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Britain needs to invest in new energy capacity to replace aging
coal and nuclear plants that are due to close in the 2020s. But
it is also trying to reduce subsidies on renewable power
generation.
"The cost of solar panels and batteries has fallen dramatically
over the past few years, and this first subsidy-free development
at Clayhill is a significant moment for clean energy in the UK,"
Claire Perry, minister for Climate Change and Industry said.
The 10 megawatt (MW) solar farm, in Clayhill, Bedfordshire, can
generate enough electricity to power around 2,500 homes and also
has a 6 MW battery storage facility on site.
In an effort to curb spiraling renewable subsidy costs the
government has moved to scrap new subsidies for solar projects
and onshore wind over the past few years.
The project "proves that the government's decision to withdraw
subsidies doesn't have to signal the end of solar as a
commercially viable technology," Steve Shine, chairman of the
Clayhill project's developer, clean tech firm Anesco, said.
Falling costs have seen solar power capacity soar in Britain to
around 12 gigawatts (GW), from around 2 GW five years ago, and
on one sunny day in May this year solar hit a record, providing
almost 25 percent of the country's electricity.
Britain has a target to meet 15 percent of its energy needs from
renewable sources by 2020, up from 8 percent in 2015.
The country's renewable subsidy auction for offshore wind hit a
record low earlier this month, falling well below the cost of
subsidies promised to French utility EDF <EDF.PA> to build the
Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant.
(Reporting By Susanna Twidale; Editing by Susan Fenton)
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