The Government has announced it is to carry out a formal consultation on the coalition's microgeneration strategy. The Strategy will investigate how to overcome the barriers to increase consumer confidence and sustainably grow the industry following confirmation of financial support in the Spending Review through the Renewable Heat Incentive and Feed In Tariffs.

The consultation on the Microgeneration Strategy will look at four key areas for development:

• Quality: ensure consumers have confidence that equipment and installation is reliable and adheres to the highest standards;
• Technology: examine how to grow the industry by improving products, using existing intelligence and more trialling of technologies new to the UK;
• Skills: develop the microgeneration supply chain to ensure it is properly equipped with the right people to meet the expected rise in demand, as well as creating and sustaining jobs in the UK;
• Information and Advice: to provide more accessible advice and information about microgeneration to homeowners, communities and consumers.

A final chapter looks at broader issues with a focus on community–level solutions and decentralised energy more generally.

Read the full press release from DECC

Read the Engineer article