EDF to launch solar, storage and blockchain pilot in Brixton
Consumers in a Brixton housing estate will soon be able to trade solar power amongst themselves as an EDF Energy-backed, blockchain-enabled pilot project gets underway.
Articles tagged with: Uk Solar
‘Unfair’ network charging reform could push new renewables to the brink of failure
UK renewables groups have lobbied together to urge Ofgem to rethink ‘unfair’ network charging reforms which could nudge renewables and flexibility projects towards failure.
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Revealing the true UK large-scale solar farm pipeline for 2019
Finlay Colville, head of market research at Solar Media, delves into the UK large-scale solar pipeline to reveal what really could be built over the next 12 months.
Cambridgeshire County Council unveils ‘first of their kind’ landfill solar-plus-storage parks
Cambridgeshire County Council (CCC) has unveiled two landmark solar-plus-storage projects on existing landfill sites which aim to be the first of their kind in the UK.
Bristol to launch ‘new wave’ of South West clean energy projects with European funding
Almost £2 million in new European funding is to support the development of a “new wave” of energy projects in the South West.
BEIS eyeing relaxed planning conditions for co-located storage sites
The government is seeking to remove a significant hurdle for utility-scale co-located storage sites, enabling projects with combined capacities in excess of 50MW to proceed without requiring government consent.
A new era or a mountain to climb? BEIS export guarantee receives mixed bag of responses
The government’s Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), its eagerly awaited replacement for the soon-to-close export tariff, has been dubbed both a “new era” for solar and a “mountain to climb” as the proposals received a mixed response.
BEIS unveils Smart Export Guarantee to replace export tariff
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has unveiled a new ‘Smart Export Guarantee’ to replace the export tariff.
Surging summer solar helped UK to another renewables record in Q3 2018
Solar helped the UK’s renewables fleet to yet another new record in 2018, contributing towards renewables clinching nearly one-third of power generation in Q3.
Solar stories of 2018, part four: Claire Perry’s U-turn and subsequent U-U-turn
We conclude our recap of the most significant stories of 2018 for UK solar, remembering what happened throughout October, November and December. Energy minister Claire Perry, predictably, features heavily.
Solar stories of 2018, part three: BEIS bombshells, M&A and financial pressures
We continue our recap of the most significant stories of the year, today looking back at July, August and September when BEIS dropped another policy bombshell and M&A activity in the solar sphere.
Solar stories of 2018, part two: Solar generation records fall and megawatt-scale carports rise
We continue our recap of the most significant stories of the year, today looking back at April, May and June when multi-megawatt solar carports were all the rage and PV generation records tumbled.
Solar stories of 2018, part one: Nissan enters the home solar market as business rates loom large
Over the course of this week Solar Power Portal will look back at some of the biggest news stories of 2018, starting with today’s re-cap of the first three months of the year.
Northumbrian Water to pilot battery storage under Argonaut Power deal
Water utility Northumbrian Water is to pilot the use of battery storage units at a number of its sites under a new partnership with developer Argonaut Power.
Ofgem update clarifies deemed export tariff and storage confusion
An updated technical guide to co-locating renewables and battery storage has clarified previously conflicting guidance on the matter, removing barriers and potentially unlocking the “tremendous potential” of solar homes.
Expanded Little Crow Solar Farm edges closer to DCO as second consultation phase kicks off
Plans for Little Crow Solar Farm, the second PV project seeking a Development Consent Order, have edged closer this week on the back of developer INRG revising upwards the site’s planned capacity.
Solar campaigners create pop-up PV project at parliament
The campaign against plans to axe the export tariff progressed yesterday when protestors developed a solar farm outside the Houses of Parliament.
EDF Energy targets solar homes with discounted battery offer
EDF Energy is to target the UK’s solar households with a discounted offer of battery units from Powervault in exchange for them signing up to a ten year contract allowing the supplier to use the storage capacity in the energy services market.
Solar to be hardest hit by Ofgem plans for fixed residual charges, Embedded Benefits axe
Solar will face the “greatest potential impact” from new proposals by Ofgem to apply fixed residual charges to all final demand users and end the Embedded Benefits for smaller generators under its Targeted Charging Review (TCR).
Foresight Solar Fund completes 80.9MW portfolio acquisition
Foresight Solar Fund Limited (FSFL) has acquired a portfolio of 11 operational solar farms in the UK for a total consideration of £33.1 million.
Solar carport install complete at Leeds shopping centre, delivering ‘successful proof of concept’
Two solar installations with a combined capacity of 140kWp have been completed at the Victoria Gate shopping centre in Leeds, including a carport system installed atop the site’s multi-storey car-park.
Ofgem finds £63 million hole in renewable energy support scheme funds
Ofgem has identified a combined shortfall of over £60 million pounds in two funds underpinning the UK’s solar energy subsidy regimes, taking aim at late payments from energy suppliers.
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Guest blog
Making the most of rooftop solar opportunities
In the latest from NextEnergy Capital, Abid Kazim discusses the shift to a decentralised energy system, how this will facilitate the deployment of rooftop solar and what investment opportunities distributed energy generation represents as we move to the electrification of transportation.
Energy minister signals shift on export tariff plans, declares it ‘wrong’ to provide solar for free
Solar power “should not be provided to the grid for free” according to energy and clean growth minister Claire Perry, potentially heralding a change of stance from the government as it plans the future of small scale renewables.
Welsh government approves near 50MW solar and storage park
A near 50MW solar farm with battery storage has been given the go ahead by Wales’ Planning Inspectorate to allow a group of land owners to develop the project on the site of a former steelworks.
The Phoenix Works continues electric vehicle charging drive with Tonik Energy offer
The Phoenix Works and green supplier Tonik Energy have launched an electric vehicle charging service for commercial premises as the company continues to push into the EV charging market.
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Public to private: Does the latest subsidy-free solar farm offer a bridge to future deployment?
West Sussex County Council recently followed up Anesco's completion of the UK’s first subsidy-free solar farm in September last year with its own, deploying 7.4MW alongside a battery to make the project viable. While some have argued the project offers little in discussions of the future solar landscape in the UK, local authority projects are being completed now and could bridge the gap in deployment until private investors get moving.
Amazon’s latest project approved for 3.6MW solar array with Tesla battery
Amazon has received planning approval for its latest solar and storage project, which will see a ~3.6MW array installed on the roof of Coalville site in Leicestershire alongside a battery storage system.
Krannich Solar ready for feed-in tariff ‘mini boom’ with returning commercial director
Krannich Solar is expecting “a mini boom” in the months leading up to the close of the feed-in tariff in March 2019, according to Phil Ellery who has returned to the company as commercial director.
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UK rooftop solar at a crossroads; planning for life after tariffs
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As the tariff and potentially export payment regimes comes to an end, never before has it been more important to look at alternative means to ensure rooftop solar continues to play a part in national decarbonisation. However, international comparisons raised at an event yesterday demonstrate how more needs to be done to move the conversation on from tariffs to planning, with the government far from off the hook.