Plans to make solar panels mandatory from next year may be made optional
Plans to make solar panels mandatory from next year may be changed after claims they are not suited to "all new homes"(Image credit: Getty Images)
Labour could be backtracking on their solar 'rooftop revolution' plans, led by Ed Miliband, to expand solar panel installations across new homes in England.
Initially promising mandatory solar panels for new-build homes to help achieve net-zero emissions, Labour now appears to be considering making them optional instead following a statement saying they may not be suited to "all new homes".
This shift has sparked criticism from environmental advocates, who see it as a weakened commitment to decarbonising new housing construction, a claim the government now denies.
What was the planned 'rooftop revolution'?
Labour's solar "rooftop revolution” was a policy aimed at accelerating solar panel adoption across the UK, spearheaded by Ed Miliband, Labour’s Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero.
This revolution also included implementing solar standards for new-build homes, as part of the Future Homes Standard, emphasising local energy generation to reduce pressure on the national grid.
Miliband explained: "We will encourage builders and homeowners…to deliver this win-win technology to millions."
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Additionally, the plan would offer financial support, including solar panel grants and low-interest loans, to encourage homeowners to install solar technology and battery systems.
Government hints solar panels will not be required on all new homes
A government spokesperson said homes "surrounded by trees" may not be suited to solar panels(Image credit: SL-F/Getty Images)
However, a spokesperson put out a statement to the Guardian newspaper, which now indicates the policy to install solar panels on all new homes could be made optional.
A spokesperson for the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said: “Solar panels are a vital technology to help achieve our mission to deliver net zero. However, they may not be the best option for all new homes, for example those surrounded by trees or with lots of shade overhead."
The Future Homes Standard is still under consultation but one of its key proposed policies was for all new homes from 2025 would be required to install solar panels.
Statement called 'totally bizarre' by industry expert
The statement has been criticised by industry experts as short sighted and would be a dent in the government's aims to meet its net zero targets.
David Cowdrey, chief executive of the MCS Foundation, said: “The government’s apparent failure to require solar panels on all newbuilds is extremely disappointing, and represents an enormous missed opportunity.
"Installing solar panels on all newbuilds would not only reduce energy bills for homeowners, it would also massively contribute to net zero, with the potential to add as much as 4GW of clean, cheap electricity to the grid. Allowing loopholes with vague ‘encouragements’ to developers simply is not enough to meet the demands of net zero and make the most of the opportunity to get solar on roofs.”
Jess Ralston, Head of Energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said not requiring solar on new homes would be "totally bizarre" as there's "overwhelming support for higher new build standards & lots are annoyed solar isn't already required". She added the move from the government would be "short sighted".
NOT requiring solar on new homes would be totally bizarreThere's overwhelming support for higher new build standards & lots are annoyed solar isn't already requiredMHCLG allowing housebuilders to water down / delay standards would be v short sightedhttps://t.co/4tCOfKeFyLOctober 24, 2024
Government says it is 'not weakening the rules on low-carbon standards'
The government has put out a new statement saying the claims are not "not weakening the rules on low-carbon standards".
A Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “We want solar panels on as many new homes as possible, because they are a vital technology to help cut bills for families, boost our national energy security, and help deliver net zero.
“It’s also crucial we set standards for new homes in a way that allows for future innovation and flexibility in technology and design, which is why the building regulations do not mandate one particular option.”
However, it was not refuted that solar panels on all new homes would still be made optional.
News Editor Joseph has previously written for Today’s Media and Chambers & Partners, focusing on news for conveyancers and industry professionals. Joseph has just started his own self build project, building his own home on his family’s farm with planning permission for a timber frame, three-bedroom house in a one-acre field. The foundation work has already begun and he hopes to have the home built in the next year. Prior to this he renovated his family's home as well as doing several DIY projects, including installing a shower, building sheds, and livestock fences and shelters for the farm’s animals. Outside of homebuilding, Joseph loves rugby and has written for Rugby World, the world’s largest rugby magazine.
