Motorists and businesses could soon cash in on cheaper charging and lower energy bills as the government launches a call for evidence to explore solar canopies in car parks across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
An 80-space car park fitted with solar carports could save up to £28,000 annually in electricity bills, according to early estimates.
The canopies would harness untapped space to generate clean, cheap power for homes, businesses and electric vehicle (EV) drivers – all while shielding cars from the sun.
Retail parks, supermarkets and offices stand to benefit, too, with the potential to slash bills and even sell excess power back to the grid through long-term power purchase agreements.
The move forms part of the government’s wider Plan for Change aimed at boosting energy security, driving down costs and accelerating the clean energy transition.
It’s not a done deal yet – this is a call for evidence, not a final policy – but ministers are clear about the potential.
Solar carports are already mandatory in places like France and Slovenia and could soon become a key feature of the UK energy landscape.
Mandating solar on car parks would “unlock underutilised space” and support the government’s ambition to become a “clean energy superpower”.
Since July, the Energy Secretary has signed off nearly 3 GW of new solar capacity – enough to power around 1 million homes.
The push comes alongside progress on EV infrastructure, with more than 76,500 public charging points now in place and £2.3 billion invested to support the shift to electric.
Petrol and diesel drivers aren’t being left out either – the government’s Fuel Finder scheme, now entering its delivery phase, will require petrol stations to publish prices within 30 minutes of any change, potentially saving drivers between 1 to 6p per litre.
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said:
We’re committed to ensuring electric car drivers are always close to a charger and can save money when making the switch. We’re harnessing the net zero transition to give drivers more choice and help them get around with greater peace of mind.
There are now more than 76,500 public electric vehicle charging devices available across the UK, as we continue to deliver our Plan for Change by investing £2.3 billion to help drivers switch to electric vehicles while backing British carmakers and protecting jobs.
The Clean Power Action Plan aims to deliver up to 47 GW of solar by 2030, while ground-mounted solar still takes up less than 0.1% of UK land.
With 17,500 jobs already supported by the solar sector, mandatory solar carports could power up not just the grid, but the economy too.
