Speaking in front of a cross party group of MPs this week, Chis Hewett, chief executive of Solar Energy UK, said investment in the transmission grid “is in the interest of the consumer, businesses and the taxpayer”. He added that the UK must invest in the grid “to get renewables into the system as soon as we possibly can because that’s the cheapest power and that will bring everyone’s’ bills down”.
In written evidence to the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), the solar trade body said it had received extensive reports of solar projects being delayed – sometimes into the 2030s – because distribution network operators (DNOs) could not connect them.
Solar Energy UK said it knew of more than 40 projects and 3.5GW of capacity which had been impacted or delayed by grid connection problems, representing at least £1.37bn in capital investment.
The delays are not just confined to the solar sector. In December, six trade bodies representing the UK energy sector...