Ed Miliband unveils huge plan to accelerate solar panel rollout

It forms a key part of the Government’s pledge to decarbonise the energy grid by 2030.

Ed Miliband has already announced that the future homes standard (FHS), which will be published in autumn, will require new residential properties to have solar panels by default.

The Energy Secretary said: “Solar panels can save people hundreds of pounds off their energy bills, so it is just common sense for new homes to have them fitted as standard.

“So many people just don’t understand why this doesn’t already happen. With our plans, it will.”

DESNZ says households will be able to save around £500 a year by installing solar panels.

It said it will work with the Green Finance Institute and the wider sector to get better deals for families and businesses who want to install solar.

Officials are also liaising with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors to ensure solar panels are properly factored into property prices.

The Government also said it will launch a safety review to allow renters and people living in flats to use plug-in portable solar panels on their balconies and rooftops.

Currently this practice is banned, however Mr Miliband hopes the UK will emulate Germany where 435,000 apartments used the plug-in panels on their balconies last year.

DESNZ will also launch a call for evidence to increase the use of solar energy in car parks.

Stourton car park in Leeds is the UK’s first fully solar-powered park and ride,which features 26 electric vehicle charging points.

The Government wants to take this example to the rest of the country.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “The Solar Roadmap highlights dozens of practical measures needed to expand solar generation, boost the supply of cheaper and more secure power, foster new industries, create skilled jobs, boost biodiversity and slash our greenhouse gas emissions.

“The sector is already growing fast, with around 700 small-scale rooftop installations being completed each day, but needs to grow faster”.

Campaigners, such as CPRE, the countryside charity, are urging Mr Miliband to use this vast rollout on homes to stop huge solar farms being built on agricultural land.

In particular, North and East Yorkshire have seen a raft of planning applications for rural solar farms being submitted.

In May, despite local objections, the Government granted permission for a solar farm the size of the city of Durham, to power 100,000 homes, to be built in the East Riding.

Campaigns lead Jackie Copley said: “This is a very promising sign from the government.

“CPRE has long campaigned for widespread rooftop solar, which would harness the potential of the UK’s roofs to generate huge amounts of clean and truly sustainable energy.

“With rooftop solar, meaningful climate action does not come at the expense of a thriving and beautiful countryside.

“This is in contrast to mega solar farms, which damage natural landscapes and productive farmland.”