UK Government

Any developers bidding to construct solar plants with more than 300 MW of generation capacity in the latest round of the UK’s clean power auction program will have to draw up a supply chain plan showing how they will address matters ranging from skills gaps to new technology to modern slavery.

Homes and small businesses in England and Wales will be able to claim a discount off installation costs from a fund that will allocate $188 million annually as part of the subsidy program.

The nation accounted for almost a quarter of the UK’s clean energy generation in a Covid-hit year as renewables accounted for 61.8% of its power mix, according to a study produced by the UK government.

Solar contributed 28% of the U.K.’s total renewable energy generation, which was dominated by wind power. The proportion of fossil fuels in the energy mix fell to a record low last year, at 37.7%.

New tech which can store power for longer than four hours can secure up to €14 million each towards their demonstrator project costs.

The United Kingdom has announced £9.5 million (around US$12 million) in funding for the creation of a new research consortium and 12 projects to speed the uptake of smart energy systems.

A conference held this week in London shed light on the U.K. Government’s timeline for reviewing its Capacity Market and Contracts for Difference schemes, and what the changes could mean for renewable – and specifically solar PV – energy projects.

The U.K. government has cold-shouldered PV with a row of disfavourable policies, which have put at risk the financial viability of new arrays. In the past few last years, the market has remained almost flat, with installations sitting at around 200 MW per year.

While they remain the dominant source of energy supply, there was a shift away from fossil fuels to renewable energy in the U.K. last year. The country is “comfortably” on track to exceed its 30% renewables target, says the government.