The UK government has launched a new solar roadmap which aims to triple the country’s solar energy capacity by 2030, potentially powering 27 million homes.
The UK solar roadmap strategy
Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps has outlined a strategy to significantly boost the UK’s solar energy capacity, with the goal of tripling it by 2030. This initiative could power 27 million homes and create over 150,000 jobs, underscoring the vital role of solar energy in achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and reducing energy costs.
The solar roadmap, which establishes a framework for achieving solar expansion goals, is supported by the recently launched Solar Taskforce. This Taskforce includes representatives from the government, the solar industry, and key energy stakeholders.
Currently, the UK generates 15.2 gigawatts of electricity from solar energy, which is enough to power over 5 million homes. The government’s strategy aims to increase this capacity to at least 70 gigawatts by 2035, potentially generating sufficient electricity to power 27 million households.
This increase in solar capacity is expected to create more than 150,000 jobs across the supply chain, including roles in manufacturing, assembly, transport, and maintenance.
Reducing household energy bills with the UK solar roadmap
Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps stated: “Solar energy has the potential to power 27 million homes across the UK, helping to reduce household energy bills, increase our energy independence, and create thousands of well-paying jobs. This is why we are committed to tripling solar capacity in the UK by 2030, and today’s solar roadmap outlines how we will accomplish this.”
To achieve these goals, the solar roadmap outlines several key actions, including:
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Supporting the shift to renewables through the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, which has already resulted in a 70% reduction in the cost of solar energy since 2015.
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Reforming planning regulations to promote the development of solar projects, including the introduction of the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) fast track for large-scale solar projects.
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Expanding permitted development rights for solar projects on non-domestic properties.
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Boosting the solar workforce by increasing the number of green skills programs, such as the Green Skills Bootcamps, which are set to train 50,000 individuals in green skills by 2025.
Importance of solar energy in the UK solar roadmap
Solar energy is a vital component of the UK’s electricity generation mix, particularly as the country works to decarbonize its energy sector. The UK is a leader in solar energy, ranking eighth in the world for solar capacity and second in Europe behind Germany.
The UK’s first solar farm, constructed in 2011 in Truro, Cornwall, is still operational, producing enough electricity to power 430 homes. Since then, solar energy has become a major contributor to the UK’s electricity supply, with solar panels providing 4.5% of the country’s electricity in 2022. On a particularly sunny day in April 2023, solar power accounted for 21.8% of the UK’s electricity generation.
Boosting the solar industry through the UK solar roadmap
The roadmap’s release coincides with the inaugural meeting of the Solar Taskforce, which is co-chaired by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the UK Solar Energy Industry Association (Solar Energy UK).
The Taskforce will collaborate with government and industry stakeholders to implement the actions outlined in the roadmap, with the goal of tripling the UK’s solar capacity by 2030. This will include consultations with local governments, grid operators, energy companies, and investors.
The roadmap sets ambitious targets for solar development, aiming to install 70 GW of capacity by 2035, up from 15.2 GW currently.
The UK government is committed to ensuring that the solar industry can meet this demand by providing the necessary infrastructure, skills, and incentives to support rapid scaling.
For more details on the UK solar energy roadmap, visit PV Knowhow.