1.2 Featured market: United Kingdom

This quarter we are taking a closer look at one particular market: the United Kingdom. In the last six months, the UK has undergone a step change in the significance of its domestic market on the world stage. It has placed itself on the "international PV map" through a combination of government-supported programs. These will allow the UK PV industry to develop a more mature infrastructure and to position for future growth.

It remains to be seen whether these government initiatives will be sustained, and grown, in a way that the UK market can aspire to join the first division of PV markets such as Japan, Germany and the USA. The relative weakness of the Green lobby in the UK may make this an unlikely prospect. Nevertheless, the changes of the last six months should be warmly welcomed.

1.2.1 Major Photovoltaics Demonstration Program (PV MDP)

First details have now been released of grant levels for the UK's £20 million Major Photovoltaics Demonstration Program (PV MDP), funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Grants will be offered to the private and public sector to install solar systems on new or existing buildings.

As a result of this investment, the number of domestic solar (PV) installations in the UK is expected to increase ten-fold by 2005. Grant levels are set at up to 50% for domestic and small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs), up to 65% for public bodies such as Local Authorities or Housing Associations, and up to 40% for Commercial Applications. Stream 1 applications (domestic and SMEs) are being processed from May 1 and Stream 2 (public bodies such as Local Authorities, Housing Associations and Commercial Applicants) from July 1, 2002.

There is currently no cap, or maximum level, of grant funding, but for small-scale applications the system must be specified between 0.5 kWp and 5 kWp. It is documented in the guidance notes accompanying the (small scale) application form, that previous PV schemes have indicated 2 kWp system costs of approximately £12,000. This implies that the grant level for domestic applications is expected to be equivalent to approximately £3/W ($4.4/W).

If this figure were considered as an average for the program, it would indicate that the £20 million budget would fund some 6-7 MW of PV installations over its three-year duration. The program management contractor is a consortium led by the Energy Saving Trust, including Halcrow and Novacroft.

The program managers actively encourage applicants to obtain at least two quotations before proceeding with installation, in order to judge their costs. Applications will be monitored by their administration team and also by their selection panel for funding, in the case of larger applications. The criteria and terms and conditions for larger applications should be available soon.

The following tables list the approved installers for the program and their regional coverage within the UK:

Name of Organization Contact Position Address Tel Fax E-mail

Solar Sense UK Ltd Stephen Barrett Company Director 1 Chapel Court, Long Ashton Business Park, Yanley Lane, Bristol, BS41 9LW 01275 394 139 01275 540 113 solarsense@blueyonder.co.uk

Dabbrook Power Systems (T/A Dabbrook Ltd) S. Smith Managing Director Unit 23 Bells Marsh Rd, Gorleston, Norfolk, NR31 GPT 01493 441 711 01493 440 322 sales@dabbrook.com

Solar Century Kat Johnston Not specified 91-94 Lower Marsh, London, SE1 7AB 020 7802 0112 or 0800 9700 733 0207 803 0101 homes@solarcentury.co.uk

SUNDOG energy ltd Martin Cotterell Director Matterdale End, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 OLF 017684 82282 01684 82600 info@sundog-energy.co.uk

Beco Solar Rob Adams Managing Director 8-10 Speedwell Units, Nelson Rd, Dartmouth, Devon, TQ6 9SZ 01803 833 636 01803 835 379 radams@becosolar.com

Cholwell Energy Systems Ltd Hilary White Managing Director Cholwell Farm, Lower Velwell, Dartington, Devon, TQ9 6AD 01803 762 628 0208 742 2856 cholwell@aol.com

PV Systems Mr A Hunjan Special Projects Engineer Unit 2 Glan-y-Llyn Industrial Estate, Taffs Well, Wales, CF15 7JD 029 2082 0910 029 2082 0911 ahunjan@pvsystems.com

Wind and Sun Ltd Steve Wade Managing Director Humber Marsh, Stoke Prior, Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 ONE 01568 760 671 01568 760 484 info@windandsun.co.uk

In parallel with the Major Photovoltaics Demonstration Program (PV MDP), the UK Government has launched a £1.6 million Community Renewables Initiative, which will set up local support teams in ten areas covering half of England.

The key area of funding that the community schemes can draw upon will be the Government's £20 million major solar photovoltaic (PV) demonstration program described above.

1.2.2 Large Scale Building Integrated PV Field Trial for Public Buildings

The call for proposals for the Large Scale BIPV Field Trial for Public Buildings was advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union and in the UK Trade and Specialist press in November 2001. In March 2002, Brian Wilson, Minister for Energy, announced that eighteen projects had won a share of a £4 million Government grant to develop solar rooftops.

£3 million was originally made available, but because so many high quality schemes came forward, a further £1 million was awarded to support an additional seven developments, in addition to the original eleven.

In total, the projects will mean the installation of 1.15 MW of new PV capacity in the UK. BP Solar will supply over 650 kW, Unisolar over 150 kW (to be installed by Solar Century), and NAPS 25 kW. Solar Century will implement a 107 kW project in Birmingham using Kaneka thin film product; this project was originally attributed by the DTI to IBC Solar.

A summary of the approved projects is given below:

Project Size Technology Installer (where known)

Cambridge University - Colonnade 280 kWp BP Solar Cadmium Telluride thin film modules

University of East Anglia, Norwich - Research Facility 32.2 kWp BP Solar monocrystalline glass laminates and Cadmium Telluride thin film modules

Wysing Arts Charity, Bourn, Cambridgeshire - Arts and EnvironmentCentre 25.2 kWp NAPS Systems polycrystalline laminates.

Filsol Community Music East, Norwich - Music Education Centre 20 kWp Unisolar thin film tiles

Solar Century Gloucester University Sports Science Centre 63.5 kWp PV Systems

Bath University - Science Park 51.6 kWp Unisolar thin film laminates and St.Gobain Monocrystalline laminates Solar Century

Cotswold Water Park - Visitor Centre 50 kWp BP Solar Monocrystalline laminates PV Systems

Bristol City Council - the CREATE Centre 52 kWp Unisolar thin film roof tiles Solar Century North Devon District Council, Barnstaple - Civic Centre 89 kWp BP Solar thin film modules

The Gaia Energy Centre, Delabole, Cornwall - VisitorCentre 63 kWp BP Solar laminates Welsh Development Agency, St Asaph, Clwyd - Optical Technology Centre 94 kWp Cadmium Telluride thin film modules PV Systems

National Botanic Garden of Wales - "The Living Machine" 75 kWp Monocrystalline and thin film modules PV Systems St Mary's Osterley - Community Church Hall 29.5 kWp BP Solar monocrystalline modules The Insolvency Service, Bloomsbury - HQ Office 25 kWp Laminates

West Oxfordshire District Council - Council Offices 23 kWp Unisolar polycrystalline laminates, thin film laminates andthin film roof tiles. Solar Century

Birmingham City Council - Indoor Sports Training Centre 107 kWp Kaneka thin film laminates Solar Century Belfast Education and Library Board - Cavehill County Primary School 48.2 kWp BP Solar monocrystalline laminates and monocrystalline modules

Trustees of the Columba Centre, Islay - The Columba Centre 20 kWp Unisolar polycrystalline sunslates Solar Century

These projects raise the scale of project size and activity in the UK to a new high. Currently, the largest PV installation is a recent one by BP Solar on the roof of a residential development offering sheltered housing for the elderly in Woking, Surrey. The 36.5 kWp PV roof is linked to a 30 kWe CHP plant, with the complementary reverse generation profiles used to provide all-year-round electricity, heating and hot water services.

The solar installation will shortly be more than doubled in capacity, with phase 2 currently underway to add a further 45kWp of solar PV roof panels, making a total capacity of 81.5 kWp and a total green generation capacity of 111.5 kW.

1.2.3 Further information

In the capital, the Mayor has launched proposals to target London's "energy revolution".

Major new building developments in London will be expected to generate part of their energy needs from renewable resources, under proposals in the Mayor of London's New Draft Energy Strategy. Mayor Ken Livingstone will expect major developments to either install PV panels or be designed to incorporate them in the future.

In response to the rapid growth projected in the UK PV industry, the British Photovoltaic Association (PV-UK) has relocated its head office to the National Energy Centre in Milton Keynes. They can be reached by telephone at 01908 442291 or e-mail enquiries@pv-uk.org.uk.