Megaproject

Uk Government Unveils Solar Roadmap, Outlines Steps To 47 Gw By 2030The UK government has published a new “Solar Roadmap” policy paper setting out how it plans to achieve 45-47 GW of deployed solar capacity by 2030, from nearly 19 GW as of May 2025. Developed in partnership solar industry representatives on the government’s “Solar Taskforce”, the document outlines 72 actions aimed at accelerating deployment. Projections in the roadmap suggest the UK government could hit its capacity targets through existing policy, provided grid connection reforms are implemented on time, there is an increase in skilled labor, plus good supply chain and finance availability. Removing barriers to rooftop solar could result in a significant acceleration of deployment, according to the roadmap, with the most optimistic projection estimating 50 GW installed capacity by 2030 and 85 GW by 2035. UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has said he wants to see a “rooftop revolution” and many of the policies in the roadmap are targeted at this segment. These include a GBP 13.2 billion ($18 billion) investment in the government’s Warm Homes Plan, expected to include financial support for installing solar panels, heat pumps and batteries; working with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors to ensure solar is properly valued on residential properties; a previously announced mandate for rooftop solar on new homes; and new industry-developed guidance for landlords and tenants on how to accommodate rooftop solar. Plug-in solar for rooftops and balconies will be subject to a safety study in a bid to with a view to “unlocking opportunities” for the segment in “the next few years,” according to the roadmap..UK regulations do not currently allow plug-in solar, but the government sees potential in the technology as a more affordable option for households, particularly for those in rented accommodation or apartments. Solar canopies could also be deployed in greater numbers. The UK government is seeking views from the PV industry on the potential benefits of solar canopies installed at outdoor car parks. At the utility scale, changes to the UK Contracts for Difference scheme appear likely. The government intends to reform its CfD scheme, which currently offers 15-year offtake agreements to low-carbon electricity generation projects. To date, more than 7 GW of solar capacity has been contracted through the CfD mechanism and analysts expect the seventh allocation round (AR7), scheduled to commence in 2025, will be critical to reaching government targets on renewable generation. The UK government launched a consultation on AR7 in March 2025 covering proposals to provide more clarity for investors, with proposals including an increase to the target commissioning window for solar projects to reflect the increasing size of PV plants in the UK pipeline. The government is also mulling a longer term for CfD contracts than the current 15 years offered. Other potential CfD changes include integrating floating solar with the scheme, a move currently under consideration by the UK government, according to the roadmap. Private sector offtake agreements are covered, too. The UK government is mulling “potential government intervention” to promote corporate power purchase agreements (cPPAs). The roadmap notes that securing finance for behind-the-meter installations can be challenging, restricting commercial rooftop installations to major corporates “leaving a large part of the market untapped.” The role of battery storage is also considered. Co-located solar and storage projects currently place additional burden on distribution network operators (DNOs) due to the way regulations handle these projects, according to the UK government. While generation and demand-side response projects with capacity greater than 50 kW and a connection agreement are listed in the DNO’s embedded capacity register, there is no equivalent register for “demand projects” such as co-located battery energy storage systems (BESS) – meaning developers of hybrid projects have to submit connection applications to determine available network capacity. The government wants to see DNOs consider expanding their embedded capacity register to include “demand project data” in a bid to streamline the connections process for hybrid projects. Ongoing reforms to the grid connections queue and planning systems are positioned as key to success in the solar roadmap. Changes include increasing the threshold for assessing a project’s assessment on the transmission network from 1 MW to 5 MW in England and Wales, a measure approved by regulator Ofgem in May 2025, and lifting the capacity threshold at which solar projects must receive planning consent from central government from 50 MW to 100 MW in an attempt to secure faster and cheaper consenting for mid-sized projects. Solar Energy UK has welcomed publication of the roadmap, which includes an introduction from the industry association’s chief executive Chris Hewett. In a press release, Hewett said publishing the roadmap marked “the dawn of a transformative era for how the UK powers itself.” “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,” he said. This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.

PV Magazine

powerplant

01 July 2025

5 min read

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