We want to see renewables done well – we believe that low carbon energy projects should be developed in harmony with communities, our precious landscapes and our rural heritage.
Rooftop solar
SPS calls on the government to fully realise the potential of solar on rooftops and other ‘grey’ spaces.
The rooftops of houses and warehouses, schools, car parks and farm buildings should all be used to generate much needed renewable energy without harming wildlife, food security and landscapes.
CPRE has published research by the UCL Energy Institute into the true potential for meeting our energy needs if we made full use of the rooftop space available for solar panels across the country.
The research shows that installing solar panels on existing buildings and car parks would enjoy near-universal public support and would reduce the need for large solar farms in our countryside.

Community Energy Projects
The climate emergency poses one of the greatest threats to the countryside. Our reliance on fossil fuels for the energy we use in our daily lives is contributing to accelerating global warming that is already beginning to disrupt the pattern of our seasons, cause catastrophic floods and wildfires, and is pushing our wildlife towards extinction.
We believe a pro-active approach is needed to help rural communities move towards using more renewable energy like solar and wind. This of course means more of these projects in the countryside or our historic towns and villages.
We know how important local landscapes are to rural communities, and how important the countryside next door is to people right across the country. That’s why SPS wants future energy projects to be in the control of local communities not developers.
In 2022 we ran a series of workshops in Debenham to produce a community vision of what future renewable energy measures should look like in the village.
