The scheme aims to encourage conversion to green energy sources. Homeowners can get grants for up to 50% of the cost of installing environmentally friendly solar water heating systems or domestic-scale wind turbines for their homes. But if you want a mini wind turbine, a solar panel or any other piece of micro-renewable kit and need the grant - bad luck. Householders will now have to wait until 1st February to make another application.
The DTI introduced a monthly allocation cap of £500,000 for householders wishing to apply for capital grants to install micro-generation in December last year. The money ran out on the 20th December.
Mr Dunne said: "It introduces considerable uncertainty into the process of domestic energy conversion. Much of this work in the Ludlow constituency is undertaken by small businesses. They tell me it is extremely difficult to work properly in the stop-go environment created by Gordon Brown, since households naturally want to take advantage of the grant that was announced with such fanfare."
Philip Wolfe, Chief Executive of the Renewable Energy Association, said: "This week we have heard that the DTI is thinking of spending hundreds of millions on a mission to the moon. A couple of tens of millions would make all the difference to this grant programme. Our Government seems keener to spend money escaping the planet than in trying to save it."
Mr Dunne added: "This is yet another example of the reality behind the spin, revealing the Government's poor green credentials. I'm afraid this looks like another package, introduced by Gordon Brown, which is all smoke and mirrors. In a carbon-conscious world, we are set to have a fossil-fuelled Prime Minister."
