New research from CPRE, also known as the Countryside Charity, revealed that 48 of the 50 English parliamentary constituencies with the highest solar generation are in rural areas.
The report also found that all 200 constituencies with the lowest constituencies are in larger cities and metropolitan cities.
Analysis of local government data shows that rural constituencies have enough solar panels to generate 12.5 MW of energy annually, compared to 4.5 MW in urban areas.
These findings are supported by research from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which shows that rural areas in southern England are leading the way in small-scale renewable installations by 2023.
MCS revealed that Cornwall saw 4,890 combined solar and heat pump installations throughout the year, the highest in England, producing an estimated annual generation of more than 37 MWh.
South Cambridgeshire followed in second place for the number of installations in 2023, but came first for the highest proportion of homes, with installations of 2.42%. Last year, 84% of installations consisted of photovoltaic solar panels (PV), with 1,377 households choosing solar energy, the highest number in the country.
In third place, Winchester had its best year for installations, with 1,083 in total, representing 2.09% of households in the region. It had 953 solar PV installations, placing it second in the country for highest ever usage, as 1.84% of households now have solar installations.
Throughout the report, CPRE suggested that Britain and its government should learn from successful initiatives in other countries, including Germany, where financial incentives for installing solar panels are as much as double those offered in Britain.
Another example is that homeowners in some parts of Japan can have solar panels installed for free in exchange for their contribution to the electricity grid.
CPRE planning and policy lead Jackie Copley said: “We are calling for a rooftop solar revolution. It is unacceptable that developers are not obliged to install solar panels on all new homes. The time for change has come.
“The government should set a target of generating at least 60% of UK solar energy from roofs and making it easier and cheaper to install panels on existing homes and commercial buildings.”
Room for improvement
A key area the CPRE report focuses on is the potential for solar car parks (SCPs) in Britain. For comparison: the study states that since 2023 it has been legally required to install a solar panel roof on all new parking garages in France.
The analysis found that installing solar panels on car parks and new buildings in Britain could generate 31 GW.
All told, all the suitable roof space and parking in Britain could generate as much as 117 GW, substantially more than the government’s total solar target of 70 GW by 2050.
In fact, this is a sector that Britain has already started to develop, with an SCP opening in Salisbury a month ago (March 2024).
Built using carbon-friendly materials, the Five Rivers Health & Wellbeing Center site aims to contribute more than 10% of the centre’s electricity demand and save up to £50,000 on annual energy bills.
The solar installation at Five Rivers consists of three wing-shaped solar canopies covering 70 parking spaces, with a combined total capacity of approximately 220 kWp. The SCP is expected to generate 186 MWh of electricity in its first year of full operation.
The canopies are equipped with transparent Glass-Glass solar panels from the German manufacturer Solarwatt. Thanks to their bifacial technology, the panels offer high efficiency and long-term yields; solar energy is captured on both sides of the panel, increasing overall energy generation.
