Blog by Solar Energy UK member Josh King, Gensource Josh King examines Scotland’s impressive record in leading the way for energy-efficient building regulations. Having championed solar power generation in new homes since 2015, Scotland now faces an unexpected hurdle. The blog looks at recent policy changes and upcoming standards that might unintentionally sideline solar energy. A brief history of building standards and energy The way in which buildings are designed and constructed has been evolved over millennia, with possibly the first example of a ‘building standard’ around 4,000 years ago ..read more

Blog by Solar Energy UK member Josh King, Gensource In this informative article, Gensource delves into the intricacies of Permitted Development Rights (PDR) in Scotland. Explore the opportunities and challenges that PDR presents for new construction projects in the region. Join Gensource as they navigate the landscape of PDR and analyse its impact on the future of development in Scotland. What Has Happened with Permitted Development Rights (PDR) The Scottish Government has recently announced positive news for homes and businesses looking to install solar. On March 28th a statutory instrum ..read more

Blog by Solar Energy UK member GivEnergy. The UK government has enshrined in law a commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Part of this goal involves the full decarbonisation of power by 2035 – shifting from fossil fuels towards renewable energy, e.g. wind, solar, hydropower, etc. On this front, significant progress has already been made, despite the recent announcement on allowing new gas plants to be built in the 2030s. From 2010-2022, UK electricity generation from renewables grew from 26TWh to 135TWh. While this progress is commendable, it will count for little if the ..read more

Blog by Solar Energy UK member Solar2 The forthcoming Berryhill Solar Farm project in Fowlis, Invergowrie, Scotland, scheduled for connection to the grid in 2026, marks a pivotal step in the region’s journey towards sustainable energy independence. Developed by Solar2 Ltd, this 45-megawatt solar project is poised to become a cornerstone of innovation and resilience in the renewable energy landscape. Project Overview Positioned just 4 km from Dundee, the Berryhill Solar Farm represents a significant advancement in harnessing solar energy through photovoltaic arrays. With an export capacity of 4 ..read more

13 March 2024 The UK now has three solar farms hooked up to the high-voltage transmission grid rather than the lower-voltage distribution grid. It’s an important milestone.   The first was Cero Generation and Enso Energy’s Larks Green project in 2022, managed by RES and co-located with a 49.5MW/99MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) – connected at 132,000 volts to National Grid’s Iron Acton substation near Bristol, rather than the more commonly encountered 11-33kV.   Later that year, the 49.9MW Sutton Bridge project followed. Delivered by Anesco, it was EDF’s ..read more

10 January 2024 This post is by Gareth Simkins, Senior Communications Adviser at Solar Energy UK DEFRA is planning to bring battery energy storage systems (BESS) into the environmental permitting regime. However, some operators may be unaware that they may be subject to it already, putting themselves in potential legal jeopardy. For those unaware of the system, the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR, or more formally The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016) integrate a series of disparate environmental controls, covering such things as groundwater discharges an ..read more

In the dynamic landscape of Scotland’s solar journey, let’s explore the positive shifts that have unfolded over the past few years. Three years ago, Scotland made headlines by installing about a third of all new solar panels on UK rooftops, impacting the country’s renewable energy scene. While Scotland’s share of new solar installations compared to the rest of the UK has halved since then, there’s more to the story than meets the eye. According to MCS data up to September this year, Scotland boasts an impressive 20,678 PV installations, each with a capacity of 50kW or less. This is just a hair ..read more

Blog by Solar Energy UK member AES Solar AES Solar’s remarkable Linlith-Go-Solar journey showcases an impressive commitment to community-driven sustainable change. AES Solar installed around 70kWp of solar PV across five different sites for the community-led energy enterprise. The community energy enterprise project sought to make solar work for the whole town. It emerged as a Linlithgow Community Development Trust (LCDT) initiative in 2018. The project has delivered two successful phases to date. To fund the installation of solar panels on local sports clubs, LCDT turned to the heart of Linli ..read more

Scotland is a climate leader in many respects, with among the most demanding net zero ambitions in the world. In 2011, Scottish Government set a target of generating the equivalent of 100% of energy demand by 2020; final figures showed that 98.6% of electricity used in Scotland was from renewable sources.[1] Done and dusted right? A 100% renewable electricity system that paves the way for the electrification of heat and transport – just plug in and go.  Unfortunately, that’s not the whole story. Figures from 2021 (the most recent year figures are available) show that about 19% of Scottish ..read more

As the world faces the urgent challenge of combating climate change, countries worldwide seek innovative ways to transition to sustainable energy sources. To accelerate the adoption of solar technologies and pave the way for an affordable and sustainable transition to low-carbon heating, Solar Energy Scotland has proposed a set of comprehensive policy recommendations to the Scottish Government. In this blog, we will delve into each recommendation and explore their potential impact on Scotland’s journey towards a greener future. Empowering Consumers with Affordable Solar-PV and Heat Pumps ..read more