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Britain ready to raise the roof with commercial solar potential!

Thousands of commercial buildings in the UK could be used to revolutionise our solar industry.

As we all know, roofs across cities in Britain cover an enormous amount of surface area, yet unfortunately, only a slither of them utilise this space for solar panels. Despite commercial roofs being designed to shelter larger buildings from wind, sun and rain, many could be adapted to provide a suitable space for solar energy – and that is exactly what our Solar Task force plans to do.

In May 2023, the Government’s new Solar Task force met for the first time to discuss how to reach the ‘untapped potential’ of commercial buildings. The Taskforce’s desired plan is to drive forward the Government’s ambitions of 70GW of solar power in the UK by 2035, which would require an increase of almost fivefold from our current capacity. Despite perhaps sounding like an unrealistic vision, the Solar Taskforce has identified schools, warehouses and car parks as essential to kick-start our solar revolution.

Why should we target large commercial buildings?

Graham Stuart, the Minister for Energy Security states that households across the UK are already doing their bit to move towards renewable energy. However, there are huge commercial buildings across the UK that could help provide exponential solar power due to their often large, flat roofs that are perfect for panel installation. According to Stuart, the Solar Task force will have a “laser-like focus on cutting the costs and breaking down the barriers to harnessing the power of the sun in every way we can, all while using a small fraction of this country’s land”.

Targeting large commercial buildings will also provide a plethora of green jobs. It was estimated that in 2020, the solar industry supported 11,500 jobs across the country – this figure is expected to be notably higher now and is predicted to steadily rise in the next decade. Chris Hewett, who is chief executive of Solar Energy UK and co-chair of the Solar Task force believes that installing rooftop solar power at any level is “one of the best investments available”.

One perfect example of a successful commercial solar installation in the UK is that of a chapel at King’s College, Cambridge. The ancient University chapel first underwent a roof restoration, before 438 photovoltaic solar panels were installed. This project is living proof that the most unorthodox of buildings can be utilised to provide clean energy. Due to its east-west alignment, the building’s layout is perfect for generating solar electricity. The chapel was built in the 15th century, yet it provides a flawless platform for solar energy, which makes you wonder how many structures are currently being disregarded across Britain as potential solar hubs.

Where do we go from here?

Hopefully, with the introduction of the Solar Task force, thousands of commercial buildings across the UK will feature solar installations. Flatter roofs such as factories, warehouses and schools are the perfect starting point to tap into our country’s solar potential. The future is certainly bright for the solar industry in the UK, and over the next decade, we should see our ambitions of 70GW of solar power become a reality.

Cymru Solar is proud Sponsor Members of Solar Energy UK, to learn more

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