UK government unveils Solar Strategy

The U.K. government is looking to encourage more commercial rooftop usage of solar panels.

The U.K. government today unveiled the European Union's first dedicated national solar strategy in the English West Midlands. The government's strategy is a shift in emphasis away from solar farms into utilizing south-facing commercial rooftops.

Greg Barker, the United Kingdom's minister for energy and climate change, unveiled the strategy at the new Sunsolar factory in Oldbury near Birmingham. The Solar Strategy aims to double the number of U.K. solar homes to one million by next year, install 20 GW of solar by 2020, and implement 1 GW of solar on government-owned infrastructure.

Barker said, "There is massive potential to turn our large buildings into power stations and we must seize the opportunity this offers to boost our economy as part of our long term economic plan. Solar not only benefits the environment, it will see British job creation and deliver the clean and reliable energy supplies that the country needs at the lowest possible cost to consumers."

The strategy also includes a commitment to harness the potential of the mid-size and large-scale rooftop market as well as providing a viable alternative to the "big six" energy supply companies in the U.K.

The Solar Strategy was formulated by the department for energy and climate change, with input from the Solar Trade Association. 

Source: PV Magazine