Britain’s Solar Push: How The UK Can Become The Biggest Exporter In Europe!
The UK has long been a solar powerhouse. According to an exciting study recently conducted by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), we could become the biggest exporter of solar energy in Europe — overtaking countries like Germany and Italy. The report also states that by 2030 the UK solar industry could be worth an incredible £48 billion and create thousands of jobs across the country.
So, what steps does the UK need to take to make this happen?
The road to a greener tomorrow
Let us start by looking at some of the many reasons why Britain is ideally placed to become one of, if not the biggest exporter of solar in Europe.
Firstly, the UK has some of the best resources in Europe for solar energy — somewhat surprisingly, given the reputation we have for weather! In fact, the UK has the ability to harvest more sun than Germany, Italy and Spain combined. Why? The large land area and concentrated high levels of sunshine make it an ideal location for solar farms.
In line with the UK government’s ambitious targets and plans to accelerate renewable energy generation for greater energy independence, the importance of solar power is clear.
Secondly, the cost of solar panels has fallen dramatically in recent years, making it a much more affordable option for homes and businesses. The average price of a solar panel has fallen by around 70% since 2010, and the return on investment has never been more attractive with the current energy crisis and dire cost of living situation.
Solar power installation is easy and can help a household instantly reduce electricity bills and their carbon footprint. Combined with low maintenance costs, solar panels help to future-proof any home with a greener, renewable energy source that not only adds value to the property but also saves money.
What does the government need to do?
To realise the country’s potential as one of the major global exports of solar, one of the first steps the UK government needs to take is to give greater financial support for domestic and commercial solar projects. This can be done in various ways, such as feed-in tariffs (FIT), investment tax credits, and renewable energy certificates.
The government introduced a number of measures to support the growth of solar power, such as the FIT scheme, which provided payments for electricity generated from renewable sources and exported back to the grid. This has now been discontinued and replaced by a smart export guarantee (SEG) — but greater investment is needed to accelerate solar exports and provide more energy stability for the country.
Planning schemes could be streamlined to allow for easier building of solar farms around the country, including integration with the agriculture sector.
The UK government also needs to send a strong signal to the country that it is committed to a transition to a low-carbon economy, which can be achieved via a variety of policies and targets to encourage generation and export.
Green Alliance’s Libby Peake says that the UK government should provide “a clear and ambitious 2030 target for solar PV deployment” to attract investment and drive down costs further.
On top of existing plans to develop the countries’ solar efforts, greater investment into privatised schemes and research and development of solar are critical if we want to meet our ambitious climate change targets.
Finally, the government must raise public awareness of the benefits of solar power. Public education campaigns to highlight the environmental and economic benefits of solar energy, as well as more financial incentives would encourage more businesses and homeowners to embrace solar.
If the UK can become the biggest exporter of solar energy in Europe, it would be a significant boost for the environment and our economy, providing thousands of jobs and opportunities for the British people. Who doesn’t want this?
