Gideon demands solar revolution

Taunton and Wellington’s MP, Gideon Amos, challenged the Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, to extend the rollout of solar panels to car parks and warehouse during a Parliamentary debate on Tuesday.

Following a Liberal Democrat Private Member's Bill, new Building Regulations were published this week requiring developers to fit solar panels as standard on all new houses that are built. 

Gideon, the party’s spokesperson for housing and communities, is backing their campaign for a set of measures to halve energy bills.

He told the Commons: “As a former member of the Zero Carbon Homes Task Force, I well remember the Conservatives cancelling the zero carbon homes programme in 2015 - presumably they want homes to be colder, more difficult to heat and more expensive.

“The Liberal Democrats welcome the enactment today of the requirement for solar panels on all new homes.

“My constituents Jan and Jeanette, of the Campaign to Protect Rural England Somerset, have pointed out that were that extended to car parks and commercial buildings, it would generate as much electricity as 15 Hinkley Point power stations.

“Will the Secretary of State extend the solar panels requirement to car parks and commercial buildings?”

Mr Miliband replied: “I accept the Honourable Member’s congratulations on our announcement of the Future Homes Standards today, which are a really important measure - they should never have been abolished by the last Conservative Government.

“On warehouses and car parks - particularly on the warehouse question - we are looking at how we can roll that out more swiftly.

“There is so much unused space that could be used to help cut bills right across the country.”

Afterwards, Gideon said: "Cheaper energy bills is one big change government needs to make to help people with the cost of living.

“Energy prices rocketed up in the last few years but never returned to what they were.

“Solar is the cheapest form of energy to generate so using acres of empty roof space including over car parks should be a no brainer.

“We've managed to get rules in place for new houses that are built, we now need the government to be ambitious and extend the requirement to car parks and commercial buildings and we'll not stop working on that.

“In this case, what's good for people's pockets will also be good for our environment".