By setting a “realistic budget and more sustainable prices” for renewable electricity in the upcoming Contracts for Difference (CfD) auction, the UK Government could bolster private investment within solar, RenewableUK said.
_245_153_80_s_c1.jpg)
The cost of developing solar projects has increased in upwards of 50% as a result of the Electricity Generator Levy and inflation, Energy UK has said.
__245_153_80_s_c1.jpg)
Solar could benefit from a new arrangement which has seen OVO Energy join Community Energy England as a principal supporter.
The 2023 Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering (QEPrize) has been awarded for the research and development of passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar photovoltaic technology.
_245_153_80_s_c1.jpg)
In the UK, a new wave of large-scale solar projects continue to emerge as the country accelerates towards net zero targets, including reaching a decarbonised power system by 2035. At the heart of these are Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs).
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has released the Chris Skidmore MP independent review into the UK’s net zero prospects which calls for a “rooftop revolution” to unlock 70GW of solar generation by 2035.
The 350MW Mallard Pass Solar Farm has now moved into the public consultation stage via pre-examinations after the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) accepted the project's Development Consent Order (DCO).
_245_153_80_s_c1.jpg)
Solar Energy Scotland has welcomed the Scottish Government’s inclusion of solar energy systems in the non-domestic rates regime, announced in the Scottish Budget 2023-24 last week (15 December).
Community Energy England (CEE) has joined forces with Morrisons, M&S, Tesco and three of the UK’s biggest co-operatives – the Co-op Group, Central Co-op and MidCounties Co-operative – to urge the UK Government to prioritise unlocking additional renewable energy generation capacity, including solar.
_-_pxfuel_(nc)_245_153_80_s_c1.jpg)
JBM Solar has had a planning appeal for a 49.9MW solar farm in Langford, Devon, successfully approved becoming “one of the first” to be greenlit under the Sunak government.
Global renewable company Low Carbon is set to develop a combined solar capacity of over 75MW across three sites after securing financing from NatWest, Lloyds Bank and AIB.
In a bid to boost the long-duration energy storage market in the UK, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has provided over £32 million to five winners of the Longer Duration Energy Storage (LODES) competition.
The Scottish Government promised that a “much bigger, renewed focus” will be given to solar power in the upcoming Energy Strategy draft during a debate on renewable energy last week (25 November).
_245_153_80_s_c1.jpg)
As a result of the Autumn Statement and the introduction of the windfall tax, Bluefield Solar Income Fund has estimated that its audited NAV would have decreased by 3 pence per ordinary share (pps).
Solar farm owner Toucan Energy Holdings has reportedly entered into administration, with Thurrock Council having run up debts of around £1.5 billion.
_245_153_80_s_c1.jpg)
Foresight Solar Fund (FSF) has recorded a 2.1% net asset value (NAV) increase to £771.2 million due to high-power forecasts and rising inflation.
Solar Energy UK has welcomed the formal opening of a Commons inquiry into solar technologies.
The UK Ministry of Defence has entered into a £5.4 million agreement with CorEnergy to supply the organisation with solar PV.
Scotland is set to reform its planning rules for solar energy to incentivise rooftop installations across the nation.
“I find it extraordinary that we are talking about banning solar on farmlands, but we are talking about putting oil drills on farmlands – it is an industrialised process,” said Simon Maine, managing director, corporate communications at investment firm Brookfield Asset Management.
An investigation by Carbon Brief has dispelled claims made by Liz Truss and her opponent Rishi Sunak that solar is taking up precious farming land in the UK with it amounting to just 0.1% of UK land.
Members of the House of Lords have called on the Government to promote the growth of community energy projects in its new Energy Bill.
Finlay Colville explores the themes underpinning solar deployment at all levels out to 2030, including supply chain challenges, planning trends and community engagement.
New research from the University of Sussex has highlighted how increased government support is needed to make solar viable for a range of consumers.
A reduction on VAT for solar and storage among other technologies would be a fast and simple way to reduce the impact of the energy price crisis on consumers, Solar Energy UK has said.
MPs have this week spoken out about the development of large-scale solar PV, citing concerns over food security, biodiversity and supply chains.
The Solar Media Podcast returns for another year at the forefront of the energy transition, starting 2022 by exploring solar PV’s push for a global manufacturing footprint.
The last year is unlikely to be one the solar and energy storage industries will forget in a hurry but, just in case anything from the last 12 months has slipped your mind, the Solar Media Podcast has recapped the biggest news of 2021.
Solar Energy Scotland's calls for the Scottish Parliament to make key policy changes to support solar have been backed by a new motion put forward by Fergus Erwing MSP, stressing the need to scale-up solar deployment.
The key themes to come out of this year's Solar & Storage Live include the resiliency of the industry, the increased interconnectivity of solar, storage and EV charging and how the next decade is going to be "huge".