Travel and accommodation expenses available (up to a quota number!)
Conference: Planning and the role of ground-mounted solar PV in the UK
A public event to disseminate knowledge about the subject. It is a culmination of an ESRC-funded project organised by the 51cg
Date: September 9th 2026
Venue: Chancellor's Hall, Senate House, University of London, Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU.
Chair: Dr Jo Vergunst, 51cg (UoA)
Schedule:
09.30 Conference Opens with Networking with Tea/Coffee, Breakfast
09:55 Welcome: Dr Jo Vergunst
10:00 - 10:20 Some conclusions from our research –A different approach needed? - Dr David Toke, UoA
10:20 - 10:50 Dan Meredith, Director of External Affairs, Solar Energy UK - Solar Power in the UK – a Shining Future T-alk followed by Q&A –
10:50 - 11:20 Owen Pike, Eden Renewables – Planning for Solar Power - Talk followed by Q&A
11:20 -11:35 - Tea/Coffee and Cake
11:35 -12:05 Dr Rebecca Windemer, REGEN - Planning for Renewable Energy Talk followed by Q&A
12.05 – 1210 – Stanley Wilson – Solr AI – What AI can do for solar PV
12.10 -12.40 Panel Discussion: How much and what sort of solar PV do we need? The panel members will introduce their contribution for 2-3 minutes each, followed by Q&A session - Discussion Panel Members: Holly Hoban, REGEN, David Toke, UoA Emeritus Professor Mark Barrett, University College London
12:40 -13:10 - Cumulative Impact and ground mounted solar PV Summary findings from project Participatory Activity and Discussion - Led by Dr Paula Duffy
13:10 - 13:45 - LUNCH
13:45 - 14:15 Professor Simone Abram, Durham Energy Institute - How do people fit in with green energy futures? Talk followed by Q&A -
14:15 - 14:45 Dr Costanza Concetti and Dr Jo Vergunst, UoA ‘Energy Transitions in the North East– heeding the people’s view’ Talk followed by Q&A
14:45 - 15:15 Dr Jessica Hogan, REGEN - Community Led Energy - Talk followed by Q&A -
15:15 -15:30 Tea/Coffee and Cake
15:30 -16:10 Dr Doug Parr, Chief Scientist – Greenpeace - Meeting the Global Climate Challenge in the UK Talk - - followed by short talk (10 minutes) by Alan Simpson on ‘Energy Democracy and Renewables’ (former MP and solar PV opinion leader) – followed by Q&A
16.10 - 16.30 Rebecca Humphries, The Nature Conservancy - Nature and Smart siting of solar
16:30 -16:55 The Future for solar planning, possibilities for research & policy (meeting future orientated needs) - Participatory Activity and Discussion - Led by Dr Costanza Concetti, UoA
16.55 Concluding comments and discussion - Dr Jo Vergunst, UoA Dr David Toke
17:00 Conference Closes
To register for the Conference, write to David Toke at david.toke@abdn.ac.uk