Solar Energy UK
30 April 2025
Plans to train a ‘clean power army’ to provide energy efficiency upgrades for homes and buildings have been welcomed by the UK’s solar energy sector.
The government has opened a competition for training providers and further education colleges to secure £8m to deliver 9,000 retrofit training places across England, with a further £9.3m expected to be allocated over a second phase. One strand of the Warm Homes Skills Programme is dedicated to providing NVQ Level 2 or 3 equivalent training in fitting small-scale solar photovoltaic systems.[1] Other elements cover retrofit assessment and coordination, insulation
“The residential solar power market saw 22,623 MCS registrations in March alone, a number that has not been exceeded for a decade. But the availability of skilled professionals has the potential to hold us back. That’s why Solar Energy UK launched Solar Careers UK earlier this year, to encourage more people to join our fast-growing industry,” said Sturge Mazzocchi.[2]
“I look forward to collaborating with the Government and training providers to maximise the programme’s take-up,” he added.
Today’s announcement came as part of a broader package of measures Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, aimed at bolstering the energy performance of private rented homes and cutting the cost of fitting a heat pump.[3,4 ]
“Raising the minimum energy performance certificate for renting out a home from level E to C by 2030 will stimulate even more solar, battery and energy storage upgrades. It should also go some way to delivering more equitable access to net zero technology and lower bills for richer and poorer households alike,” said Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of Solar Energy UK.
“Although efforts to cut the cost of installing a heat pump should also be welcomed, running costs can be an issue. That’s why combining them with free solar power is so beneficial,” he added.
[1] Warm Homes Skills Programme
[2] Best start to a year for rooftop solar panel installations in more than a decade
[3] Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: consultation document
[4] Families to get more choice over home upgrades
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