Green energy pioneer says solar PV is ‘key’ technology

The UK Renewable Energy Roadmap was published last week alongside details of how the Government will meet its target of generating 15 per cent of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Green energy pioneer Andy Boroughs who was instrumental in introducing biomass wood pellet boilers to the UK market, said he was surprised the technology was not considered to have the potential of other sources of energy.

Mr Boroughs, who is managing director of Welshpool-based renewable heating company Organic Energy, said: “Bearing in mind the Government’s current focus on the Renewable Heat Incentive and its low carbon agenda, it is disappointing that the growing solar industry is still not deemed to have the potential to meet the 2020 targets.

“It is also concerning that a Roadmap document, a blueprint for the future for renewables, can state support of the solar PV industry on one page but effectively say its contribution to meeting the Government’s targets will be marginal.”

The Roadmap says that taking account of their long term potential as well as their cost effectiveness, only eight technologies are capable of delivering more than 90 per cent of the UK’s renewable energy need by 2020.

They are onshore wind, offshore wind, marine energy, biomass electricity, biomass heat, ground source heat pumps, air source heat pumps and renewable transport. The action plan said the remaining renewable energy generation necessary to meet the target will come from technologies such as hydropower, solar PV, and deep geothermal heat and power.

Organic Energy, based in Welshpool, is a distributor for SCHOTT solar PV and the forerunner in the introduction of wood pellet boiler heating systems in the UK, being the sole distributor of the ÖkoFEN range, regarded as the most advanced and efficient of their kind in the world.

Mr Boroughs added: “Of course, as passionate believers in renewable energy and its potential to more than meet the Government targets by 2020, we welcome any report which seeks to move this agenda forward.

“I appreciate the Roadmap’s focus on the importance of off-shore wind, which is already the world’s largest market. But I find it curious that a technology the Government is supporting is not seen as ‘key’, a move which may stifle an industry which is growing at a rapid rate and creating employment.”

The Roadmap outlined a £30 million innovation fund for offshore wind as well as £20 million to support marine schemes.