With Scotland perhaps not considered to be the sunniest part of the UK and with its short winter days, you may think that solar power in Scotland is not worth bothering with. In fact, this is not the case, with solar power in Scotland already contributing to the government’s target of producing 50% of Scotland’s electricity from renewable sources by 2020.
There is already an installed capacity of approximately 500kw of photovoltaic solar power in Scotland and there is sufficient daylight in the country to warrant the use of this type of renewable energy. Modern solar panels are much more sensitive than older products, meaning that daylight alone can produce energy without the need for bright sunlight.
As of March 2009, domestic installations of solar power in Scotland no longer require planning permission (there are certain stipulations so check with your local planning authority), making it much easier for homeowners to use this type of renewable energy to produce either electricity or hot water. Government grants for solar thermal power are available from the Energy Saving Scotland Home Renewables Grant Scheme (formerly SCRHI), making solar power in Scotland a more viable financial option.
More information on the different types of solar power can be found on our Solar Electric Power and Solar Power Heating System pages.
Source: www.sdi.co.uk, www.scotland.gov.uk 2009
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