Solar canopies and electric vehicle charging

While the policy aims for broad implementation, certain car parks may warrant exemptions due to specific circumstances. For example, new car parks to be located in conservation areas and more sensitive landscapes, and those with likely structural limitations such as insufficient load-bearing capacity, may be unsuitable. Other potential exemptions could include small car parks with fewer than a defined minimum number of spaces, or those in areas where grid infrastructure is inadequate to support solar deployment. Similarly, older existing car parks nearing the end of their functional lifespan or slated for demolition may not justify the investment required for solar canopy installation. These exemptions would aim to balance the policy’s ambition with practical and economic feasibility, ensuring resources are directed to car parks with the greatest potential for solar canopy uptake. This would maximise impact.

The government is also specifically considering, subject to this call for evidence, whether to:

• Exempt existing car parks, with the policy proposal to mandate solar installation applying to new car parks only.
• Exempt multi-storey-car parks, due to the more limited surface area available for solar canopies.
• Exempt residential car parks, due to the significant upfront costs this would create for households and sharing structures.

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