Should guidance on solar PV be included in the National Policy Statement?

The solar industry very much welcomes the addition of guidance on solar PV to the National Policy Statement for renewable energy infrastructure. However, there are several provisions which could be strengthened, which we have outlined below.

Are solar farms covered by a national policy statement?

Although solar farms are not covered in the existing suite of National Policy Statements, the draft National Policy Statement for renewable energy infrastructure covers solar farms at the scale of nationally significant infrastructure.The draft National Policy Statements are currently undergoing Parliamentary scrutiny.

What are energy national policy statements?

Energy National Policy Statements provide planning guidance for developers of nationally significant energy infrastructure projects. The energy National Policy Statements cover: The guidance makes it easier for decision makers, applicants and the wider public to understand: The 2023 revised NPSs (EN-1 to EN-5) came into force on 17 January 2024.

Should a target for solar generation be included in the NPS?

This equates to roughly 40GW of solar by 2030, and the solar industry body, Solar Energy UK, has demonstrated in its 2021 report “Lighting the Way” that this target is possible. We recommend that a target for solar generation should be included in the NPS.

Does the NPS EN-3 include solar farms?

n National Policy Statements (NPSs).The NPS EN-3 for renewable energy infrastructure (PDF) currently in force does ot include policies for solar farms. The government consulted on its proposed updates to the energy NPSs in 2

What is a solar photovoltaic (PV)?

iple solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. They are used to generate energy at a large scale to feed into the electricity grid and to supply power o domestic and commercial consumers. They differ from small-scale solar panels, which are used by homeowners, businesses or community groups to supply p