It's all in the numbers...

So, 91% of UK households want solar power. It's a reassuring statistic, isn't it? Of course, there's a catch – and as the new survey by the Centre of Alternative Technology says, it all comes down to whether or not 'the price is right'.

This may not be a staggering revelation, but the news that 90% of consumers would consider investing in solar photovoltaics if the feed-in tariff is set high enough is much more of a talking point.

For those that don't know, a feed-in tariff is the rate at which excess energy produced by renewable energy sources is sold back to the national grid.

When the Government announces its plans for the UK's tariff this summer, the majority interviewed said that it would take a figure of 50p per unit to get them interested. To put this in context, the current purchase price is between 15-20p per unit of energy.

Now, my first instinct – along with many others I've spoken to – was simply 'pay it', and the more the better. But as this article by the New York Times says, it's not that simple. Set the rate too high, and there's the risk of the dreaded 'boom and bust' for the solar industry when it inevitably gets readjusted.

If we're looking to green energy for the long haul, this is precisely the sort of move we want to avoid. I'm not saying we should opt for a low rate – just one that is sustainable in the long run. I'm now thinking that the figure the Government settles on will speak volumes about its intentions...