The UK Solar Market is booming. Currently, there are more than 2GW of solar developments awaiting construction and the UK is increasingly becoming a dominant player in the the market attracting major international players to invest and develop.
Recent news announcements suggest that Wircon Wind & Solar GmbH and SPI Solar are planning to enter the UK market to develop projects. Both companies have worldwide experience in developing projects with hundreds of megawatts in their portfolios.
Wircon Wind & Solar GmbH is a German based developer. In the UK, the company is already involved in projects with Lightsource Renewable Energy and Corby Borough Council to transform Corby into the first “Solar City”, by installing photovoltaic panels on as many buildings and homes as possible. SPI Solar (Chinese-US solar developer) is based in California and its majority is owned by China’s LDK Solar which manufactures multi-crystalline wafers that are used in solar cells.
Initial plans suggest the development of 55MW of solar energy in the UK and go beyond 2015 when the Renewables Obligation (RO) scheme might close. The growth of this market will help to deliver 15% of the UK’s energy consumption from renewable sources by 2020.
Glint and Glare concerns are increasingly raised by planning authorities, local councils and communities. Especially due to the fact that many solar developments are now operational, local authorities such as in Cornwall have started re-shaping their policies due to Glint and Glare impact being more severe than originally anticipated. Increased numbers and sizes of developments across the UK are likely to raise more concerns as time goes by and hence such effects should be considered at early stages.
