Key facts
- France requires car parks with at least 80 vehicles to be covered by solar panels, with deadlines in 2025 and 2027.
- The UK government has decided against mandating solar panels on new car parks.
- Solar car parks can generate electricity without occupying additional land and can be integrated with EV charging.
- France's solar mandate is estimated to add 11 gigawatts of power to its grid.
- Slovenia and several German regions also have mandates for solar installations on car parks.
Europe's car parks present a significant opportunity for solar energy generation, capable of reducing electricity bills and advancing decarbonisation goals. Despite the falling costs and proven viability of solar technology, widespread adoption faces resistance in some regions, notably the UK.
Solar power is described as a 'shining star' in Europe's clean energy transition, offering a competitive alternative to fossil fuels, with costs significantly lower than the cheapest fossil fuel options. Innovations are expanding solar's reach beyond traditional farms and rooftops, with applications like solar garden fences and railways being explored.
Car parks are seen as an ideal location for solar installations as they utilize existing infrastructure, avoiding land-use conflicts often associated with ground-mounted solar farms. Rob Stait of Alight highlights that solar car ports can also provide shelter for vehicles and facilitate the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging points, further supporting decarbonisation efforts and offering benefits to car park users.
France has taken a leading role, enacting legislation in 2022 that requires existing and new car parks with space for at least 80 vehicles to be covered by solar panels. Owners of smaller sites have until 2027 to comply, while larger sites have until 2025. The French government estimates these measures could add 11 gigawatts of power to the grid, enough to supply approximately 12 million homes, with fines for non-compliance up to €40,000 annually. Last year, France eased the mandate, allowing outdoor parking lots over 1,500 square meters to be covered by solar panels, shade trees, or a combination.
Similar regulations are in place in Slovenia, obliging new and reconstructed parking lots over 1,000 square meters to install solar panels. Germany also has solar mandates for new car parks in several regions, contingent on the number of parking spaces.
In contrast, the UK government, after launching a call for evidence, decided against mandating solar panels on new car parks. Initial estimates suggested an 80-space car park could save around £28,000 annually in electricity bills, with potential revenue from selling excess energy back to the grid. Despite case studies like the Leeds solar park and ride, which generates significant electricity and offsets carbon emissions, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) concluded that the policy would not proceed further at this time. A DESNZ spokesperson stated that while solar remains central to their mission, they are relying on voluntary adoption through schemes like the Future Buildings Standard.
Industry figures like Rob Stait have criticized the UK's decision as a 'huge missed opportunity,' arguing that market forces alone are insufficient without policy support. He points out that car parks circumvent common solar deployment challenges related to visual impact and land use. Stait believes France's mandate demonstrates the viability of solar car ports at scale and advocates for other European countries to follow suit.