The British Photovoltaic Association (BPVA) is meeting with the Prime Minister, David Cameron, to discuss the potential of installing solar on the Conservatives’ planned 100,000 new homes for first-time buyers.
Reza Shaybani, chairman of the BPVA, told the audience gathered at a solar seminar in Ecobuild that he had secured a meeting with the Prime Minister after contacting him to suggest that the UK would be missing an opportunity if these new houses were not fitted with renewable energy generation methods.
According to Shaybani, David Cameron said that he would welcome moves from the industry to install solar on the proposed new homes. Speaking to Solar Power Portal, Shaybani explained that his upcoming meeting with the Prime Minister was about posing the question, why not install solar on new build homes to save on future energy bills? According to Shaybani, solar PV is the most suitable technology to help lower future homes’ energy bills and carbon footprints.
Shaybani added that the industry and the government needed to work together to encourage developers to consider installing solar on all viable new builds.
The Conservatives’ plans to offer these new starter homes for a 20% discount has come under heavy criticism from the UK Green Building Council after it emerged that the buildings would not have to comply with a range of obligations – including the Zero Carbon Homes standard.