New checklist aims to boost solar across UK commercial rooftops
The Solar Trade Association has published a simple and clear checklist to give managers in commerce and industry the confidence to put solar on their roofs. Commercial and industrial roofs dominate the solar market in Europe, but in the UK commercial roofs account for only 5% of all solar deployment to date. However, as part […]
Scottish Government consults on waiving planning permission for commercial rooftop solar
The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on permitted development rights – a waiving of planning permission if certain requirements are fulfilled – for commercial non-domestic rooftop solar. The Solar Trade Association Scotland has welcomed this consultation, after the issue was raised at all levels of the Scottish Government as a barrier to more solar […]
Solar homes, buildings and farms to open doors for Solar Independence Day
On Friday 3 July and Saturday 4 July locations across the UK will be opening their doors to the public to celebrate solar energy and showcase its potential. Ahead of the day, Paul Barwell, CEO of the Solar Trade Association said: “Solar Independence Day will show how versatile this technology is. We’ve got everything […]
Scottish Government heat strategy provides welcome opportunity for solar heating
Commenting on the Scottish Government’s publication yesterday of its ‘Heat Policy Statement – Towards decarbonizing heat: maximizing the opportunities for Scotland’, STA Scotland Chairman John Forster said: “STA Scotland thoroughly welcomes this new heat statement. Renewable and zero carbon heat are a key part of meeting the Scottish Government’s renewables targets.” “However it is important […]
Costed solar industry plan shows how to get UK solar as cheap as fossil fuel electricity by 2020
The Solar Trade Association has today published its ‘Solar Independence Plan for Britain’, setting out how the new Government can steer rooftop solar-generated electricity to parity with retail electricity prices and utility-scale solar farms to parity with new gas CCGT power station prices, both by 2020. In the report the STA looks at several different […]
No large-scale solar for next financial year
The Contracts for Difference (CfD) register has released by the Low Carbon Contracts Company (LCCC), the administrator of the CfD scheme [The register is available at https://lowcarboncontracts.uk/ ]. In this it has been confirmed that neither of the two solar projects that won CfD contracts for the next financial year will go ahead. Head of […]
Red-tape cut to help businesses power themselves
Responding to Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles’ announcement that the permitted development threshold for rooftop solar panels on commercial property is to be increased from 50KW to 1MW, the Renewable Energy Association’s Chief Executive Dr Nina Skorupska said: “We are delighted with today’s announcement which will make it much easier […]
New solar trade body launched in Scotland
A number of leading members of the Solar Trade Association (STA), which speaks on behalf of the UK solar energy industry, have launched a new Scotland branch. STA Scotland is set to become the leading voice for solar in Scotland, advising and developing policy with the Scottish Government and raising awareness of the benefits of […]
Solar airplane shows power of sunshine electricity
A solar powered plane, Solar Impulse 2, took off from Abu Dhabi this morning on the first leg of its round the world flight. Paul Barwell, CEO of the UK’s Solar Trade Association, commented: “This shows the power of solar technology: simple, clean and becoming ever more efficient.” “We are seeing solar racing cars, solar […]
