The full title for this project is - Whole System Impacts and Socio-economics of wide scale PV integration (WISE PV). Solar PV has grown rapidly in the UK since the introduction of Feed-in-Tariffs and as a result of falling costs; with 4.5GW installed between 2010 and 2013. There is potential for this rate to continue and for PV to play a significant role in the UK’s future energy mix. However the increasing penetration of a distributed and intermittent generation technology in the electricity mix poses challenges for the grid and raises questions about net environmental, social and economic impacts.

WISE PV is an EPSRC funded research project on the whole system impacts and socio-economics of wide scale PV integration in the UK. The project explores future scenarios with high levels of PV and improved device performance, evaluating the power systems, energy, environmental, economic and social implications of greater PV grid integration. The project is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between the University of Manchester, Loughborough University, University of Sheffield and Oxford Brookes University. Tyndall Manchester is leading the scenario development and life cycle sustainability work packages. This includes stakeholder led whole-system energy scenarios and a novel consequential life cycle assessment of PV in UK with a particular focus on wider system impacts.

Researchers Involved

Paul Gilbert, Patricia Thornley, Sarah Mander, Chris Jones

Duration

1 October 2013 to 30 September 2016

Funder

EPSRC

Other Information

http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/NGBOViewGrant.aspx?GrantRef=EP/K022229/1