{"id":6885,"date":"2023-03-30T11:05:21","date_gmt":"2023-03-30T10:05:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/solarenergyuk.org\/?post_type=news&p=6885"},"modified":"2023-05-02T11:37:29","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T10:37:29","slug":"government-taskforce-set-to-power-up-solar-energy","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/solarenergyuk.org\/news\/government-taskforce-set-to-power-up-solar-energy\/","title":{"rendered":"Government taskforce set to power up solar energy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Solar Energy <\/strong>UK<\/strong>
30 March 2023<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The solar industry has praised the Government\u2019s pledge to establish a joint taskforce and roadmap to drive the further growth of solar energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Announced as part of today\u2019s \u2018Energy Security Day\u2019 package, the measure was among the key policy recommendations set out in Chris Skidmore MP\u2019s Net Zero Review.[1] Solar Energy UK had also made a separate call for the establishment of a government-industry group with similar objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSolar Energy UK strongly welcomes the taskforce, which is a clear indication from the Government that it wants the UK to take full advantage of solar energy\u2019s vast economic potential. We look forward to working closely with ministers to lay the path towards a five-fold increase in solar capacity in the UK by 2035 and addressing the key barriers to unlock the full potential of all scales of solar and energy storage,\u201d said Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of Solar Energy UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn particular, the new body needs to address the need for major improvements in network capacity and management, support for skills and training so the workforce can grow in line with demand for the technologies and ensure finance and markets are available for solar to be accessible to all businesses and individuals,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The body\u2019s specific goals and membership will be established in due course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The central \u2018Powering Up Britain\u2019 paper says that solar energy has \u201chuge potential\u201d to help decarbonise the power sector. \u201cWe need to maximise deployment of both ground and rooftop solar to achieve our overall target. Ground-mount solar is one of the cheapest forms of electricity generation and is readily deployable at scale. Government seeks large scale solar deployment across the UK,\u201d it states, seeking \u201cwidespread deployment\u201d of rooftop solar power for commercial, industrial and domestic properties, too.[2]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The accompanying Energy Security Plan published today commits to the development of a \u2018solar roadmap\u2019, another aspect of Mr Skidmore\u2019s report.[4] It will set out the pathway towards reaching 70 gigawatts of solar generation capacity by 2035, mandated in last year\u2019s Energy Security Strategy.[5] It is scheduled to be published next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s papers also reference Solar Energy UK\u2019s work on the \u2018bootcamps\u2019 being run under the Solar Skills London project, as part of a broader initiative to address workforce skills needs in key low carbon sectors.[3] This will feed into the Government\u2019s forthcoming Net Zero Skills and Workforce Action Plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Solar Energy UK also welcomes further announcements made today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n