PV

Dorset-based installer Empower Energy has completed a 250kW rooftop system at the headquarters of a London food distribution firm.

Grid access is increasingly cited as a challenging factor for UK solar but there are things you can do to boost your prospects. Jonny Williams and James Hoare of the BRE look at the six most common problems and how to overcome them.

The government is introducing a new requirement for renewable developers to offer local communities shared ownership of projects. Leonie Greene looks at how this will translate to the UK solar market.

While the government rails against ground-mount and the commercial rooftop sector awaits its rocket boosters, car ports offer a tangible market for UK installers. Peter Bennett explores the possibility for car ports to help shelter the industry from the storm

After the frenetic pace of 2014, solar companies will be focused on the straight line to March. It’s going to be a challenging period for many developers and EPCs working in the UK market, but we believe the future remains bright for solar energy into 2015 and beyond.

In the October edition of Solar Business Focus UK I reflected on how the new National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) had resulted in some very different interpretations from the Planning Inspectorate (PINS) on how that guidance should be applied when determining planning appeals for ground mounted solar.

New and additional delays in completing ground-mounted solar farms has necessitated further adjustments by NPD Solarbuzz to the 2014 calendar year estimates for UK solar PV deployment levels.

It was perhaps to be expected. Announce a mid-term policy review with potentially show-stopping timelines, and there will always be a near-term rush to exploit short-term business options.

To many, it may seem somewhat surprising that rooftop PV deployment has been the segment of dominance in the UK until now. Talk of ROCs and CfDs certainly dominates the press, and the concerns of many in both the government and the domestic PV sector.

Jim Wallace of Seaward Solar highlights why electrical testing of solar PV installations is a fundamental requirement for all roof and ground-mounted systems.