STA launches initiative to raise solar standards

The Solar Trade Association (STA) has launched a new initiative to raise standards in the maintenance of large rooftop and ground-mounted solar systems, as it celebrates its third ‘Solar Independence Day’.

The STA said it is aiming to raise awareness that good quality operation and maintenance of commercial solar rooftops and farms is essential to ensuring their performance, longevity and safe working condition. The new scheme will build on the work of the EU-level body Solar Power Europe best practice guidelines.

STA operations and maintenance chair Mark Turner said: “With this initiative we want to raise standards and establish best practice across the UK in solar PV operations and maintenance, making sure people are aware that preventative action can avoid costly corrective action later.

“Solar PV plants have no moving parts but are power plants like any other, and therefore safety has to be our primary concern.”

The STA estimates that the UK has almost 12GW of solar PV across the country, with just over 800,000 homes with the panels and 200,000 with solar thermal.  The trade association also claims that UK electricity demand from solar peaked at 23.9 per cent last month.

STA chief executive Paul Barwell said: “The UK has successfully deployed almost 12GW of solar across the UK, providing nearly 25 per cent during peak generation.

“Solar Independence Day is about celebrating what a large group of small and medium sized businesses can achieve in a short period of time. We now need just one more push from the government to help the solar sector reach its objective of zero subsidy by the early 2020s.”

As part of ‘Solar Independence Day’ the association is asking people to post photos using the #SolarIndependence hashtag.