With the political events pussyfooting round web zero claims forward of the overall election, a extra strong strategy to accelerating the roll-out of photo voltaic is essential to driving confidence round attaining decarbonisation objectives with out burdening the taxpayer, writes renewable power specialist AMPYR Distributed Power.
We’re witnessing a ‘solar revolution’ within the UK, in line with power suppose tank Ember.1 Rooftop deployment is seemingly booming, with greater than 190,000 installations carried out in 2023 alone.2 The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) means that 2024 will doubtless see the sector’s thirteenth yr of continued incremental progress, whereas forecasts from SolarPower Europe predict a staggering 22% improve in annual demand. Nevertheless, affirmative coverage motion is required to capitalise on this momentum and realise the total influence that photo voltaic can ship for the UK’s power transition.
Placing renewable technology at (or close to) the purpose of consumption is by far one of many most cost-effective and best types of power out there. Immediately, technological progress and maturing funding fashions are making on-site photo voltaic more and more easy for companies, providing the potential to considerably scale back carbon with out resorting to subsidies.
Two components are important to attaining this. Firstly, study from different European markets in terms of accelerating the adoption of collective self-consumption, which might show a game-changer in terms of tackling native grid constraints and unlocking stranded initiatives. Secondly, we have to see readability and proactivity in terms of authorities help for smaller enterprise prospects, which might allow entry to cleaner, greener, cheaper on-site power.
John Behan, CEO of AMPYR Distributed Power (ADE) mentioned: “We’re speaking to companies day-after-day who can see the benefits of photo voltaic to drive down power prices, improve provide safety and ship measurable decarbonisation progress. Nevertheless, there may be vital pent-up demand for photo voltaic deployment, so a key Authorities focus must be on insurance policies that put photo voltaic entrance and centre of the sensible grid transition and the longer term power methods we have to meet web zero.
“Whereas power safety, decarbonisation and sustainability are referenced in every of the primary events’ manifestoes, the shortage of route on insurance policies to speed up photo voltaic must be addressed urgently.
“Whereas bettering grid connectivity is already excessive on the agenda, there additionally must be extra joined up pondering and stronger communications to unleash the potential of on-site renewable technology for companies within the UK. Distributed power aligns with the necessity for funding within the UK’s property infrastructure, together with power effectivity, carbon reporting, and enabling decentralised power options with clear market reform.
“Nations in Europe, resembling Spain, are empowering communities with clear authorized frameworks for neighborhood self-consumption schemes, the place residents in flats, for instance, can confidently signal as much as shared rooftop photo voltaic schemes that may not solely scale back reliance on the grid and decrease power payments, but additionally create alternatives for promoting again to the grid when surplus is generated. Fashions resembling these, which are actually tried and examined, can inform the transformation of our personal methods to take full benefit of the potential of renewable power.
“Commercial properties across Europe are also engaged in collective self-consumption. Rather than simply harnessing self-generated green energy and exporting surplus, this sees sites encouraged to trade with neighbouring buildings that don’t have access to renewable energy generation capabilities.”
With many photo voltaic arrays specified to ship a cloth portion of on-site power consumption, accelerating pathways to extend this proportion will maximise the worth of distributed power throughout the UK. From an financial perspective, native communities and companies can share the advantages of low-cost renewable energy. From an environmental perspective, it reduces stress on centralised power provide, as a substitute creating versatile neighborhood microgrids.
However what about these usually forgotten about by policymakers? Miles Thomas, CCO at ADE, added: “For smaller, or poorer credit score enterprise prospects, we have to discover work arounds to unlock cleaner, greener, cheaper on-site power provide. That is key to enabling photo voltaic, at scale, for everybody and accelerating progress in direction of the UK’s web zero power panorama of tomorrow.
“In my opinion, we could approach this in a similar way to the real estate sector; using government-backed leases in selected areas to support commercial development and catalyse regeneration areas where leases are short, or covenants aren’t of sufficient quality to support investment and development. Government support to achieve this, however, is critical – this isn’t direct subsidy, it’s support, keeping capital costs low and energy prices at levels which provide real benefit to those businesses that need it most.”
As one of many key enablers to a low carbon power future, the outlook for photo voltaic is clearly constructive. Nevertheless, if we actually are to depend on residence grown power, we have to see far higher authorities ambition. Alongside readability relating to the planning system, this consists of revolutionising the way in which networks take care of photo voltaic and storage, upskilling the UK workforce and guaranteeing that the market framework is match for objective.
Behan concluded: “The UK must push the day-to-day of distributed power firmly up the agenda. Mandating the inclusion of photo voltaic panels on all new industrial buildings is a wise step ahead, however many of the buildings that can exist in 2030 are already constructed, so daring insurance policies that may help retrofitting on all buildings and, extra importantly, for all industrial and industrial customers, must be central to any new authorities’s cost in direction of web zero. Daring motion has been taken in France the place photo voltaic canopies are actually required in all massive automobile parks, we might take the same strategy within the UK.
“Extra accountability round carbon reporting, in addition to a step-change in terms of necessary power effectivity measures beholden to industrial properties, all have a significant function to play. Internet zero requires an enormous funding in property infrastructure, a extra joined-up strategy actually is simply frequent sense.
“Ultimately, energy security is no short-term game and we must continue to identify new and innovative solutions to accelerate progress towards net zero. Once the dust settles, I’d like to see a step-change in enthusiasm, ambition and commitment when it comes to renewable energy. Assuaging the concerns of the industry is a good start, but progress, clarity and decision-making must be proactive, rather than a last resort.”
For extra details about AMPYR Distributed Power, go to www.ampyrde.com.
Notes
[1] https://ember-climate.org/insights/in-brief/the-global-solar-revolution/
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/atmosphere/2024/jan/11/installation-of-rooftop-solar-panels-uk-12-year-high-2023-record-number-of-heat-pumps
