Renew On Line (UK) 26

Extracts from the May-June 2000 edition of Renew
These extracts only represent about 25% of it

2. Solar Budget Boost

The March Budget included the long sought after reduction of VAT (from 17.5% to 5%) on energy conservation materials, including solar equipment for residential buildings - PV panels as well as solar heat collectors. So solar just got 12.5% cheaper, although, due to EC VAT rules, this won’t apply to d-i-y solar.

In addition, the budget allocated a further £280m to improving public transport (and roads!), and proposed reforms to the car tax regime to encourage cleaner vehicles and fuels. It also confirmed the new version of the climate change levy and proposed that stamp duty should be reduced for brownfield developments. There is also to be a new £1.60 per tonne levy on quarrying and the production of aggregates to reflect the environmental costs and encourage recycling. The revenues will be returned to business through a cut in employers' National Insurance contributions and a new Sustainability Fund to deliver environmental benefits to communities affected by quarrying.

All in all, apart from the acceptance of 44 tonne trucks, not a bad package. See www.hm-treasury.gov.uk