Solar supplied 6.5 percent of the UK’s electricity over the last month. 880,000 homes in the UK now have solar power, over 40,000 small businesses, 1,000 schools and a quarter of all farmers. Data released by The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) last week shows that solar power has grown to a record 12.3 GW of power. This is spread across 916,800 installations – approaching one million schemes.
Including solar thermal there are around 1,175,000 solar energy schemes in the UK – well over a million. A staggering 86 percent of the British public say they back solar, making it unequivocally the nation’s favourite source of energy.
“This is the fourth year we’ve celebrated solar and the British solar industry has delivered spectacularly, despite a rocky ride” said Leonie Greene, STA's Head of External Affairs. “Since the first Solar Independence Day in 2014 solar power capacity has grown nearly three-fold. Our message is that solar delivers real energy independence and the power to act on climate change to people, communities and organisations everywhere and indeed to the UK itself.”
Image: My Grid GB
As usual STA members marked the day in creative ways. Supplier Octopus Energy delivered solar independence for its customers at noon by sourcing all of its power from solar.
Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy who contract with seven major solar sites across the UK and who aim to supply all their customers with 50 percent renewable power, said: “The good news is that people shouldn't have to pay extra for clean energy and a safe climate. Solar is now only a little more expensive than gas and we believe passionately that consumers deserve fairly priced energy from renewable sources.”
Amongst the variety of activities, STA member Fronius UK Ltd marked the occasion by baking a Solar Independence Day cake and AES Solar produced a video of a solar thermal installation, released by the STA. The National Farmers' Union Tweeted pictures of solar farms and Getty Images went out capturing the beauty of solar installations across London in anticipation of the Mayor of London’s Solar Action Plan, which is expected shortly.
Main image: Solar Trade Association (STA)
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