Improvements in technology are making solar generation a more attractive option year on year says EOS Energy.
Last week’s recommendations by Lord Turner to slow down the building programme for expensive off-shore wind farms was challenged today by EOS Energy – Britain’s fastest growing rooftop solar company.
“Lord Young spoke about cutting back on the off-shore wind programme and replacing the energy shortfall with nuclear power or importing concentrated solar from North Africa,” said Lee Summers, director of EOS Energy.
“It strikes me, that the Climate Change Committee is neglecting the possibility of developing solar technologies in this country. Germany has the most developed solar industry in the world and our climatic conditions are very similar,” said Mr Summers.
The current government has consistently supported off-shore wind-farms in the quest to meet EU carbon-reduction targets for 2020.
According to Mr Summers, the government has always failed to factor in the relative life spans of the different renewable energy technologies.
“A wind turbine has a life of 20 years with considerable maintenance. Solar panels have no moving parts and the life of a solar PV (photovoltaic) system could easily be more that 30 years. Unlike wind turbines solar installations require minimal maintenance,” said Mr Summers.
The cost of turbines are also increasing year on year as steel prices rise whereas the cost of solar installations are dropping as the technology improves – the price of solar panels dropped by 18% last year and further reductions are expected this year.
“If Britain is to develop a truly safe, renewable future supply of energy that doesn’t depend on overseas states we should develop all our technologies equally,” said Mr Summers.
Source: Hillgrove PR