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Solar Power Portal is today launching a new campaign designed to help stimulate the UK’s commercial rooftop solar sector.

The cost of solar technology continues to fall across the world, yet figures released by DECC this summer showed a surprise increase in the average cost of solar installs, particularly within the domestic band. Liam Stoker investigates the causes and implications of the increase.

Bristol Sport is set to benefit from significant savings on its energy bills after completing a deal with Bristol City Council to purchase energy generated from new solar panels installed on the West stand of the Ashton Gate Stadium.

Sadiq Khan’s efforts to be “the greenest mayor London has ever had” have been bolstered by City Hall’s announcement that it has applied for a licence to supply low carbon electricity, despite no news yet of increased renewable energy generation within the city.

Employment in the UK’s domestic solar industry has contracted by approximately one-third in the last year against a backdrop of subsidy cuts and other policy interventions, and further job losses are strongly expected.

Solar Power Portal runs through this week’s people news from within UK solar including changes at the top of Anesco and Absolute Solar and Wind, as well as the likely new ministerial appointments to the energy brief at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Lark Energy has secured a UK patent for a new renewable solar thermal technology to create steam for industrial processes.

Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) firm Romag has been bought by glazing company Clayton Glass from social housing provider Gentoo, which is seeking to focus more heavily on its core housing activity.

The scheduled rise in business rates on companies owning solar installations on their properties has been raised in the House of Commons, with shadow energy minister Barry Gardiner accusing the government of “sleeping on the job”.

German energy storage firm sonnen has set its sights on C&I customers with the launch of a new battery storage product geared entirely at commercial and industrial installations.