_changes