The Sunshine Bill is due for its second reading today, and a renewable energy specialist is encouraging the Government to capitalise on the potential for solar power generation in commercial car parks across the UK.
Damian Baker, Managing Director at RenEnergy, says the mandatory introduction of solar carports – canopies equipped with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels – could unlock significant energy production without requiring new land.
Recent research commissioned by RenEnergy estimates there are more than 546,000 car park spaces capable of generating over 1,263 GWh of energy each year, roughly enough to power around 350,000 UK homes. The organisation notes that further study could reveal even more spaces nationwide.
The Government recently announced its Clean Power 2030 action plan, which includes a call for evidence to assess whether solar canopies should be mandated for outdoor car parks above a certain size. Similar requirements already exist across Europe, including France, where large-scale solar canopies are now compulsory for new car parks, and have led to notable installations such as the solar carport at Disneyland Paris.
According to Baker, this model could provide a powerful source of energy security in the UK. He commented, “There is an open goal in solar energy production in the UK that countries such as France and Slovenia are already capitalising on. If the government also mandates the installation of solar carports in new car parks and car parks over 40 spaces, we could see significant renewable production on land that is already used for car parking.
“In addition to the energy production for the businesses they are connected to and potential for EV charging, the energy usage that could be relieved from the grid and event contribute to grid energy would be vast.”
Baker also welcomed the Government’s broader ambitions, noting, “The Sunshine Bill is a welcome step in the right direction for solar energy production in this country. This bill will ensure that hundreds of thousands of new homes are built in line with our ambitious targets, thereby prioritising energy security and reducing energy bills.
“The government’s clean energy ambition through the Sunshine Bill and Clean Power 2030 is positive and we will continue to play our role in the development of renewable infrastructure to support this. The evidence we have already gathered and continue to compile should be ample to demonstrate that there is a massive opportunity waiting in car parks across the UK that we can act on immediately.”
While solar canopies are still relatively rare in Britain, notable schemes do exist. One of the country’s largest solar carports is located at Northumberland County Council’s headquarters in Morpeth, providing a working example of how car park infrastructure can be adapted to produce renewable energy.