Keir Starmer's Labour government to expand solar panel installations on homes across UK
Date
7/14/2024 4:11:17 AM
(MENAFN) Keir Starmer's Labour government announced plans on Saturday to significantly expand solar panel installations on homes across the UK, aiming to tackle the climate crisis and reduce energy bills for households. This initiative, dubbed the "rooftop revolution," seeks to greatly increase the number of homes utilizing solar energy.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband revealed details of the plan, which includes the approval of three major solar farms in eastern England that were previously blocked by Conservative ministers. These projects, located at Gate Burton in Lincolnshire, Sunnica's energy farm on the Suffolk-Cambridgeshire border, and Mallard Pass on the Lincolnshire-Rutland border, are expected to enhance the UK's solar capacity considerably. Together, they will generate two-thirds of the solar energy installed across the UK last year.
Ahead of a king’s speech scheduled for Wednesday, which will introduce legislation to establish GB Energy, a new publicly-owned energy company, the government is also emphasizing collaboration with the building industry. The objective is to streamline the installation process of solar panels on both new and existing homes. Discussions are ongoing to implement solar-related standards for new builds starting next year.
Currently, while installing solar panels does not require formal planning permission, there are restrictions regarding their placement, especially in conservation areas and on listed buildings. The government is considering revising these regulations to encourage wider adoption of solar technology.
Miliband expressed enthusiasm for the initiative, committing to tripling the UK’s solar power capacity by 2030, as well as doubling onshore wind and quadrupling offshore wind energy production.
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