East Sussex MPs sign up as Rooftop Solar Champions

Four Sussex MPs have signed up to become Parliamentary Rooftop Solar Champions.

Caroline Ansell (Eastbourne), Maria Caulfield (Lewes), Sally-Ann Hart (Hastings and Rye) and Caroline Lucas (Brighton Pavilion) are backing CPRE’s rooftop solar campaign.

As champions they support:

• The government setting a target for at least 60% of solar energy to be delivered through rooftop solar installations on new builds, commercial buildings and car parks.

• Making solar PV or thermal panels a standard expectation for all suitable new builds.

• Ofgem requiring Distribution Network Operators across the country to invest in local grid capacity to better accommodate increased generation from solar and heat pumps.

CPRE Sussex director Paul Steedman said: “We are delighted to see Sussex MPs showing their support for a common-sense approach to solar.

"Putting solar panels on rooftops across the country would help generate the clean electricity we need, while cutting our carbon emissions.

"We have had very supportive responses from several other Sussex MPs, in addition to those officially signing up to become Rooftop Solar Champions.

"We’d like to encourage every Sussex MP to show their support for the campaign.”

Research commissioned by CPRE and carried out by the UCL Energy Institute found decarbonising the grid requires far less land than previously feared.

The government has set a national target of 70GW of solar energy generation by 2035.

Analysis of the solar photovoltaic capacity of rooftops and car parks across England found installing solar panels on existing rooftops and land such as car parks could provide at least 40-50GW in England by 2035.

With further investment, by 2050 there is potential for up to 117GW of low carbon electricity to be generated from roofs and other developed spaces.

MPs can sign up to become Parliamentary Rooftop Solar Champions at: takeaction.cpre.org.uk/page/128562/petition/1

Members of the public can sign a petition calling on the Government to unleash the power of rooftop solar at: takeaction.cpre.org.uk/page/127929/petition/1