New CPRE analysis reveals that homes in the countryside are leading the way on solar power generation. 48 of the 50 English parliamentary constituencies with the highest domestic solar generation capacity are in rural areas, while all 200 of those with the lowest are in towns and cities.
Analysis of local authority data showed that rural constituencies have enough domestic solar panels to generate 12.5 megawatts (MW) energy every year – as opposed to 4.5 MW in urban areas. However, both figures are far too low, and it’s clear that the transformative power of rooftop solar continues to be overlooked. The huge amount of cheap, low carbon electricity that rooftop solar can provide will save people money, and is progress we cannot afford to stall – for the sake of our countryside and planet.
Lessons to learn
Together with our analysis of government data, our new report on the economics of rooftop solar power generation clearly shows that with the right initiatives in place, the rooftops of homes, warehouses and car parks across the nation could become clean power stations, cutting carbon emissions, slashing energy bills and protecting our countryside.
The report argues that lessons should be learned from countries including Germany, where cash incentives for installing solar panels are as much as double those offered in the UK. In Japan, homeowners can have solar panels installed for free in exchange for contributing energy to the grid.
Read more: Thecountrysidecharity