UK solar industry must transition to circular economy, says NICER
The National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) program says in a new report that the UK solar industry could generate 1.2 million tons of waste by 2050. It calls for circular economy measures to meet net-zero and solar deployment targets.
Record year for UK heat pump installations as installer numbers surge
Certification scheme MCS records another record-breaking year for heat pump installations in the United Kingdom, as well as the highest number of certified contractors on record. MCS Head of Scheme Alex Hughes discusses solar, storage and heat pump trends with pv magazine.
UK records 189,000 new solar installations for 2023
Independent Advisor Solar says there were 189,826 MCS-certified solar installations in the United Kingdom last year, up 37.5% year on year. The researchers have also identified the 10 regions with the most solar panels installations to date.
RWE starts building 330 MW of UK solar
RWE has commenced construction of 330 MW of solar capacity across seven sites in the United Kingdom. Two of the sites will include co-located battery storage (BESS), while the other five projects will be designed for future storage integration.
‘UK solar will forge ahead no matter who is in government’
With United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak appearing to have decided green policy, or rather, anti-green policy should be used to rally voters to his party’s bid for re-election this year – and with the opposition Labour party vacillating over a promise to spend £28 billion ($35 billion) per year on green investment – Adam Swarbrick, of RWE Renewables UK, gives an update on the prospects for United Kingdom solar.
What might UK solar expect from a change in government?
Chris Sparkes, lead technician at UK solar installer Solar Fast tells pv magazine simply throwing money at the PV industry will not suffice.
UK added 555 MW of new solar in 2022
The United Kingdom hit 14.3 GW of cumulative solar capacity by the end of last year, according to provisional government data. New solar capacity grew by 4% year on year, with the rooftop PV market accounting for most of the new installations.
The future looks bright for UK solar
Last year’s figures marked the first time the market saw sustained, subsidy-free growth across residential, commercial and utility scale projects, according to trade body Solar Energy UK.
UK added 545 MW of solar last year to hit 13.9 GW
The news comes on the day a private equity investor in the English North East announced plans to jointly develop a 1.4 GWp solar portfolio with Canadian Solar.
The potential for UK solar
Focusing on the big picture is always challenging, particularly in light of the current all-consuming coronavirus pandemic. However, there are some key issues related to the U.K. solar sector, which will feature significantly on the domestic agenda in the months ahead.
