In the UK, members of the Environment Audit Committee (EAC) discovered that customers must wait up to 15 years for solar systems. Insufficient investment in grid infrastructure, such as cables and transformers, and poor management of grid connection applications.
Regulatory failure on the part of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) and unresponsive operators in the distribution network are all cited by the EAC as contributing factors to the lengthy wait times, according to Business Green.
Although there is hope for a bright future for solar energy in the UK, the industry is dogged by delays that prevent it from reaching its full potential. Evidence presented before our Committee demonstrated that the UK has the capacity to achieve its goal of 70GW of solar-powered generating capacity.
According to Philip Dunn, chairman of the UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee, “Access to finance and the imposition of [Value Added Tax (VAT)] on batteries continue to be major sticking points for households.”
The lack of data on solar photovoltaic generation, particularly for installations on a smaller scale, as well as developers applying for connections to the grid without having obtained project planning permission, were two other areas where the connection to the grid was causing delays.
According to Business Green, Dunne wrote in a letter to Energy and Net Zero Secretary Grant Shapps last week that the government’s aim of 70 gigawatts of solar power by 2035 would be difficult given the present backlogs.
According to Business Green, Dunne said in the letter that this is inhibiting households and companies from investing in solar PV installations to lower their energy bills, which is hurting the economy and delaying the UK’s ability to reach its decarbonization goals.
Accelerating the solar transition will improve energy security in the UK, making it possible for individuals and businesses to reduce their energy costs, and significantly aid in decarbonizing the country’s electrical supply.
Solar energy is cheap to produce, but the EAC warned that it might be too expensive to deploy. According to Chris Hewett, chief executive of Solar Energy UK, solar projects with planning approval and ready-to-go financing can be advised to wait more than a decade just to connect to the grid. This is utterly unacceptable, according to Business Green. The scenario is costing the UK’s economy billions of pounds.
MPs recommended that the government look at measures to assist people in obtaining cheap loans and offer a VAT discount for battery storage. The EAC is starting another examination into the UK’s lack of solar connectivity to see whether other barriers stand in the way of renewable technologies being able to connect to the grid.
According to the press release, the committee will also take into account the possibilities for a smarter, more adaptable grid that enables dynamic demand management, peer-to-peer electricity trading, and storage. Dunne claimed that the UK’s target of net zero emissions by 2050 might not be achieved because of the delays in solar installation.
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Net Zero Britain may be significantly jeopardized if low-carbon energy sources, including solar, are unable to connect to the grid. Our investigation into solar power revealed that some developers can wait up to 15 years for a grid connection, which is inexcusable.
In the press release, Dunne stated that we must make sure that issues with infrastructure and planning are promptly addressed. We are starting a new inquiry today to address the growing concerns our Committee has regarding grid connections for low-carbon energy projects. I urge anyone who has opinions on these topics to provide supporting data.
