Solar ... In the news

debitcardmayhem

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82125026#Comment_82125026

I would imagine it would be messy.

thevilla

Octopus have a development which gives home owners benefits from a communal battery (zero bills). Not possible once the battery is in front of the meters unfortunately.

Coastalwatch

The report, commissioned by Real Estate:UK in partnership with Forsters and Push Power Ltd and authored by Cushman & Wakefield, suggests that fully utilising this capacity could generate the equivalent of almost 20 Hinkley Point C nuclear power stations.

https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/commercial-solar/report-shows-commercial-rooftop-solar-could-deliver-60gw-of-uk-generation?utm_source=eloqua&utm_medium=email&utm_content=NL_SPP_NL_09152026&sp_eh=2589e1b5a2175b6c102b7bc151e346d0ba67ff53c20aecfba81262f73e9c2db9

Coastalwatch

Dunmow one of the first solar farms to be awarded Wild Power certification

The article published by Thrive Renewables shows progress being made on this important area of impact upon the environment by Solar generation. Admittedly still in it's infancy The Wild Power Certificate puts a stake in the ground in documenting species of animals, plants and insects, if possible prior to development and annually thereafter. While not being an ecologist, it would appear to be a comprehensive study of the farm and surrounding area suggesting considerable time with qualified investigative work undertaken in order for certification to be considered. So congratulations to West Raynham and Thrive Renewables for being the first and second Solar Farms in receipt of their certificates.

If similar schemes exist elsewhere then I should be pleased to learn of them.

https://www.thriverenewables.co.uk/news/2026/09/dunmow-one-of-the-first-solar-farms-to-be-awarded-wild-power-certification?mc_cid=a715382cdd

https://wildpower.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Wildpower-Solar-Biodiversity-Scorecard_website_Feb24.pdf

Coastalwatch

SoliTek Solid Framed Series Agro

While agrovoltaics has been discussed here for many years I hadn't previously come across panels that were specifically manufactured for this purpose so thought it worth posting here with apologies if they are all old hat to everyone else.

https://www.windandsun.co.uk/products/solitek-solid-framed-series-agro?mc_cid=33d3492a11#fulldetails

Martyn1981

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82152434#Comment_82152434

Very interesting. Maybe one for Screwdriva as he's passionate about bi-facial panels, and they seem to keep getting better.

On a similar note, I've been thinking recently about bi-facial panels for pergola's (or similar), where you may get to enjoy more sunlight an outdoor experience(?) v's being under more solid conventional panels. But just me, and my usual pondering (overthinking).

QrizB

Nearly a gigawatt of new solar PV has gained planning consent this week.

First 500MW (with 500MW of BESS) in Northants:

https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/utility-scale-solar/fahnbulleh-consents-major-500mw-solar-plant-plans-for-northamptonshire

Then 450MW (with 150MW of BESS) in Notts:

https://www.solarpowerportal.co.uk/solar-planning/large-scale-solar-plant-in-nottinghamshire-approved-by-government-second-one-this-week

Neither article gives a construction timeline, sadly.

QrizB

I'm not sure if a very long social media thread about solar PV really counts as "news" for the purposes of this thread, but here it is anyway.

https://mastodon.green/%40solar_chase/117416542106532198

There are some interesting facts and opinions in the thread, if you click through. Too many to easily summarise here.