§ Mr. Amessasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on current research into solar energy utilisation and investment in solar energy.
§ Mr. David HuntMy Department is supporting a comprehensive research and development programme aimed at providing detailed advice on passive solar design for both domestic and non-domestic buildings in the United Kingdom. The programme has already established that considerable reductions in energy consumption can be achieved by utilising passive solar features in both new and existing houses in the United Kingdom.
An expanded programme is now under way, with expenditure expected to increase from £500,000 in 1985–86 to £2.5 million a year by 1988–89. A number of United Kingdom companies are collaborating with my Department in this work and are making substantial investments in both the research and development and product development. This expanded programme has four main elements:
- —dissemination of research and development results including evaluation of new techniques to improve technical transfer.
- —a broadly based programme of design studies.
- —a series of proving trials and demonstrations of passive solar design.
- —a continuing programme of assessment studies and generic development work to support these activities.
The Department's renewables R and D programme has also examined both active solar water heating and photovoltaics but despite substantial R and D work, particularly on active solar systems these were proved to be convincingly uneconomic for United Kingdom conditions. A number of United Kingdom companies have however invested in these solar energy technologies with a view to their export potential. Copies of the final report on the Department's active solar programme are in the Libraries of the House.