With the political events pussyfooting round internet zero claims forward of the final election, a extra sturdy method to accelerating the roll-out of photo voltaic is vital to driving confidence round attaining decarbonisation targets with out burdening the taxpayer, writes renewable vitality specialist AMPYR Distributed Power.
We’re witnessing a ‘solar revolution’ within the UK, in keeping with vitality assume 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 12 months of continued incremental development, 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 complete affect that photo voltaic can ship for the UK’s vitality 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 vitality accessible. In the present day, technological progress and maturing funding fashions are making on-site photo voltaic more and more easy for companies, providing the potential to considerably cut back carbon with out resorting to subsidies.
Two parts are important to attaining this. Firstly, be taught from different European markets relating to accelerating the adoption of collective self-consumption, which may show a game-changer relating to tackling native grid constraints and unlocking stranded initiatives. Secondly, we have to see readability and proactivity relating to authorities assist for smaller enterprise prospects, which might allow entry to cleaner, greener, cheaper on-site vitality.
John Behan, CEO of AMPYR Distributed Power (ADE) stated: “We’re speaking to companies daily who can see some great benefits of photo voltaic to drive down vitality prices, improve provide safety and ship measurable decarbonisation progress. Nevertheless, there may be important pent-up demand for photo voltaic deployment, so a key Authorities focus needs to be on insurance policies that put photo voltaic entrance and centre of the sensible grid transition and the longer term vitality methods we have to meet internet zero.
“Whereas vitality safety, decarbonisation and sustainability are referenced in every of the primary events’ manifestoes, the dearth of course on insurance policies to speed up photo voltaic must be addressed urgently.
“Whereas enhancing grid connectivity is already excessive on the agenda, there additionally must be extra joined up considering and stronger communications to unleash the potential of on-site renewable technology for companies within the UK. Distributed vitality aligns with the necessity for funding within the UK’s property infrastructure, together with vitality effectivity, carbon reporting, and enabling decentralised vitality options with clear market reform.
“International locations in Europe, akin to 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 cut back reliance on the grid and decrease vitality payments, but additionally create alternatives for promoting again to the grid when surplus is generated. Fashions akin to these, which are actually tried and examined, can inform the transformation of our personal methods to take full benefit of the potential of renewable vitality.
“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 fabric portion of on-site vitality consumption, accelerating pathways to extend this proportion will maximise the worth of distributed vitality 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 strain on centralised vitality 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 vitality provide. That is key to enabling photo voltaic, at scale, for everybody and accelerating progress in direction of the UK’s internet zero vitality 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 vitality future, the outlook for photo voltaic is clearly constructive. Nevertheless, if we actually are to depend on residence grown vitality, we have to see far higher authorities ambition. Alongside readability concerning the planning system, this contains revolutionising the way in which networks cope with 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 vitality firmly up the agenda. Mandating the inclusion of photo voltaic panels on all new business buildings is a smart step ahead, however many of the buildings that can exist in 2030 are already constructed, so daring insurance policies that may assist retrofitting on all buildings and, extra importantly, for all business and industrial customers, needs to be central to any new authorities’s cost in direction of internet zero. Daring motion has been taken in France the place photo voltaic canopies are actually required in all giant automobile parks, we may take an analogous method within the UK.
“Extra accountability round carbon reporting, in addition to a step-change relating to necessary vitality effectivity measures beholden to business properties, all have an important position to play. Internet zero requires an enormous funding in property infrastructure, a extra joined-up method 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/
