The Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), Greg Barker, talked up the potential of solar in the UK during a trip to the North East to visit Durham-based solar PV manufacturer, Romag.

The company employs around 150 skilled staff at its manufacturing plant who gave Barker a full tour of its PV manufacturing facility, affording the minister an insight into how solar PV is manufactured.  

Commenting on the role of solar and UK manufacturing, Barker said: “Solar PV has an exciting future in the UK, one where the government and industry work together to ensure this vital green technology continues to make a real difference in supplying our homes and businesses with clean green power.

Kevin Webster, Technical Director at Romag, added: “We strongly believe that the benefits of having a UK manufacturer of PV products go far beyond the economical benefits in terms of employment and skills base and see a huge advantage in the innovation and product development opportunities it brings. Being local means that we can work with the UK construction industry to develop products to meet its needs, both now and in the future.”

After his tour of Romag’s manufacturing facility, the minister spent the rest of the day in Sunderland talking to residents who actually had solar panels installed on their properties. The solar owners were able to explain to the minister the direct, tangible benefits a solar array has had on their lives.  

After his visit to the North East, Barker took to Twitter to state: