Asked by: Jodie Gosling (Labour - Nuneaton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of using (a) car parks and (b) other elements of the built environment for industrial solar energy projects; and if he will take steps to do so.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government supports the deployment of solar on rooftops, including those of car parks and other buildings. Many smaller-scale commercial rooftop projects are covered by permitted development rights, which allow them to be installed without applying for planning consent. These include solar canopies in non-domestic, off-street car parks, and rooftop projects of any size on non-domestic buildings. From next year, Future Homes and Buildings Standards will ensure that all newly-built homes and commercial buildings are fit for a net zero future.