Reacting to new figures released by the Government yesterday, showing that just 49 large solar rooftop systems have been accredited under the UK’s feed-in tariff in the last six months, Friends of the Earth’s Renewable Energy Campaigner Alasdair Cameron said: “Whilst household solar may be doing well, the larger rooftop market is in big trouble – the Government says it wants to move from ground to rooftop solar, yet it has so far done almost nothing to make this happen.
“All over the country there are tens of thousands of huge spaces crying out for solar – from factories and warehouses to schools and hospitals.
“Ministers must urgently ensure that businesses and communities everywhere have the opportunity to install solar power and sell their electricity, starting with allowing schools to borrow to invest in solar.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
1. The new DECC figures show that in the first two quarters of this year just 21 MW, 49 systems, were registered under the ROO-FIT scheme which deals with rooftop installations greater than 50 kW in size.
2. If every school in the UK went solar they could save more than £200 million a year, and generate enough electricity to power more than 300,000 homes.
3. Installing solar on just one in six of our best roof spaces could generate around 15 per cent of the electricity we use, boosting energy security, generating income for communities and reducing pollution.
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