As part of the Conservative cabinet reshuffle, Amber Rudd has been appointed Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, replacing Ed Davey.
The position is a promotion for Rudd, the former climate change minister and the Conservative MP for Hastings & Rye.
Rudd’s predecessor Ed Davey was one of 49 Liberal Democrat MPs to lose their seat during the general election, leaving the party with just eight MPs as the Conservatives swept to a majority of 331 seats, trumping Labour’s 232.
Rudd’s appointment has been welcomed by trade body the Renewable Energy Association. Chief executive, Dr Nina Skorupska, said: “Amber Rudd has been a champion of renewables and the low-carbon economy in the past year, and her appointment will do much to allay the fears some may have after the general election.”
Paul Barwell, CEO of the Solar Trade Association, said: “We look forward to working with Amber Rudd to make sure solar reaches its full potential. We need stable policy support and strong leadership on solar – just one final push could get rooftop solar to zero subsidy by the time this government leaves office.
“We also hope that Amber Rudd’s experience in finance, her previous experience in the Treasury and her real understanding of the needs of new and growing businesses will mean that she can see the value that the UK’s thousands of small and medium sized solar companies can bring.”