UK Solar Capacity Nears 16GW

The UK's solar capacity reached 15.9GW at the end of May, with additions over January-May 2024 totalling 190MW, down from 330MW added over the same period last year, according to UK’s Department of Energy, cited by PV magazine.

• The majority of the capacity installed over the first four months was small-scale PV - 4kW or less - at 84MW.
  
• 4kW-10kW installations amounted to 69MW, while 37MW of 10kW-50kW solar plants were connected to the grid. No PV plants over 50kW were installed.
• This is slightly different from last year when 98MW of PV plants of more than 50kW of capacity were connected, including 76MW of utility-scale projects of more than 25MW.
• Contract for Difference agreements are expected to increase the UK’s solar capacity, with almost 2GW of projects tendered in the 5th auction in September 2023.
• The 6th auction closed on 19 April 2024, with the results anticipated between June-September.
• The UK is targeting 70GW of solar by 2035.