*Target is for 2028
Significantly, excluding Portugal, the next highest level of ambition is that of two northern European countries, Germany and the Netherlands. This demonstrates that the viability of solar power is not directly connected to the latitude of where it is installed – a common misconception.
Where does the UK sit among these targets?
Nowhere, at the moment.
This is because the UK does not currently have a formal solar deployment target. However, it does have a legally binding commitment to achieve a net zero economy by 2050, and to achieve this, it will need to drastically expand the amount of electricity it generates from renewable sources.
Solar Energy UK has outlined how the UK can deploy 40GW of solar power by 2030. The final graph below includes this figure as if it were an official target. This shows that on a per capita basis, if the UK deployed 40GW of solar by 2030, then on a per capita basis this would place it in line with other countries’ targets.