HC Deb 17 December 2003 vol 415 c930W
Norman Baker

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what targets were set for the installation of photovoltaic panels in(a) domestic and (b) commercial properties in 2002–03; and how many installations occurred. [143755]

Mr. Timms

Under the DTI's £20 million First Phase of the Major Photovoltaic Demonstration Programme, the target for Stream 1 (small-scale individual systems 0.5–5kWp) in 2002–03 was 300 approvals. This was later revised downwards to 200 approvals to reflect expected demand. This was confirmed by the fact that only 210 applications were actually received, of which 190 were approved. There is no annual target for Stream 2 (group housing and medium/large-scale non-residential buildings 5–100kWp), but the target for the three-year first phase is 140 projects, of which 45 were approved in the first year. 71 of the 190 approvals under Stream 1 were installed during 2002–03, but installation tends to lag three to six months behind approval. For Stream 2, no installations were completed in the first year as the time lag here tends to be six to twelve months from approval.