Major PV Demonstration Programme

A GBP 26 million budget was allocated to provide grants for PV installations with the objective of preparing a secure platform for long-term and sustained growth of PV. Funding under the Major Photovoltaics Demonstration Programme (PV MDP) was avaiable for the private and public sector to install solar systems on new or existing buildings. A consortium led by the Energy Saving Trust was appointed to manage the programme.

The two types of grants that were available:

• - Stream 1 grants for small scale PV installations between 0.5kWp and 5kWp are defined for home owners, small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), public sector organisations (e.g. schools, local authorities) and charitable, voluntary, community groups.
• - Stream 2 grants for medium to large-scale PV installations between 5kWp and 100kWp are defined for large commercial organisations (e.g. large corporations, businesses, industry, property developers), social housing groups (e.g. housing associations, local authorities) and other public sector organisations (e.g. universities, health centres), charitable, voluntary, community groups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The programme ran from 2002 to 2007, and at the programmes end 1661 schemes were completed under Stream 1, worth GBP 11,590,522. Under Stream 2, there 168 completed schems worth GBP 14,552,060.