The Solar Trade Association (STA) says it supports the U.K. government's proposals to increase the upper size limit of community projects eligible for the fixed feed-in tariff (FIT) from 5 MW to 10 MW in an amendment. The STA says the amendment does not stipulate a ‘community’ tariff per se but believes it will do so in secondary legislation.
‘Community solar farms on lower grade agricultural land are a great way to generate electricity locally using the sun as a free source of energy,’ says STA CEO Paul Barwell. ‘Community ownership will help secure better community acceptance for more ambitious solar farms over the existing 5 MW threshold.’
According to the STA, all solar projects in the U.K. over 50 kW currently are subject to very stringent capacity constraints that inhibit development. The STA says it is currently finalizing its best practices guidance for high standards in solar farm construction and provides a set of best practices criteria for developers, builders and land tenants to use, such as avoiding prime agricultural land.
‘The U.K. solar policy framework currently risks driving extremes of scale for domestic and field array’ says Leonie Greene, the STA's head of external affairs.
