Last month, the UK hit a record-breaking solar energy production with 77GW of electricity, according to Refinitiv. The country’s solar output was equal to 10 percent of its total power output compared to 8.1 percent in April.
It is reported that solar hit generation peak of 9.55GW in mid May. Renewable energy accounted for 36 percent of the UK’s power production in May. That said, wind accounted for 17 percent of the production and biomass contributed 8.8 percent, media reports said.
STA Director of Advocacy and New Markets Léonie Greene, said in a statement, “It is impossible to argue with the numbers. The bright clear skies combined with mild temperatures means solar has consistently met big portions of electricity demand throughout recent days. Days like these show that the technology can deliver clean, affordable power in abundance. We now need Government to provide a level playing field with other technologies and allow solar to thrive without public support. Currently solar in the UK faces a plethora of barriers which have dramatically slowed deployment.”
However, the UK is facing challenges in solar owing to policy and regulatory issues. In fact, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recognised solar to have the biggest technical potential in response to climate change.
Currently, solar contributes to 4 percent of the UK’s electricity. In 2015, the country’s renewable energy industry contributed 4GW of solar and employed 34,000 people.