Responding to the announcement by DECC Minister Greg Barker, Pavilion MP Caroline Lucas said:
"This latest shock for solar shows clearly that the new energy secretary has fallen at the first hurdle. After the Government's shambolic handling of solar policy over the past few months, Ed Davey should have made it a priority to delay this policy change and get it right.
"But today's announcement once again leaves the industry reeling, with tariff cuts going far deeper than the falling costs of installation warrant.
"While the Government sounds ambitious in its aims, the actual policy looks weak - with Ministers giving themselves the option of changing the tariff every two months.
"The one thing that business needs is certainty, yet these Government cuts are being made so fast that it is destabilising the industry. The proposed tariff cuts also go deeper than the falling costs of installation should warrant.
"While it's positive that the Government has agreed to drop the qualifying band rate for homes to band D, the announcement today is bad news for the solar companies who have invested this year, and means continuing uncertainty for those want to benefit from this clean renewable energy."
ENDS