Labour’s ‘rooftop revolution’ aims to power millions of homes with solar energy

Keir Starmer’s Labour government has launched an ambitious plan for a “rooftop revolution” that aims to install solar panels on millions of homes across the UK, driving down domestic energy bills and tackling the climate crisis.

The initiative is part of Labour’s broader green energy strategy, which also includes setting up the publicly owned energy company GB Energy.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband announced the approval of three major solar farms in the east of England—Gate Burton in Lincolnshire, Sunnica on the Suffolk-Cambridgeshire border, and Mallard Pass between Lincolnshire and Rutland—which had previously been blocked by Conservative ministers. These sites alone will deliver around two-thirds of the total solar energy installed across the UK last year, significantly boosting the nation’s renewable capacity.

In a bid to further accelerate the solar rollout, ministers are working with the building industry to make it easier to install solar panels on new and existing homes. New solar-related standards for new-build properties are being considered for implementation as early as next year, and current restrictions on panel placements, especially in conservation areas and on listed buildings, may also be revisited.

Miliband, who has committed to tripling the UK’s solar power capacity by 2030, as well as doubling onshore wind and quadrupling offshore wind, said: “I want to unleash a UK solar rooftop revolution. We will encourage builders and homeowners in whatever way we can to deliver this win-win technology to millions of addresses in the UK so people can provide their own electricity, cut their bills and at the same time help fight climate change.”

The government’s decisive actions on solar power have been welcomed by energy experts, who see this as a vital step towards addressing the imbalance in renewable energy distribution across the UK. Sugandha Srivastav of Oxford University’s Smith School of Enterprise and Environment highlighted that most renewable energy is currently generated in the north but consumed in the south, leading to transmission bottlenecks. “Solar in the south is going to fix a key problem. It will keep power costs low, which is what we desperately need,” she said.

The three newly approved solar farms will contribute approximately 1.35 gigawatts of capacity—almost 10% of the UK’s current solar capacity—helping to alleviate pressure on the grid and support the transition to greener energy sources. However, the decisions have sparked local opposition, with Rutland and Stamford MP Alicia Kearns expressing her dismay at the approval of the Mallard Pass farm. In response, the government defended the move, emphasising the long-term benefits of providing clean energy to around 92,000 homes over the next 60 years.

Miliband’s swift actions also include lifting the de facto ban on new onshore wind farms, marking a significant departure from previous Conservative policies. The government’s push for large-scale solar projects is expected to be followed by essential upgrades to the National Grid to improve electricity transmission and distribution. Srivastav warned of the need to urgently rethink how electricity is transmitted as demand grows: “If we cannot get electricity to where it needs to be, we will be in an untenable situation.”

Starmer stated: “There is no time to waste. We are hitting the ground running by bringing forward the laws we will need to rebuild our country for the long term. From energy, to planning, to unbreakable fiscal rules, my government is serious about delivering the stability that is going to turbocharge growth that will create wealth in every corner of the UK.”

With a strong focus on renewable energy, economic growth, and public services, Labour’s legislative agenda aims to set the UK on a path to a sustainable and prosperous future.