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Securing planning permission for solar farms exceeding 100 MW has become second nature for UK developers, yet the question of who will actually construct these facilities took center stage during a panel session moderated by pv magazine. The discussion occurred at Solar & Storage Live UK in Birmingham, the nation’s biggest trade exhibition and conference for the sector, and examined the practical challenges of delivering the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project pipeline, encompassing solar developments of 100 MW or larger as well as utility-scale solar in general.
Panelists noted that obtaining planning consent is no longer the primary difficulty for UK solar projects, with achieving financial close continuing to be the main obstacle for utility-scale solar. When asked if a gap exists between the government’s clean energy goals and the revenue support provided, Ben Fawcett, head of business development UK at Lightsource bp, stated that policymakers must take further action to provide investors with revenue certainty for large-scale projects. Although recent contracts for difference auctions have been successful and set new records for procured capacity, Fawcett suggested the sector requires a ninth CfD round to obtain the contracted revenues necessary for investors to support a growing pipeline of large-scale projects.
Labor shortages emerged as another key topic. Large-scale installations demand significant skilled labor, and as additional solar projects link to the transmission network, the availability of engineers qualified to work at extra-high voltages may become strained. Tracey Elliot, director at Eden Sustainable, noted that earlier waves of high-volume solar construction in the UK relied on workers from abroad, and argued that generating skilled, meaningful employment within the country should be prioritized and could help foster community backing for developments.
David Hoare, technical director at RSK Group, tackled the issue of community opposition. RSK Group has been involved in 40 NSIP projects that obtained development consent orders, providing the firm with expertise in securing planning consent. Hoare cautioned that the industry’s customary consultation method may prove inadequate going forward and urged developers to engage more proactively with local residents to address objections to large-scale solar.
Simon Wheeler, director of development at Enso Energy, concluded the session by emphasizing that the sector requires regulatory stability, with no additional mandatory requirements for solar developers who already face sufficient challenges when constructing major infrastructure projects.
Utility-scale was not the sole topic at the event, which came after the August introduction of plug-in solar regulations permitting consumers to self-install arrays up to 800 W. The UK government initially committed to plug-in solar in February 2026. Some exhibitors perceived the policy as only partially developed. In leading plug-in markets like Germany, consumers can purchase and install plug-in solar and plug-in battery storage, but UK rules have not been revised to allow amateurs to install energy storage in that format, a constraint in a market where storage attachment rates are rising.
Products on display at the show included modules with a microinverter that connects to households through a British Standards three-pin plug, although plug-in battery products were also visible. Manufacturers are prepared, but an ongoing consultation on plug-in battery safety means it could take over a year before regulations are enacted. One manufacturer reported positive discussions with retailers and wholesalers on the exhibition floor. Plug-in devices have yet to gain traction on the UK high street, but major retailers have previously demonstrated interest and more products may soon appear on shelves.
The residential sector is also poised to gain from expanded policy support, with grants available via the UK government’s Warm Home Grants program and more favorable financing terms anticipated soon through Warm Home Loans, a government initiative that will see the state underwrite the risk of a solar loan and reduce the interest rate paid by consumers on financed installations.
UK consumers also face a 4% energy price rise from 1 October when the price cap enforced by regulator Ofgem comes into effect. The cap shields approximately 22 million UK households on default tariffs by restricting maximum rates and standing charges. Under the current cap a typical household pays GBP 1,663 per year on gas and electricity, so the 4% increase would bring an average bill to GBP 1,723 per year. Some exhibitors anticipated that higher energy bills combined with anxiety over conflict in the Middle East will result in more retrofit solar and energy storage installations.
Regarding energy storage, the United Kingdom has been a pioneering market for utility-scale battery energy storage systems for some time, and despite a challenging grid connections process the pipeline remains significantly oversupplied. New measures such as introducing financial commitments for pipeline projects are expected in a bid to further rationalize the connections queue.
Residential energy storage has entered a major growth phase, and battery storage is now often installed without solar. Australian solar consultancy SunWiz presented data at the show indicating that standalone energy storage installations now exceed standalone solar in the United Kingdom. The data did not distinguish between retrofits to buildings with existing PV systems and installations on buildings without solar, but the opportunity to arbitrage energy through time-of-use tariffs offered by major UK utilities is strengthening the case for household battery storage.
Solar & Storage Live UK was held across Sept. 22-24 at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre. The show will return to the Birmingham NEC on Sept. 21-23, 2027.
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