Grafton Group says it welcomes the Government's decision to delay the Feed-in Tariff cuts that were due to take effect from the start of July but is calling for a clear strategy going forward.

The company says the Government must make its intentions clear in the near future, to avoid further stagnation of demand, and must opt for a meaningful delay to stimulate growth.

Paul Roche, sustainability and renewables director at Grafton, said: "The industry has witnessed a worrying drop in demand for solar pv installations since tariffs were halved in April, but the market could stage a recovery if further cuts were significantly delayed beyond the planned date of 1 July.

"There are many contributing factors that are suppressing demand, not least a general confusion among members of the public, and the backdrop of a weak economy that is hampering the building and housing sectors. A clear message that tariffs will remain stable for a longer period would give homeowners the green light to go ahead with their plans."

He continued: "We all want to see a renewed confidence and this is an obvious way to kickstart the industry. Grafton has shown its commitment by signing up to become one of the first Green Deal Providers and there is plenty of enthusiasm in the industry to show that solar is still a genuine opportunity for homeowners and businesses."