Solar power will play a big role in the UK's clean energy plans

Solar power will play a big role in the UK's clean energy plans by 2030, as announced by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband during the relaunch of the government's Solar Taskforce on 2 October. This taskforce, made up of leaders from DESNZ, industry, and regulatory bodies, aims to speed up the growth of solar energy across the country.

The goal is to boost the UK's energy independence, cut down on fossil fuel use, and lower energy bills while providing clean power. The taskforce is focused on increasing solar capacity by 2030. In the next few months, they will create a new solar roadmap. Their first meeting looked at how to expand solar installations by building strong supply chains and training a skilled workforce. This effort follows the government’s July announcement of a ‘solar rooftop revolution’ to install solar panels on millions of homes, helping with the UK’s renewable energy shift.

Recently, 2GW of solar projects were approved, more than the total approved in the past 14 years. Miliband stressed the importance of the taskforce’s work in speeding up the clean energy transition. Solar Energy UK’s CEO, Chris Hewett, also highlighted solar power’s benefits for cheaper, safer, and more sustainable energy.