Transmission What’s Really Stopping UK Solar? - IG Renewables
Feb 19, 2026
Matt Black, Managing Director of IG Renewables and Chair of Solar Energy UK, brings experience building solar and storage across the UK and beyond. He talks grid connection reform and the Gate Two shakeout. He explores M&A and capital pressures, the need for co‑located batteries, workforce and training gaps, and whether the UK can realistically hit massive rollout targets.
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Matt's Dual Role In Industry And Trade Body
- Matt Black introduces IG Renewables and his role leading the UK business and investment committee.
- He also notes five years as chair of Solar Energy UK and a membership of 400+ businesses.
SSEP Risks Favoring Large Plants Over Distributed Assets
- Strategic spatial planning (SSEP) makes sense but risks clashing with existing market structures and distribution-led solutions.
- Matt flags an institutional bias toward large, transmission-connected plants over distributed co-located systems.
Co-Located Solar+Storage Is Efficient But Underserved
- Co-located solar-plus-storage is common internationally and helps manage solar's daytime overproduction.
- Current UK governance and market rules make co-location difficult to realise at scale.