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PV demand soars due to planning changes

Businesses of all sizes are taking advantage of the change in planning regulations which means commercial PV installations under 50kWp electricity no longer require planning permission, according to Eco Environments.

The company adds that the change in regulations not only means that new projects can go ahead without the risk of delay, but also projects which might previously have been held back or cancelled due to lack of permissions. This paves the way for them to be treated in the same way as domestic properties which have no need to go through a formal planning process.

Eco Environment’s commercial director, Mark Buchanan, said: “We have already noticed a sharp rise in the number of enquiries from businesses since the planning changes came into effect at the start of April.

“A major focus for us is increasing the amount of work we do with commercial customers showing them how a holistic renewable energy strategy can really pay dividends in terms of energy efficiency and financial prudency.”

David Hunt, Eco Environments’ sales and marketing director, said: “While the FTSE companies and large PLCs all have sustainability policies in place, this is much less the case among the SME community.

“But more and more businesses are coming to understand how harnessing the right renewable energy solutions can help a business grow and prosper, particularly during these tough economic times and against a backdrop of ever rising energy costs.”

He added: “Manufacturing businesses traditionally operate on very tight margins so the slightest spike in the cost of energy usage can wreak havoc on a company. The right renewable energy solution can help them start to take control of their energy costs rather than being vulnerable to fluctuations in the market.”