Dear John

Yesterday, CPRE published groundbreaking new research into the true potential for generating the electricity we need from rooftop solar. 

Our report shows the opportunities are huge. Putting solar panels on new buildings and over car parks alone could deliver nearly the same electricity generation potential as 10 new nuclear power stations [1]. 

And if we make use of low-cost opportunities for solar panels on the rooftops of large buildings like warehouses, the evidence shows that 60% of the solar panels our country needs can be sited on rooftops. 

But if we don’t make use of our rooftops, solar panels could swallow up 180,000 hectares of our countryside – an area larger than the size of Greater London! 

That’s why we are calling on the government to commit to a new and ambitious target for generating clean and affordable electricity from rooftops across the country. Will you sign our petition?

To protect nature and our treasured landscapes, we have a duty to make the best possible use of our finite land. But right now, it is estimated that only 5% of UK warehouses have rooftop solar panels. 

With the right initiatives from the government, the roof of every warehouse and every car park could act like a clean power station, cutting carbon emissions, slashing energy bills, and protecting our countryside.  

By prioritising rooftop solar, we can leave more land to tackle the other pressing challenges we face like the decline of nature, the lack of genuinely affordable homes and the need for more home-grown food.

A government target for rooftop solar is a common sense policy that is good for people and the planet. With your support, we can show politicians that the public wants them to act now. 

Best, 

Chris 

Chris Hinchliff
Campaigns Manager | CPRE The countryside charity