Plug-in panels and boost to rooftop installations among Government's solar plans
The move forms part of the solar road-map set out by the Government to rapidly speed up the rollout of solar power across the UK as part of its efforts to shift the country to clean electricity by 2030.
Ministers said households could save around £500 a year on their bills by installing rooftop solar panels, which could also boost jobs and improve energy security.
The Government has already said it will make sure new build homes will have solar panels by default through the future homes standard, lowering their bills.
Balcony solar panels on an apartment balcony in Germany (Alamy/PA)
As part of the solar road-map, the Government is also launching a call for evidence to understand how to harness the potential for solar on car parks across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
It also says it is working with the Green Finance Institute, the finance sector, consumer bodies and solar firms to find financial solutions to make it possible for more households and businesses to install the green tech and add to the 1.5 million homes which already have panels on their roofs.
And it will launch a safety review to make 'plug-in' solar arrays, which work the same way as roof top panels except they are portable and connected directly into plug sockets, available in the UK.
Officials say plug-in solar is currently unavailable in the UK due to longstanding regulations, but in Germany there were around 435,000 new plug-in solar panel installations in 2024 alone, saving residents in flats money on their bills.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: 'Families have been paying the price for the fossil fuel rollercoaster for years.
'Through solar, we are rolling out the quickest to build and one of the cheapest forms of energy for families to start saving hundreds on their energy bills, all whilst helping tackle the climate crisis.'
The Government has approved more than 3 gigawatts of 'nationally significant' solar since the election – which it says is the equivalent of powering more than 500,000 homes.
The solar road-map sets out steps to deliver 45-47 gigawatts of solar by 2030, as part of the push to the UK to being overwhelmingly run on clean power by the end of the decade.
Officials said the boost to solar will support up to 35,000 jobs and – in the face of concerns over competing use for land – will use less than 0.5% of total UK land.
The road-map comes after the independent advisory Climate Change Committee said the new Government was on track with ramping up offshore and onshore wind installations to meet its 2030 targets, but was off track with solar installations.
Solar Energy UK chief executive and co-chair of the solar taskforce, Chris Hewett said: 'The Solar Road-map highlights dozens of practical measures needed to expand solar generation, boost the supply of cheaper and more secure power, foster new industries, create skilled jobs, boost biodiversity and slash our greenhouse gas emissions.
'The sector is already growing fast, with around 700 small-scale rooftop installations being completed each day, but needs to grow faster.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Edinburgh Reporter
31 minutes ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
Parental leave to be improved by government
The UK Government is to completely review parental leave and pay in a bid to offer more support to families in work. The review will examine ways of modernising all types of parental leave, maternal, paternal and shared parental leave as the government tries to make the system easier to use. At present the system of shared leave for parents does not attract many couples to take it up, and the government believes the whole system is too complex. It is reckoned in research papers that improving the parental leave offered to new parents helps to close the gender pay gap and will boost the economy. The government's Plan to Make Work Pay promises to grow the economy and break down any barriers to opportunity. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: 'Those early years are the most special time for families, but too many struggle to balance their work and home lives. 'Supporting working parents isn't just the right thing to do – it's vital for our economy. 'Through our Plan to Make Work Pay, we're already improving the parental leave system with new day 1 rights. This ambitious review will leave no stone unturned as we deliver for working families.' Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, who became the first UK Cabinet minister to take the full statutory paternity leave earlier this year, said: 'Improving parental rights, supporting families and making work pay are key priorities for the UK Government and I wholeheartedly welcome the launch of this review. 'As a working dad of two girls, I fully get just how magical and challenging a time it is welcoming new ones into the world. These are unique moments families should be allowed to cherish together without fear over jobs and pay and I look forward to the review delivering a fairer and easier system which empowers parents, nurtures family wellbeing and boosts the economy. It's just one of the ways our Plan for Change is supporting hard-working families by making the biggest improvements to workers' rights in a generation.' Mr Murray also brought his younger daughter to a recent meeting in Edinburgh when he signed an agreement between the Scotland Office and Scottish Chambers of Commerce, The Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, with his younger daughter and Scottish Chambers of Commerce Chief Executive and Director Dr Liz Cameron, CBE signing an agreement on a Brand Scotland overseas trade missions initiative. Like this: Like Related
Leader Live
37 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Government demands investigation after Lindsey oil refinery owner collapses
State Oil – the parent company of Prax Group, which owns the Lindsey refinery in North Lincolnshire – appointed administrators on Monday. A separate winding-up order has also been made against the Lindsey oil refinery and related businesses and a liquidator has been appointed. More than 180 staff are employed by State Oil, while it is thought that around another 420 work at the Lindsey refinery. Energy minister Michael Shanks called on the company's owner to 'put his hands in his pockets and deliver proper compensation for the workers'. He said the Government is demanding an investigation into the conduct of the company's directors and the circumstances surrounding its failure. The Lindsey site is one of only five large oil refineries remaining in the UK after the recent closure of the Grangemouth plant in Scotland. Prax Group is led by majority owner and chairman and chief executive Sanjeev Kumar Soosaipillai, who bought the Lindsey oil refinery from French firm Total in 2021. Mr Shanks vowed to 'ensure supplies are maintained, protect our energy security' and said Energy Secretary Ed Miliband 'is today writing to the Insolvency Service to demand an immediate investigation into the conduct of the directors and the circumstances surrounding this insolvency'. He later told the Commons: 'The Government believes the business's leadership have a responsibility to the workers and the local community, and we are calling on them to do the right thing and provide support to the workers through this difficult period. 'The wealthy owner cannot wash his hands of his obligations to the workers and their families, and that's why we are calling on him to put his hands in his pockets and deliver proper compensation for the workers.' Mr Shanks added the Government was told about commercial difficulties 'at the end of April', with the refinery having 'recorded a total of around £75 million worth of losses between its acquisition in 2021 and the financial year ending in February 2024'. He said: 'The Secretary of State was reassured by the company that there was no immediate closure risk to the refinery. A week ago, the business changed their position and said they feared it could no longer be a going concern. 'We repeatedly asked them at official and ministerial level what the financial gap was, to work out whether the Government could help bridge that gap, but the company were unable to share that basic information.' Trade union Unite said the Government needed to urgently intervene to help protect UK fuel supplies and jobs. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'The Lindsey oil refinery is strategically important and the Government must intervene immediately to protect workers and fuel supplies. 'Unite has constantly warned the Government that its policies have placed the oil and gas industry on a cliff edge.' Built in 1968, the Lindsey refinery can process around 113,000 barrels of oil a day. Clare Boardman, joint administrator of State Oil and Prax, said: 'We appreciate that this is a very difficult and uncertain time for the employees and everyone involved and we will be on site to support them during this challenging period. 'We will be considering all options for the group, including the prospect of a sale for the group's upstream business and retail operations in the UK and Europe, all of which remain outside of insolvency. 'We thank the group's team members and other stakeholders for their continued support.' Prax Group was not immediately available for comment.
Leader Live
37 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Scheme to register foreign agents comes into force but China avoids top tier
The new Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (Firs) comes into effect from Tuesday, requiring anyone carrying out 'political influence activities' on behalf of a foreign power to register with the Government or face prosecution. The rules, which cover activities such as political communications or lobbying, were introduced in 2023 as part of efforts to strengthen national security amid concerns about covert action by foreign governments. Security minister Dan Jarvis said: 'We welcome legitimate engagement with all countries, but we will not tolerate covert attempts to manipulate our political system or society. 'The Foreign Influence Registration Scheme gives us the tools to confront growing threats to our national security, one of the foundations of our plan for change, without compromising the openness that defines our democracy.' The new rules also include an 'enhanced tier', which requires anyone working for certain states to declare any activity, not just political work. Mr Jarvis said: 'This is about creating accountability and visibility so that covert influence operations have nowhere to hide, and ensuring we have the tools to detect and disrupt them.' Failing to register with Firs carries a maximum sentence of two years, or five years for agents of states in the enhanced tier. So far, only Iran and Russia have been placed in the enhanced tier, with both nations accused of operating covertly in the UK to shape public opinion and intimidate opponents. But despite calls from some MPs to include China in the enhanced tier, Russia and Iran remain the only nations on the list. Beijing has been repeatedly accused of seeking to covertly influence British politics and academia. A 2023 report by Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee found China had engaged in 'aggressive' interference, including seeking to 'penetrate or buy academia to ensure that its international narrative is advanced and criticism of China suppressed.' Following the announcement in April that Russia would be included in the enhanced tier, Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp said it was 'astonishing' that China had not received similar treatment and accused the Government of 'prioritising economic links over national security'. At the time, Mr Jarvis replied that the Government had a 'consistent long-term and strategic approach' to the UK's relationship with China. He added: 'The Government's policy is clear – we will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to and challenge where we must, including on issues of national security.'
