Solar power will be a “key driving force” behind the 2030 clean power mission, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told industry during the first meeting of the government’s reactivated solar taskforce.
The taskforce brings together teams from the Department for Security, Energy & Net Zero (DESNZ), industry and regulatory organisations.
It will “focus relentlessly” on accelerating the delivery of solar energy across the country.
Reflecting the government’s ambitions to generate more solar power by 2030, the taskforce has committed to delivering an updated solar roadmap within the coming months.
To inform this work, this first meeting focused on renewed efforts to expand solar energy initiatives, including actions to develop “ethical, resilient and innovative” supply chains and to ensure that a skilled and properly resourced workforce is in place to scale up solar installations across the UK.
This comes after plans were announced in July for a “solar rooftop revolution”, which will see millions more homes nationwide equipped with solar panels, significantly boosting solar power’s contribution to the UK’s renewable energy transition and protecting household bills.
In just a few months, the government has also consented 2GW of solar capacity.
Miliband (pictured) said: “The relaunch of the Solar Taskforce is essential for accelerating action and innovation in our journey towards clean power by 2030 – and to achieve this we are committed to working in lockstep with industry.
“The taskforce has shared ambitions to go further and faster, and as solar is one of the cheapest sources of power to build and operate, it is just common sense to make sure it powers even more UK homes and businesses.
“This will not only help to cut carbon emissions but communities stand to benefit too from secure homegrown energy and lower energy costs.”
Solar Energy UK chief executive Chris Hewett said: “I am excited to be working with the new Secretary of State on getting the solar taskforce back to work for the country.
“More solar power means cheaper, more secure and more sustainable energy, alongside jobs and economic growth.
“To deliver on those aims, the forthcoming solar roadmap will outline how the UK will overcome critical barriers to the sector’s growth, among them skills and access to the electricity grid.”