Solar power generation policy level

Should guidance on solar PV be included in the National Policy Statement?

The solar industry very much welcomes the addition of guidance on solar PV to the National Policy Statement for renewable energy infrastructure. However, there are several provisions which could be strengthened, which we have outlined below.

How much solar power will the UK need by 2050?

To meet the UK government’s net zero target, the Climate Change Committee estimates that between 75-90 gigawatts (GW) of solar power will be needed by 2050. Analysis by Solar Energy UK indicates this would mean solar farms would, at most, account for approximately 0.4-0.6% of UK land – less than the amount currently used for golf courses

How much solar will we need by 2035?

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has identified a need to deploy 54GW of solar by 2035 to keep on track to deliver net zero by 2050. This equates to roughly 40GW of solar by 2030, and the solar industry body, Solar Energy UK, has demonstrated in its 2021 report “Lighting the Way” that this target is possible.

Should a target for solar generation be included in the NPS?

This equates to roughly 40GW of solar by 2030, and the solar industry body, Solar Energy UK, has demonstrated in its 2021 report “Lighting the Way” that this target is possible. We recommend that a target for solar generation should be included in the NPS.

How much solar energy will be generated in 2030?

Reaching an annual solar PV generation level of approximately 8 300 TWh in 2030, in alignment with the Net Zero Scenario, up from the current 1 300 TWh, will require annual average generation growth of around 26% during 2023-2030.

How many GW of solar PV will be installed in 2030?

Continuous support for all PV segments will be needed for annual solar PV capacity additions to increase to about 800 GW, in order to reach the more than 6 000 GW of total installed capacity in 2030 envisaged in the NZE Scenario. Distributed and utility-scale PV need to be developed in parallel, depending on each country’s potential and needs.