Disputes over photovoltaic panels on rural roofs

Should rooftop solar be prioritised?

Prioritising rooftop solar can also avoid planning disputes and gradually remove the need for large greenfield schemes. The government has set a national target of 70GW of solar energy generation by 2035.

Should solar panels be on a south-facing roof?

‘Roof first’: local communities can audit solar potential on available south-facing roofs, following the example of Kendal Town Council in the Lake District, and then will be able to prioritise solar panels on suitable brownfield land and avoid best and most versatile agricultural land.

Can solar panels be installed on rooftops and car parks?

CPRE’s report analysed the solar capacity of rooftops and covered car parks across England, providing an assessment of the total energy that could be generated. The key findings are: Installing solar panels on existing rooftops and other land such as car parks could provide at least 40-50GW in England by 2035.

Is rooftop solar a good idea in the UK?

Taken together, all suitable roof space and car parks in the UK could generate a whopping 117 GW, substantially more than the government’s total solar target of 70 GW by of 2050. With enough roof space in England to meet more than half of our solar energy targets, rooftop solar is a common sense solution that continues to be overlooked.

What if the government fails to kickstart a rooftop solar revolution?

If the government fails to kickstart a rooftop solar revolution, an area of countryside larger than the size of Greater London will be required for ground-mounted schemes. CPRE’s view is that this land could be much better used for either nature recovery, public amenity or low impact food production; or a mixture of these.

Are rural areas leading the way on solar power generation?

New CPRE analysis reveals that homes in the countryside are leading the way on solar power generation. 48 of the 50 English parliamentary constituencies with the highest domestic solar generation capacity are in rural areas, while all 200 of those with the lowest are in towns and cities.