The 22GW ambition is easily achievable

If the last year has taught us anything, it is that predicting the future in renewable energy, whether market, technology or policy driven, is futile beyond a very immediate time horizon (“DECC halves solar industry forecast” 28 May, www.building.co.uk).

However, in the longer term we know that solar PV will reach grid parity, first at domestic retail prices, then at commercial retail prices and finally at wholesale prices within the next eight years, although we don’t know exactly when. With this in mind, the 22GW ambition is easily achievable without excessive cost. Germany has already shown how we could exceed this.

The view at Ardenham Energy (www.ardenhamenergy.co.uk) is that DECC’s quarterly installation targets - and future digressions on FITs - should be set to match this ambition, that is, 600MW per quarter.

Harry Shepherd-Cross, via www.building.co.uk

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