Crucial Energy Policy Decision Awaited in Spending Review The new coalition government must preserve one of the best policy tools for moving Britain towards the new economy, according to TCW advisor Miguel Mendonça. The Converging World is just one of a huge number of organisations who are using the feed-in tariff (FIT) in their sustainability strategy. TCW’s community energy programme helps communities to reduce their energy demand and meet some of it with renewable energy. The latter – especially solar PV – is only truly viable with the support of the FIT. This policy allows anyone to feed renewable energy into the grid for a guaranteed price for each unit of electricity. This tax-free income effectively allows the energy installation to pay for itself much more quickly than would otherwise be the case. This makes all the difference when coming to a purchasing decision. People would like to ‘do the right thing’, but to most people it must also make economic sense. An open letter to Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy, was drafted by Miguel and signed by Alistair Sawday, Chair of Bristol Green Capital Momentum Group, and Barbara Janke, Leader of Bristol City Council. The letter gave evidence of the level of activity on many aspects of sustainability in the South West, on the part of citizens, communities, companies and councils. Green technologies are being developed and deployed here, creating an emerging regional ‘green hub’. This sector still needs strong, stable policy support if it is to become established, as it competes with the conventional energy industry which still receives billions of pounds of subsidies each year.A number of other similar open letters were sent to the government, including this one from We Support Solar. The Spending Review reports on the 20th of October, so we will report again when the announcements are made on the future of the FIT. Many in the South West, and around the country, will be holding their breath.