Environmental group Friends of the Earth has echoed calls from the Green Party for London Mayor Boris Johnson to establish a Solar PV Delivery Unit.
Last month Green Party AM Jenny Jones claimed that London schools were missing out on solar energy due to a lack of available support and stated that the Greater London Authority (GLA) should set up a £210,000 funding allocation to help get projects off the ground.
Jenny Bates, London Campaigner for Friends of the Earth, has today backed the creation of such a unit and insisted that “urgent action” is needed if London schools are to help the city tackle climate change.
“The London Mayor should start by listening to the unanimous call from the Assembly to help schools to run on sun.
“We also need a renewed commitment from all political parties ahead of the General Election to back solar. This must include a pledge to allow all our schools to borrow money to fit solar panels,” Bates said.
Just one in 15 schools in London currently have solar panels fitted, and Jones said the GLA must do more to utilise its estate.
This is not the first time Boris Johnson has faced calls to do more to back renewable energy with the Greens last year urging the London Mayor to establish a new solar strategy in order for the city to fulfil its potential.