A perfect storm of inflation, supply chain disruption, spiralling interest rates, and delays in connection to the National Grid means that the swathe of solar power farms approved and going through planning permission in the UK are likely to be severely delayed or cancelled – undermining any hopes of achieving the government target of a fivefold increase to 70GW by 2035.
A new study by Huw Evans, an energy consultant and former head of global economics for BG Group, suggests that under the current macro-economic conditions and impasse at obtaining connection to the National Grid, any chance of these solar farms being viable in the near future is negligible. The government has gambled heavily on promoting solar energy to achieve its stated goal to be carbon neutral by 2035.
