Britain pushes the photovoltaic industry "Great Leap Forward"

On the 5th, Greg Barker, the UK's Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, announced that the British government is accelerating its efforts to boost the solar power industry. The target is to reach a capacity of 20 gigawatts by 2020, marking a significant step in the country's renewable energy strategy. While the UK has been slower to adopt solar energy compared to other European nations, it is now making rapid progress and is expected to overtake Spain within a year or two.

Barker emphasized that achieving the 20 GW goal in six years is feasible, but success will depend heavily on the industry’s ability to cut costs. He made it clear that the government won’t rely on large subsidies or allow uncontrolled solar expansion across England, as seen with wind power. Instead, the focus will be on smart, sustainable growth.

The push for solar energy comes at a time when some Conservative MPs are criticizing the wind power sector. They are urging Prime Minister David Cameron to delay or even cancel new wind farm projects, arguing that the current approach is too costly and inefficient.

Barker also highlighted the potential of rooftop solar installations, stating that by 2015, the number of homes with solar panels could double from the current 500,000 to 1 million. This shift toward decentralized energy production is seen as a key part of the UK’s long-term energy plan.