Making Hampshire and the Solent region a green energy exporter could reduce energy bills for residents and local businesses, according to a new report.
The University of Southampton and Business South has released a report that says £12 billion of investment in offshore wind, solar farms, rooftop solar and onshore wind could generate more than 940% of demand, exporting the excess to other regions.
Currently, the area is a net importer with just 8% of renewable energy demand produced locally. This means around 92p in every £1 leaves the local economy to pay for power generated elsewhere.
Sue Littlemore, Director of Civic University at the University of Southampton, said: “Delivering the green energy transition isn’t without challenges, but our report suggests that the South can support energy autonomy, economic resilience and better health for our communities by taking a leading role.”
Solar energy accounts for 88% of all local renewable generation but the report claims that National Grid bottlenecks are making further development difficult.
It also says that changing grid use and upgrading substations would allow for 2280MW of capacity, which would be enough to reach demand.
Other issues outlined include skills shortages, lack of trust in energy companies and local opposition to green energy projects.
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