Bringing together some of the biggest landlords and best known occupiers in the UK to a roundtable meeting with the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) was revealing. What emerged was that not only do we need more action from Government in simplifying the road to adoption of rooftop solar, but as an industry we need to address the complex stakeholder barriers that exist too.
For example, the contract between landlords and tenants is problematic. From a legal point of view, rooftop solar is a new area and unfamiliar, and it remains unclear where responsibility for the roof lies. In Europe, the roof is not included in the lease, whereas it is in the UK. This makes it easier to put solar panels on commercial rooftops in Europe, providing it is not going into the grid.
What was heartening about the roundtable, however, was the evident will to resolve the issues and a willingness to take a joint approach. Delegates spoke of ‘doing the right thing’, and building trust between landlords and tenants, sharing risk and liability, rather than taking the traditional combative approach to contracts. This, of course, makes absolute sense. After all, taking a wider perspective for mutual benefit is a potential win-win.
By embracing rooftop solar, landlords futureproof their assets and increase their rental values. Meantime, occupiers benefit from lower operating costs, and as automation increases over the coming years, this benefit will only increase.
Recognition of the need for closer alignment of landlord and tenant interests led to discussion around the creation of a standard format ‘off the shelf’ contract developed by and for landlords and occupiers. The devil, as ever, will be in the detail. New developments are now expected to come with solar power already in situ, but retrofitting older buildings can be more challenging.
In April, the Solar Taskforce will publish its strategic Solar Roadmap. It has been suggested that this may recommend a ‘League Table’ to encourage businesses to adopt solar power, but how this might work is not clear. Among roundtable delegates there was some skepticism, with a strong feeling that compulsion or incentive to sign up to a ‘Charter’ could be the way forward.
Again, this is down to Government policy and to effective communication. The Solar Taskforce is an important indication that the question of solar power is at last being taken seriously at Government level, but while the Taskforce has a voice, it has no power. We need a clear plan to translate industry ambition to cooperate into something more than just a pledge and we need Government to back it.
Clare Bottle
UKWA, CEO
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