The UK solar industry has set a new record in electricity generation. Solar production peaked last month at 23.9% of power demand – a new record for the country, according to the Solar Trade Association (STA). The UK now produces almost 12GW of solar energy, enough to power the equivalent of 3.8 million homes, it […]

Recycling old solar panels can result in significant business opportunities. That’s according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which states decommissioned solar panels can be recycled to unlock a wealth of raw materials and valuable components. Its report estimates solar panel waste, comprised mostly of glass, could total 78 million tonnes globally by 2050. The […]

The total solar capacity installed in the UK is forecast to exceed 10GW by the end of the first quarter of 2016. Finlay Colville, Head of Market Intelligence at Solar Media said: “The UK is currently the most vibrant market for solar installations in Europe. “This is due to the attractive investment returns from Renewable […]

A fruit farm has cut its energy bills by £30,000 a year by installing a 200KW solar system. Place UK, which supplies 3,500 tonnes of fruit a year to companies including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer, invested £205,000 in the project. The 800-panel solar system in East Anglia also helped reduce the firm’s carbon footprint […]

China will remain the world’s largest market for annual solar installations in 2015. This year the country will have added more than 17.6GW, which is an increase of around 7GW compared to last year, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData. It also states China will have the single largest share of the global market, which […]

New plans to make it easier for businesses to move their solar panels when they relocate have been unveiled by the Government. DECC has launched a consultation seeking views on removing a barrier for building-mounted solar PV by allowing medium and large installations to be moved between buildings without losing the Feed-in Tariff payments. Currently […]

Plans to build a $6.4 billion (£3.9bn) solar PV manufacturing complex has been unveiled in Saudi Arabia. The plant will be located at Wa’ad Al Shammal, an industrial city in the north of the country. US-based manufacturer SunEdison said it will jointly fund a study with the Saudi Arabian Investment Company and the nation’s Public […]

Scotland has installed more than 100MW of solar capacity, according to new statistics. Figures from energy regulator Ofgem showed Scotland has 106MW of solar PV, a 36% rise since this time last year. It also revealed more than 28,000 households, 465 businesses, 56 communities and 22 industrial sites have fitted solar arrays across the country. […]

A community energy group has raised £130,000 in just 13 days to install solar panels in Brighton. Last year the Brighton Energy Co-op brought in £240,000 to pay for solar panels at three sites in the city. This time round their target is £600,000. The money will be spent installing 2,000 solar panels at two […]

A small chain of luxury hair salons in the North West of England has brushed away expensive energy bills by installing solar panels at its largest site in Preston. Jo and Cass underwent an assessment by solar PV specialists Solarlec, which showed the company it could trim its energy costs by £35,000 over 25 years, […]