After almost a year in power, the Labour government has made good on many of the promises in its manifesto, with supportive policy backing solar industry growth in the UK.
Just two weeks until energy minister Michael Shanks delivers the keynote address at the Clean Power / UK Solar Summit 2025, here are some of the latest policy updates shaping UK solar.
Great British Energy launches with solar investment
Great British Energy is set up and its first investment of £200 million went to support installation of rooftop PV on schools and NHS buildings.
An amendment to the Great British Energy Bill was introduced banning the use of solar products with forced labour in their supply chains from GB Energy projects. Solar Power Portal heard from a Solar Energy UK spokesperson that GB Energy will “implement the amendment via working with the Solar Stewardship Initiative.”
Community benefit funds a legal requirement
The government is currently consulting on plans that would make implementing a community benefit fund a legal requirement. To be introduced as part of the government’s Plan for Change, would set minimum community benefit fund amounts based on the size of infrastructure projects, starting at tens of thousands a year on the smaller end and reaching into the millions for large-scale developments.
A community benefit fund is just one way to improve local attitudes to solar development. A panel on day one of the UK Solar Summit, Best Practice Approaches to Community Engagement: From Consultation to Collaboration, will explore a range of strategies for engaging local communities.
Gemma Grimes, director of policy and delivery for solar industry trade association Solar Energy UK, pointed out that “solar farms are already providing a wide range of voluntary community benefits”.
Grimes will moderate a panel addressing the skills gap in the solar industry on day two of the event.
Future Homes Standard meets industry expectation
Ministers have, after almost a year of pressure, confirmed the Future Homes Standard (FHS) will include provision that all new build properties have rooftop solar PV installed. The FHS will state that if developers cannot meet requirements to install rooftop solar PV coverage equivalent to 40% of a building’s floor area, a “reasonable amount” of coverage is still required.
As such, it would be a functional requirement of the Building Regulations that new homes, with rare exceptions, are built with renewable electricity generation. The government states that “in the vast majority of cases” this would be solar generation.
At the keynote Unleashing the Rooftop Revolution, opening a stream dedicated to rooftop and community solar, hear how acceleration in rooftop deployment creates new opportunities for developers.
View the agenda and book tickets here—use our exclusive discount code SPP20 for 20% off your ticket!
