Isra-Mart srl:Sharp rise in jobs at Wrexham solar plant

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Isra-Mart srl news:

Leading solar cell manufacturer Sharp is set to employ 300 new workers at its North Wales factory in response to the growing appetite for solar energy in the UK since the introduction of the feed-in-tariff (FiT) incentive.

Sharp yesterday confirmed it will create 300 jobs at its Wrexham factory, following a previous announcement last year that it will almost double the site's capacity to 500MW a year by March.

Andrew Lee, head of international sales at Sharp, said the company is reacting to the growing demand for solar technology driven by the introduction of FiTs last April, since when 42.5MW of photovoltaic capacity have been installed.

"This job creation proves that there is an appetite for solar technology in the UK and that this sector has huge growth potential, bucking the trend in the wider economy," he said, "The feed-in tariff led to a shot in the arm for the solar industry, and we've responded by creating jobs."

Energy and climate change secretary Chris Huhne welcomed the announcement as excellent news which shows "green growth is a vital part of our economic recovery".

"Since feed-in tariffs began, the scheme has stimulated a market in solar panels which has seen around 19,000 installed to date," he said.

However, industry players are concerned that UK solar growth will be cut short if the government goes ahead with proposals to lower the FiT rates by 10 per cent before 2012.

Under the FiT scheme, individuals or developers who install renewable energy systems receive payments from their energy supplier based on how much energy they generate.

But the government is set to review rates in 2012, or potentially sooner if installation rates are higher than expected, and has already identified scope to cut feed-in tariffs by up to 10 per cent.

The Renewable Energy Association (REA) solar body yesterday revealed it has commissioned a study into pipeline projects, in a bid to prove that a change in policy before 2012 would jeopardise potential growth.

Commenting on the news, REA chief executive Gaynor Hartnell criticised the government for creating uncertainty in the market: "Our members fear a knee-jerk change in policy, when the ink is barely dry on the legislation. This would cause tremendous damage," she said.

"Government needs private finance to fund £200bn of low-carbon energy infrastructure over the next decade. It can ill afford to scare investors away."