PV System Regulations and Useful Links

The UK government's energy white paper “Our energy future – creating a low carbon economy”, calls for a 60% reduction of carbon emissions, compared to 1990 levels, by 2050. Since over 40% of the UK's carbon emissions come from domestic energy use, the government also sees microgeneration as a viable way to increase energy savings and reduce overall carbon emissions. To help stimulate microgeneration projects, the government has recently removed the need for extra permits for most PV installations in England.

As of April, 2008, a roof mounted PV installation does not require any extra permits as long as the panels:

Are less than 5 kWp total generating capacity
Do not intrude more than 200 mm above the surface of the roof or go above the roof ridgeline
Are not visible from the road in conservation areas.

Free standing PV installations have additional restrictions such that:

They must be less than four metres in height
The stand cannot be closer than five metres to any boundary
The panel surface area must be less than 9m2

Unfortunately, these relaxed regulations are currently only for England. Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales all have similar regulations that have been put forward but have not yet been implemented. For these regions you still have to get a permit for your PV installation from your local authority.

The UK government is serious about microgeneration and there are numerous sites on the web that can provide you with more information to help you achieve maximum energy savings for your PV installation:

The Energy Saving Trust is a non-profit organization that has been created to support microgeneration projects and carbon reduction
The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) provides a low carbon buildings grant that new PV installations are eligible to receive, worth up to £2500
Green Book Live has information on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme for PV installers and PV equipment
Planning Portal is the government's online service for planning information

Microgeneration is the way of the future for the UK and a great way for you to achieve energy savings for your home. A PV installation will provide you and your family with clean, reliable, and free energy for years to come. You can do your part to help our environment now while knowing that your energy costs won't continue to skyrocket as resources become dear. Saving energy and saving the planet; what could be better than that?

Links

Energy white paper: Our energy future – creating a low carbon economy
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file10719.pdf

Energy Saving Trust
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

BERR low carbon buildings programme
http://www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk/home/

Green Book Live certified installer list
http://www.greenbooklive.com/search/search.jsp?partid=10013

Planning Portal
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/genpub/en/