Can rooftop solar panels meet our energy needs?

We have published research by the UCL Energy Institute into the true potential for meeting our energy needs if we made full use of the rooftop space available for solar panels across the country.

Can rooftop solar PV reach a new national target?

But there remains a substantial amount of work to be done to accelerate the deployment of rooftop solar PV to reach the current National target of 3 GW to 5 GW per year of new capacity set by the 10-year Energy Programme Decree (PPE).

Is rooftop solar a good investment?

Chris Hewett, chief executive of Solar Energy UK and co-chair of the Taskforce, said: Installing rooftop solar power, whether at residential or commercial scale, is one of the best investments available, offering dramatic savings on energy bills and the opportunity to be paid for sending excess power to the grid.

Could solar power be installed on large commercial rooftops?

The legislation introduced to the Commons would strike out this red tape. “The potential of installing solar power on large commercial rooftops is vast, its prospective capacity having been estimated at 15 gigawatts across the country” said Solar Energy UK Chief Executive Chris Hewett.

Can solar panels be installed on rooftops and car parks?

CPRE’s report analysed the solar capacity of rooftops and covered car parks across England, providing an assessment of the total energy that could be generated. The key findings are: Installing solar panels on existing rooftops and other land such as car parks could provide at least 40-50GW in England by 2035.

What if the government fails to kickstart a rooftop solar revolution?

If the government fails to kickstart a rooftop solar revolution, an area of countryside larger than the size of Greater London will be required for ground-mounted schemes. CPRE’s view is that this land could be much better used for either nature recovery, public amenity or low impact food production; or a mixture of these.