ENERGY and climate change minister has said there has ‘never been a better time’ to invest in solar panels, despite cuts to the feed-in tariff earlier this year.

Greg Barker MP spoke out during a visit to a specialist photovoltaic panel manufacturer near Consett in County Durham.

He said lower investment costs mean it is easier for people install the technology, which will all them to receive 16p per kilowatt hour of electricity generated, compared with 21p previously, for 20 years instead of the 25-year period that was formerly available.

Mr Barker said: “Solar PV has an exciting future in the UK, one where the Government and industry work together to ensure this vital green technology continues to make a real difference in supplying our homes and businesses with clean green power.”

Mr Barker was speaking during a visit to Romag at Leadgate Industrial Estate, which employs around 150 skilled staff and is part of an international supply chain in renewable energy.

Mr Barker talked to staff about their role in the industry and saw some of the innovative development projects they are currently involved in.

He said: “Romag is one of a number of innovative and successful green companies in the North-East, leading the way forward with a thriving manufacturing facility employing highly skilled staff."

Although Chancellor George Osborne has approved the building of over 30 new gas-fired power stations to replace the UK's ageing coal, nuclear and gas stations, Mr Barker said the future of the country’s energy production had to lie in green methods as well as fossil fuels.

Romag is part of the Gentoo Group and Mr Barker spent the morning in Sunderland talking to staff and residents finding out more about how solar panels are used in practice.

Kevin Webster, technical director at Romag, said: “We strongly believe that the benefits of having a UK manufacturer of PV products go far beyond the economical benefits in terms of employment and skills base and see a huge advantage in the innovation and product development opportunities it brings. “Being local means that we can work with the UK construction industry to develop products to meet its needs, both now and in the future.”

The minister also launched a report, published today by Gentoo, which suggests people in the North-East are prepared to pay incrementally for energy efficient home improvements.