National preferential policies for solar power generation

Should guidance on solar PV be included in the National Policy Statement?

The solar industry very much welcomes the addition of guidance on solar PV to the National Policy Statement for renewable energy infrastructure. However, there are several provisions which could be strengthened, which we have outlined below.

What are energy national policy statements?

Energy National Policy Statements provide planning guidance for developers of nationally significant energy infrastructure projects. The energy National Policy Statements cover: The guidance makes it easier for decision makers, applicants and the wider public to understand: The 2023 revised NPSs (EN-1 to EN-5) came into force on 17 January 2024.

What are the energy NPS changes in 2021?

In autumn 2021, it embarked on a review of the energy NPSs and proposed amendments to five of the six existing policies – including its overarching energy NPS, EN-1, and EN-3 which applies to renewables NSIPs.

Should a target for solar generation be included in the NPS?

This equates to roughly 40GW of solar by 2030, and the solar industry body, Solar Energy UK, has demonstrated in its 2021 report “Lighting the Way” that this target is possible. We recommend that a target for solar generation should be included in the NPS.

What is the National Policy Statement (NPS)?

1.1.5 This National Policy Statement (NPS), taken together with the Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy (EN-1), provides the primary policy for decisions by the Secretary of State on applications they receive for nationally significant renewable energy infrastructure defined at Section 1.6 of this NPS.

Can solar projects be promoted under the NPS?

This has meant that, while utility scale solar projects have been able to be promoted under the NPS for energy infrastructure, developers have had to follow a more protracted route to gaining planning permission: developers have had to rely on the general policy support within EN-1 for their solar projects.