Renew On Line (UK) 39

Extracts from the Sept-Oct 2002 edition of Renew
These extracts only represent about 25% of it

6. Green Party ‘£200m for Solar’

The Green Party launched a solar power initiative as part of their 2002 local elections campaign. Following the lead of Germany, where a Green Party-led environment ministry is running a "100,000 solar roofs" programme, the UK Greens are highlighting the social, environmental and economic benefits of solar panels mounted on rooftops for either water heating or electricity production - as they put it ‘using sustainable technology to provide cleaner, cheaper energy and stimulate a jobs boom’. They say that "Britain could have 200,000 solar roofs by 2020 - given the political will". And the Green Party is advising its councillors and campaigners around the country on how to kindle a solar revolution.

Principal Speaker Margaret Wright explains: ‘We want both councils and individual householders and businesses to take the fullest advantage of existing government grants. But we also want councils to use their discretionary grants, regeneration funding and housing improvement cash to fit solar roofs where appropriate, as part of their anti-poverty as well as emissions-reduction policies’

She added ‘We’re campaigning for the government to tighten energy-efficiency standards for new buildings - including obligatory use of solar energy - and in the meantime we want local authorities to persuade housebuilders to fit solar roofs on at least a proportion of new homes and business premises. And we’re lobbying the government to strengthen energy conservation targets, and increase funding to local authorities for the purpose’. She claimed that ‘Solar systems are ideal for reducing energy-use cost-effectively. A basic solar water-heating system can cost as little as £2,000 and could pay for itself within 5 years.’

Clearly PV solar is a lot more expensive than that, so if it is also to catch on there would be a need for supportative funding. In March the government announced £20m for solar PV roof grants, but the Greens say they want more. Margaret Wright comments, ‘We want a lot more money put into solar energy, including 100% grants prioritising fuel-poor pensioners and others in particular need. £200 million over five years would be a reasonable start. We urgently need to fund training programmes to overcome the current skills shortage and ensure the highest standards of installation and servicing.’

Green Party , 020 7561 0282 office@greenparty.org.uk