ACS

The Government has addressed business industry concerns that if a company invests in energy microgeneration - such as solar panels, wind turbines or ground source heat pumps - then they risk the prospect of an increase in business rates.

As part of the Government's drive to cut carbon emissions and tackle climate change, amendments to legislation published today will prevent any investment by a company in energy microgeneration from triggering an immediate revaluation of their premises because of this action, and therefore possibly their business rate bills.

Under current procedures, any material improvement to a property can automatically trigger a reassessment of its rateable value. Under these new plans, the valuation assessment will be delayed until the first general revaluation after the technology is installed.

John Healey, Local Government Minster said:

"We all need to do our bit to reduce our carbon footprints. Small scale energy generation, like installing solar water heating or a biomass boiler, can be a cost-effective way to do this. By 2020 a significant amount of the renewable heat generated in the UK could come from small scale installations".