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Solar panels generating electricity on newly built and retro-fitted homes, built in the 1960s, Primrose Hill Solar Village

Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) has undertaken the largest photovoltaic (PV) programme in the UK, with 351 kWp of PV installed on social housing, community buildings and luxury flats.

Photovoltaics are the easiest renewable energy technology to integrate in towns and cities, because they can be installed on roofs and building facades with minimal intrusion, and they have the highest acceptance by the general public. They are now widely used in Germany and the Netherlands. Starting in 2000, Kirklees MBC, based in Huddersfield, took part in a major European project to supply electricity from PV in city buildings. The EU-funded SunCities Project contributed to the installation of 351 kWp of PV (also solar thermal systems) on a range of private and public-sector housing and residential homes in Huddersfield. This is the largest domestic PV programme in the UK, and represents about 5% of installed PV capacity. All buildings were either refurbished or newly built to high environmental standards, so households gained the benefits of energy efficiency as well as the more visible PV.

A typical household system rated at 1 kWp generates about 750 kWh of electricity per year in the UK, which would give a saving of £50 per year if it all replaced imported electricity. Kirkless MBC has lobbied to get better payment for export of electricity, and also easier access to Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) for small generators.