Huge solar farms which blight the countryside are to have their funding slashed by the Government, the Daily Mail has learned.
In a further sign of the Conservative shift from away from green politics, sources confirmed that Tory Energy Minister Greg Barker will announce a review of solar industry subsidies in the coming weeks.
The current system of subsidies mean large landowners can scoop up to £50,000 a year from a solar farm, a large chunk of which is paid for through household bills.
Overall the solar industry costs Britain £600million in subsidies a year, a bill that will rise by £125million if planned projects are completed.
Mr Barker wants to take support payments away from the unpopular large solar farms, the majority of which are built on farmland in southern England.
Instead, he wants to increase financial backing for solar panels on the roofs of supermarkets, schools and businesses, where they do not create a visual blight.
Mr Barker’s intervention comes a week after the Tories announced they will make a stand against onshore wind turbines at the next election.
The Conservative Party pledged not to subsidise any new onshore wind farms if they win in 2015, to the delight of their grassroots supporters.
The new announcement will be equally welcomed by constituency parties, particularly in rural areas where solar farms have been built in increasing numbers.