The number of solar farms in the UK could see a huge hike in the coming years, with energy and climate change minister Greg Barker calling for a ten fold increase in schemes across the country.
As reported by the Telegraph, Mr Barker has said that he would like to see 20GW of electricity created by solar panels in 2020. This would mean that more solar farms are developed, with a total land coverage set to cover an area equivalent to 100 of London's Olympic Park.
Mr Barker made his intentions known at a speech at the Intersolar industry conference in Munich. Addressing foreign investors, the minister suggested that the UK had the most potential for solar power deployment than any other European nation.
However, the minister has been warned that an increase of this mass scale could see an overload of the electricity system in the UK, which could lead to some farms being paid to stop producing electricity.
The move however could be hugely beneficial in terms of providing power for UK homes in the future, as Ofgem has warned that demand for fossil fuels will increase in the coming years, while reserves deplete.
Not only could this see the average household utility bill shoot up even further, the issue could lead to rolling blackouts throughout the country, the Express reports.
An announcement from the energy regulator is expected in the coming weeks, as part of the electricity supply and demand forecast.
Alternative, renewable energy in this regard could help to boost supplies of electricity in the UK and provide households and businesses with desperately required power.
Solar energy is one of the most viable options for electricity generation in the future, with wind power and hydro-electric facilities also pivotal to the country's energy future.
However, reducing fossil fuel consumption does not need to be tackled on such a large scale. Adding solar panels to your property would help in the national battle to cut emissions and extend the life of current energy supplies.