Solar 11
Following the government’s provision of further detail on the £2 billion Green Homes Grant to improve energy efficiency of homes and stimulate the economy after lockdown, Mark Wilkins, head of training and external affairs at Vaillant, comments;
Homeowners in England will be entitled to vouchers to install the technology under the Green Homes Grants scheme.
The latest government update opening the new Green Homes Grant scheme up to domestic renewable technology installations including Heat Pumps and Solar Thermal, places MCS certified contractors at its core to ensure quality.
The early signs of recovery witnessed in the UK’s domestic renewable energy installation market has positively continued into June as the country continues to emerge from lockdown.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) has called for a review of the limited £100 million funding that government has provisionally made available for its proposed Clean Heat Grant scheme (CHGS).
With a full Budget to follow in the Autumn, Sunak said that the government wanted to deliver an economic stimulus package with “the environment at its heart”.
Brighton Council says that installations of solar panels on 500 households could help residents cut energy bills by up to £150 and reduce CO2 emissions by 300 tonnes every year.
The chief executive of MCS said he could see some early signs of recovery in the UK’s domestic renewable energy installation market as the government’s coronavirus lockdown restrictions begin to lift, but warned investment in a green economy was needed to increase economic and environmental resilience.
It follows the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) launching the ‘Future support for low carbon heat’ consultation, detailing its proposals for support mechanisms following the closure of the non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has taken the decision to approve planning permission for Cleve Hill Solar Park, which is set to be the largest solar park ever constructed in the UK.
The Public Attitudes Tracker (PAT) survey looks into public attitudes towards Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) policies including climate change, artificial intelligence, workers’ rights and much more.
The Government is proposing a Clean Heat Grant Scheme (CHGS) that would commence from 2022, offering upfront funding of up to £4000 for each household or business purchasing renewable heating technologies. A tariff-based Green Gas Support Scheme is also being proposed to increase the percentage of biomethane available on the gas grid from anaerobic digestion facilities.
Concerns about cash flow and the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have topped a survey of renewable energy installers by the MCS certification scheme.
Clear skies and cool temperatures have helped UK solar to break the all-time peak generation record. Around 12:30 on Monday 20 April 2020, a peak of 9.68GW was recorded by Sheffield Solar live PV generation tracker, surpassing the previous record of 9.55GW set on 13 May 2019. At the time of the peak, solar was meeting almost 30% of UK electricity demand.
MCS has launched a one-month consultation on changes to its installation standard for solar PV systems (MIS3002).
New data has revealed that renewables accounted for more electricity than any other power source in Great Britain for the first quarter of 2020, as blustery winds spurred renewables generation to 45% of the entire electricity mix.
In an announcement that will see the solar manufacturer’s Clearline fusion roof-integrated solar system installed on all houses built by Bloor where there is a requirement for solar PV. Viridian Solar and Bloor Homes confirm the extension of their National Supply Agreement.
In a demonstration of its commitment to the UK and Irish PV markets, SolarEdge is doing everything possible to keep the lines of communication open and to provide PV installers with the tools to boost their businesses during and following the current challenges. To achieve this the company has announced the launch of an extensive series of LIVE webinars and online training sessions that started on Monday, March 30th. In addition to offering one-on-one sessions on sales techniques and its Designer tool SolarEdge will also be hosting a series of “Expert Corner” sessions for general feedback and Q&As.
The Solar Trade Association has criticised the 2020 Budget Announcement for not going far enough to support “the transition to a low-carbon economy”.
Futurebuild 2020 (March 3-5, ExCel London) drew to a close with a powerful call to action for the renewables and allied sectors to work more closely together to fight climate change.
Newcastle-based energy contractor, Engenera Renewables Limited, has been awarded the Regional Installation Contractor of the Year Award 2020.
In the past decade, renewable energy has undergone a considerable shift within the UK. Having once been a virtual non-entity, it now provides power for up to 40% of our national electricity supply.
The Solar Trade Organisation has welcomed the introduction of the Smart Export Guarantee as a much-needed boost to the domestic solar PV market.
From Monday 24 February, a change to categories on the MCS Installation Database (MID) will go live affecting the way that Solar Keymark products are displayed and selected, and the way that Installer certification is shown.