The UK solar PV industry has welcomed a DTI report highlighting the contribution that PV can make to UK PLC.
The DTI Global Watch Service Report, "Developments in solar photovoltaics in Japan," concludes that "the current PV market stimulation programme in the UK should be developed long term to give confidence to the industry and satisfy the needs of investors.
The Report sets out a series of specific policy recommendations for the future of PV in the UK.
These include: * "appropriate targeting of resources" to "allow the UK to build a strong domestic market and to compete internationally in certain sectors" * further support for development of thin film technology "ideally suited to the UK climate." * UK expertise in the area of flexible PV cells and roll to roll fabrication "should be exploited." * UK companies could develop a "niche market advantage" in advanced electronic designs Jeremy Leggett, solarcentury Chief Executive and chair of the Renewable Power Association solar resource group said, "this report should be essential reading for Ministers and Whitehall officials.
It demonstrates that the UK PV industry is already delivering high levels of innovation, investment and new product development.
But now, further investment and job creation in the UK PV industry is threatened by continued uncertainty over the future of the DTI's solar PV Major Demonstration Programme.
Recent major investments by Sharp and BP/Romag in UK PV manufacturing are a vote of confidence in the Government's repeated public commitments to a second phase of the MDP from 2005.
We now need to see those commitments delivered." The report is published as the UK government decide whether to extend it's current market-enablement programme, the Major Demonstration Programme, beyond 2004.
For a copy of the report visit www.solarcentury.co.uk/news.
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