Advisers still back VCTs as solar 'gravy train' ends

Department of Energy proposals published last week would slash the feed-in tariff (FIT) - the subsidy on solar panels - by around 50%. The plans would impact solar Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), often recommended by advisers specialising in ethical investment. The falling price of solar energy was an obvious cause of the suspension, said Ian Hudson, at Hudson Green & Associates. "It was always a short-term measure," he said. "It's become a gravy train. A £20,000 investment on a solar panel on your house can yield 8 or 9%, so it's no surprise the subsidy has gone." Advisers looking ...