Solar PV is Key Says Green Energy Pioneer

Andy Boroughs, the managing director of leading renewable heating company Organic Energy, was instrumental in introducing biomass wood pellet boilers to the UK market. Mr Burrows has spoken out to say he was surprised that solar PV technology was seemingly deemed to not have the potential of other energy sources when it comes to reducing the UK’s dependence on oil and gas.

The UK Renewable Energy Roadmap was published last week alongside details of how the Government plans to generate 15% of the country’s energy needs from renewable sources by 2020.

"Bearing in mind the Government’s current focus on the Renewable Heat Incentive and its low carbon agenda, it is disappointing that the growing solar industry is still not deemed to have the potential to meet the 2020 targets,” said Mr Boroughs.

He added that he was concerned that a document like the Renewable Energy Roadmap – a blueprint for the future for renewable technologies – can state support of the solar PV industry on one hand, yet say its contribution to meeting the Government’s renewable energy targets will be insignificant.

Taking into account their long term potential as well as their cost effectiveness, only eight technologies are capable of delivering more than 90% of the UK’s renewable energy need by 2020, according to the Renewables Roadmap.

The key eight technologies are onshore wind, offshore wind, marine energy, biomass heat, biomass electricity, air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps and renewable transport.