Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what proportion of the target for additional renewable energy will be met by the erection of 1800 hectares of solar panels on vertical surfaces.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We are not aware of any project in development that plans to install large numbers of solar panels on vertical surfaces. However, we are looking to increase deployment of all types of solar, including through applications such as plug-in solar which can be installed on the walls of buildings.
Plug-in solar can provide opportunities for households to adopt solar more cheaply. Currently, UK regulations do not allow plug-in solar to be used in the UK, but the government has commenced a safety study with the aim of unlocking opportunities for its deployment over the next few years.
Asked by: Debbie Abrahams (Labour - Oldham East and Saddleworth)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the number of families in fuel poverty.
Answered by Amanda Solloway
In 2022, there were an estimated 3.26 million households in fuel poverty in England.
The annual statistics report on fuel poverty in England, published in February 2023, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-fuel-poverty-statistics-report-2023.