Weightmans were delighted to sponsor the recent Rooftop Forum
Weightmans were delighted to sponsor the recent Rooftop Forum, held in partnership with Solar Energy UK in Leeds on 10 July 2025, which focused on the future of the UK rooftop solar industry.
The event was very timely, as the UK Government had published, on 30 June, its “Solar Roadmap”, with input from Solar Energy UK, setting out the strategy and an action plan to achieve a significant increase in solar deployment in the UK, with the aim of delivering clean power by 2030 in line with the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.
The Rooftop Forum drew representatives from across the solar industry, including installers, funders, developers, manufacturers and suppliers, and optimisers, which made for a lively and constructive day.
Chris Hewett, the CEO of Solar Energy UK, kicked things off with an overview of the Solar Roadmap, welcoming its publication. We heard how the ambition is to move from the current 18GW of deployed solar power to 45-47GW by 2030, with the potential for an additional 9-10GW of rooftop solar to be installed by 2030. The Solar Roadmap sets out practical steps for achieving these targets, in particular, in the areas of rooftop solar, electricity networks, supply chain and innovation, skills, and planning and support schemes.
We also heard about the roles expected to be played by Great British Energy and the Warm Homes Plan to unlock investment in, and deployment of, rooftop solar across schools, hospitals and the UK housing stock. This would be combined with the new 2025 Future Homes Standard, which is expected to ensure that solar will be installed on the vast majority of new build homes.
We then moved on to a thought-provoking presentation on cyber security, given by Jason Kirrage of SolarEdge Technologies, emphasising the risks that cyber-attacks can pose to solar energy technology, and the importance of being prepared.
Kamal Rajput of Tata Steel then updated the Forum on the activity of Solar Energy UK’s steering group on Supply Chains. Tata is in the process of installing electric arc furnaces at its Port Talbot facility, moving towards greener steelmaking. Kamal emphasised the key role that supply chains will play in helping to deliver on the Solar Roadmap.
The importance of attracting people to learn the skills needed to help implement the deployment of solar power and the energy transition was highlighted by Sturge Mazzochi, Head of the Solar Careers Programme and involved with the Solar Careers Hub events. Sturge outlined the interactive ways in which people are being connected with potential jobs in the UK solar industry, including through workshops and demonstrations, and networking opportunities with recruiters. The need for increasing numbers of workers trained for the solar sector was a recurring theme throughout the day.
The Forum was updated on the various recent policy developments in the UK solar space, as well as hearing more about the important issue of fire safety and the need for regular maintenance of solar installations.
The day wrapped up with a panel discussion on the future of rooftop solar in the UK, with panellists Nick Fothergill from Weightmans, Kamal Rajput of Tata Steel, Steve Heape of the Carbon and Energy Fund, Ed Dolley of the UK Warehousing Association, Ian Rippin of MCS, and Jonathan Bates of Photon Energy. The panel gave their thoughts on the Solar Roadmap, and what sort of impact it would have. There was a lively discussion, supplemented by some constructive contributions from the floor, with members providing the Forum with examples of their practical day-to-day experience of working in the UK solar industry. In addition, Steve Heape alerted members to the upcoming Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, a 3000-kilometre adventure race across Australia from Darwin to Adelaide, in vehicles powered only by the energy of the Sun.
This was Solar Energy UK’s first event to be held in Leeds and Weightmans, with its office in Leeds and network of offices across the UK, was very pleased to have sponsored the Forum. There seemed to be a general welcoming of the Solar Roadmap, and the passion and enthusiasm of those who work in the solar sector was on display, suggesting an exciting time ahead for solar in the UK.
