![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-07-01-at-10.01.20-1-1024x768.jpeg\")
Michael Shanks MP, parliamentary under-secretary of state for energy, gave the ministerial address at the Clean Power 2030 Summits. Image: Solar Media.<\/p>\nMichael Shanks MP, parliamentary under-secretary of state for energy, gave the ministerial address at the Clean Power 2030 Summits. Image: Solar Media.<\/p>\n
The Solar Power Portal team is at the UK Solar Summit in London today (1 July) reporting live from the event. Our rolling coverage can be found here; check back throughout the day to stay up-to-date as the event goes on. <\/p>\n
\u2018The world is watching\u2019<\/p>\n
On a significant day for the UK solar sector \u2013 on which the groundbreaking Cleve Hill project began commercial operation<\/a> \u2013 the event\u2019s chair was optimistic about the role the UK will play in both its own, and the global, clean energy transition.<\/p>\n \u201cComing back from London Climate Action Week, it became really clear to me that the UK\u2019s clean power 2030 plan is a really exciting time for us in the UK, and for those outside the UK,\u201d said Phoebe O\u2019Hara, clean power lead at the Energy Transitions Commission. \u201cThe world is watching \u2026 and for my generation in particular, we\u2019ve got a lot of excitement around that and we\u2019re really keen to be a part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n However, O\u2019Hara also highlighted a number of financial challenges for the UK solar sector. While speakers later described the UK as an \u201cattractive\u201d investment space for renewable energy investors<\/a>, O\u2019Hara noted that the UK\u2019s energy transition needs to be \u201cdependable and fair\u201d for investors, as the energy mix is increasingly reliant upon variable renewable power.<\/p>\n Minister describes the UK energy transition as the economic opportunity of the century<\/p>\n Following O\u2019Hara\u2019s speech, Michael Shanks MP, parliamentary under-secretary of state for energy, discussed the government\u2019s commitment to clean power by 2030, and some of the financial benefits that the energy transition will deliver.<\/p>\n \u201cCrucially, it\u2019s the economic opportunity of the 21st Century,\u201d Shanks said. \u201cFor far too long, people across this country have faced the volatility of fossil fuel prices \u2026 for far too long we\u2019ve been paying the price for our exposure to gas, and we need to do what we possibly can to remove that volatility, and this sprint to home-grown power is part of that.\u201d<\/p>\n He described the UK government\u2019s clean power commitment as \u201cone of the top five priorities\u201d for the Labour party, as he took questions on some of the challenges the UK still faces.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s also about how we invest in supply chains, in skills and jobs in this country,\u201d Shanks said, echoing concerns expressed by OVO Energy last year that just one-tenth of UK workers are trained in green skills<\/a>. Building a comprehensive renewable energy supply chain in the UK, one that both removes fossil fuels from the country\u2019s energy mix and gives workers the skills necessary to work in such a rapidly-changing landscape, is a priority for the government.<\/p>\n When asked about the potential for overseas workers to enter the UK to help fill this green skills gap, Shanks was optimistic that the UK can meet much of this demand with domestic workers, and that immigration only \u201chas a part to play\u201d in the future of the UK renewable power employment space.<\/p>\n \u201cPart of the reason we\u2019ve tried to give as much certainty as possible about the long-term plans is to give companies the scope to drive forward the skills investment in this space,\u201d Shanks said. \u201cLast week, I was at Scottish Power, where they were investing \u00a34 billion [in supply chains] \u2026 what that has meant that the supply chain has been able to go away and recruit apprentices and transition workers from other industries.\u201d<\/p>\n Shanks was also asked about the benefits that renewable power can deliver for local communities, and described community energy as \u201creally important\u201d, both on a local and national scale.<\/p>\n \u201cWe think community energy is important for many reasons, partly because it\u2019s important for community consent on some of the infrastructure we have to build; if communities own this infrastructure, they\u2019re more likely to be supportive of it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cCommunity benefits are important, but actual communities owning it and being able to spend the profits of it on their community can be life-changing,\u201d Shanks continued. \u201cGB Energy and my ministry will drive a local power plant \u2013 GB Energy on the financial aspects, government on the regulatory aspects \u2013 and we want to be really ambitious in this space.\u201d<\/p>\n He pointed to a microgrid in operation on the Isle of Eigg off the Scottish coast as an example of the benefits of this approach. The island is not connected to the mainland Great Britain power grid, so the effective operation of a local grid that relies on renewable power for 95% of its electricity is an important proof of concept for the approach. Shanks also noted that there is such a surplus of power generated on the island that it can be sold back to the mainland grid, delivering revenue for local inhabitants.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat they\u2019ve managed to do is not just power the island, but plough the profits back into real economic and social development, and some of the people on the island themselves are skilled in energy 1751391789.\u201d<\/p>\n Collaboration and data transparency to accelerate grid connections<\/p>\n Industry leaders emphasised the urgent need for improved collaboration between transmission operators, distribution networks, and developers, alongside clearer data governance, to meet the growing demand for grid connections from clean energy projects and industrial users.<\/p>\n Speaking at the panel, Lisa Woolhouse, head of energy transition at SSEN Transmission, acknowledged the growing complexity of demand-side planning. \u201cDemand has different security standards, different planning standards, and the configuration of the network means that you might need to make additional investments to secure that demand,\u201d she said. \u201cIn essence, it\u2019s an additional challenge and it\u2019s good to hear OFGEM, it\u2019s good to hear the National Energy System Operator (NESO) much more engaged in this space.\u201d<\/p>\n Woolhouse stressed the need for strategic planning and urgency in connecting new demand sources such as data centers and hydrogen facilities. \u201cAs transmission companies, we don\u2019t want to be the people that are not enabling. We want to connect people to our networks, because that\u2019s what we do. But there\u2019s still a gap in how we connect quickly to regional infrastructure and how projects are prioritised.\u201d<\/p>\n Echoing the call for greater unity, Sarah Kenny-Levick, senior reform manager at National Grid, introduced the term \u201ccoopetition\u201d \u2013 a blend of collaboration and competition \u2013 as the spirit the sector must embrace. \u201cHere we need both, and we need to balance both,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Kenny-Levick pointed out that NESO alone cannot manage the complexity of the transition and must rely on transmission and distribution companies. \u201cThey\u2019ve got the best insights into their areas, but it\u2019s critical that the industry works together.\u201d<\/p>\n She also called for industry-wide standardisation of data to improve transparency and reduce inefficiencies. \u201cDigital tools that allow developers to see what allocation is available in certain areas will help make development delivery more efficient,\u201d she said. \u201cWe, as consumers, don\u2019t want to be paying for things that are not needed, and developers don\u2019t either.\u201d<\/p>\n Summing up her recommendations, Kenny-Levick highlighted that the industry needs \u201ccollaboration, data transparency, and addressing challenges head-on.\u201d<\/p>\n UK races toward 2030 clean power goals amid hurdles\u00a0<\/p>\n The UK\u2019s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan<\/a>, launched in December 2024, aims to reach 45-47GW of solar capacity by 2030. Developed in response to NESO\u2019s CP30, it has accelerated momentum in the sector. However, Solar Energy UK is pushing for a 60GW target to \u201csignificantly lower electricity costs.\u201d Challenges remain around planning, grid connections, and securing investment to meet the government\u2019s clean energy goals<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tim Warham, renewable electricity senior policy advisor at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, said the new plan marks a dramatic acceleration. \u201cWhen we started, our focus was very much on 2035 \u2013 now all of a sudden, clean power by 2030 is trying to deliver something within five years,\u201d he noted. \u201cThat\u2019s enormously ambitious but has provided a very strong focus.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n A major shift in recent years has been the rise of large-scale solar. \u201cTwo years ago, there was only one nationally significant infrastructure project consented. Now there\u2019s something like 22GW in the pipeline,\u201d Warham added, while noting that smaller, locally connected projects still play a crucial role.\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite policy ambition, delivery barriers persist. Ross Grier, chief investment officer at NextEnergy Capital, highlighted a \u201csticky, higher interest rate environment\u201d and the need for policy certainty. \u201cThe capital for renewables is super transient,\u201d he said. \u201cThe harder we make it to invest in GB, the easier it is for that capital to transition to other markets, and it does that at pace.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Planning, grid connection and network limitations continue to slow deployment. \u201cNetworks have been a significant challenge,\u201d Warham admitted, though recent reforms show progress. \u201cPlanning was something which wasn\u2019t on the radar to start with, and we\u2019ve seen a significant amount of focus and progress over the last two years.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Yet one of the most promising developments is the \u201crooftop revolution.\u201d Ministers are especially \u201centhusiastic about rooftop solar,\u201d said Warham, pointing to policies like the Future Homes Standard and the Warm Homes Plan. \u201cWe already have 1.7 million rooftop solar installations in the country. We\u2019re looking to increase that massively.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Commercial and industrial rooftop projects are also scaling up, supported by groups like the UK Warehousing Association, which is releasing a solar toolkit for building owners.\u00a0<\/p>\n Still, the scale of investment needed is daunting. \u201cWe\u2019re talking about tens of billions of pounds flowing into the market,\u201d Grier cautioned. \u201cA stable policy environment and cleaning up reforms like Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA)\u00a0is fundamentally important.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n As the UK pushes toward 2030, stakeholders agree: collaboration, certainty, and accelerated action will determine whether solar can win the race.<\/p>\n \u2018Have faith that you can be a ground-breaker\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cHave faith that you can be a ground-breaker, and have courage that it is a doable task,\u201d said Rosalind Smith Maxwell, director at Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners, who spoke on a panel this afternoon at Solar Media\u2019s Clean Power 2030 Summits, on the topic of Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs).<\/p>\n Smith Maxwell is well-positioned to discuss the process, considering the start of commercial operations at the Cleve Hill project earlier today, and suggested that hiring a good staff with experience in project delivery is an essential component of completing an NSIP.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving that dedicated on-site human resource, and understanding how important your people are, is what I\u2019d share with everyone,\u201d Smith Maxwell continued. \u201cYou need construction managers that can share the best relationships with counterparties; things will arrive early, things will arrive late, and you need people to manage that.\u201d<\/p>\n Other panelists said that community engagement is often an obstacle for securing NSIP approval, considering the scope and scale of such projects.<\/p>\n \u201cWe convened a programme of engaging wider stakeholders,\u201d said Elena Sarieva, head of planning, renewable energy, at Elements Green, which is working on the Great North Road solar project<\/a>. \u201cWe attended most of the parish council meetings, we very much engaged on the ground, hired a local community liaison manager and that helped immeasurably in building this trust.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve focused on delivering projects that are of huge scale, and that\u2019s what was driving us to create meaningful community benefits that actually respond to what is needed on the local grid.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Eve Browning, head of UK projects at Island Green Power, said that she had had both positive and negative experiences in community engagement projects. \u201cSometimes we struggle to get the engagement to begin with,\u201d Browning said. \u201cWhen you go to an in-person consultation event, a lot of time there aren\u2019t really many concrete ideas. We don\u2019t get much back that is particularly meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/WhatsApp-Image-2025-07-01-at-15.36.42-1024x768.jpeg\")
A panel at the UK Solar Summit discussed the feasibility and opportunity of the Clean Power 2030 target. Image: Solar Media.<\/p>\n