Solar energy 

initiatives in U.K: Identifying project

management and installation approaches to integrate solar
energy systems in U.K households.

1. Introduction
This section discusses the study's concept, provides a framework for the study, and shows
the themes that will be explored in detail throughout the remainder of this research. This chapter
describes the background of the study review, which includes essential topics, significant
research, the thesis's objectives, and a breakdown of the research framework.

1.1 Background of Study

Energy is undoubtedly a key element of the development process. It has been suggested
that without energy, sustainable development is almost impossible. “Given that access to modern
energy is at the core of human development, it is clear that major improvements in the kinds of
energy services available to the poor are required to accomplish the MDGs (Millennium
Development Goals),” GNESD (2007). According to the WHO and UNDP, the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) may be achieved provided energy issues are handled adequately in
terms of quantity and quality. It states, "The worldwide deadline for meeting the Millennium
Development Goals is less than six years away." While no MDG exists for energy, the global
objectives expressed in the objectives cannot be realized without huge improvements in the
quantity and quality of energy services” (WHO and UNDP, 2009).

Solar energy consumption has grown at a rapid pace in the succeeding years, owing to cost
decreases in photovoltaic panels and the April 2010 implementation of a FIT subsidy. After the
feed-in-tariff (FiT) was introduced in 2010, the UK photovoltaic sector grew rapidly, with many
thousands of home installations and countless commercial, community, and industrial projects.

The FiT was eliminated as part of the DECC's fast-track assessment published on 9 June 2011.
As a consequence, huge solar photovoltaic arrays became a much less appealing investment
proposition for developers, particularly for projects larger than 250 kW, and big field arrays such
as these were unlikely to be erected after the 1 August 2011 cutoff date, at least not until 2012,
when PV costs began to fall somewhat - a utility size solar farm earns 8.9 cents per kilowatt hour

1
produced. At the end of 2011, the United Kingdom had 230,000 solar energy installations with a
total installed generating capacity of 750 MW.

In 2012, the government projected that within eight years, 4 million houses in the UK will be
powered by the sun, totaling 22 gigawatts (GW) of installed solar capacity by 2020. At the end
of September 2013, retailer Ikea announced that by July 2014, solar panel packages for homes
will be available in 17 shops throughout the United Kingdom. The decision follows a successful
trial experiment at the Thurrock Ikea store, during which almost every day, one photovoltaic
(PV) system was sold. Hanergy, a Chinese firm, manufactures the panels. This cooperation did
not endure, as Ikea severed ties with Hanergy in October 2015.

By 2016, installed capacity had surpassed 10,000 MW. Between April and September 2016,
solar panels in the United Kingdom generated more energy (6,964 GWh) than coal power (6,342
GWh). Each accounts for around 5% of demand.

Project management is a discipline in which the breadth of a project's resources may be managed
while maintaining a focus on the project's significance. Project management is fundamentally
different from traditional management; project management is always confronted with new
challenges, a changing environment, and limited money. As a result, project management aspects
vary significantly from those required by traditional management.

In this study, the United Kingdom used a variety of solar system installation techniques. At the
end of 2017, installed photovoltaic capacity was 12.8 GW, accounting for 3.4 percent of total
power output. As of the end of January 2019, the UK has built a total of 13,123 MW of solar
power over 979,983 installations. This is a 323 MW growth in little more than a year. On 14
May 2019, photovoltaic generation reached an all-time high of 9.55 GW.

1.2 Problem Statement

It was always a challenge to establish a firm or enter a new market or technology, to battle to
comprehend the market, to resolve issues, and to raise sales in order to achieve success. Due to
the fact that many businesses are having difficulty selling items and obtaining further contracts, a
study paper was created to further examine and identify answers. In this regard, the study
objective is to raise knowledge of the solar industry in the United Kingdom by identifying
market hurdles and hurdles, establishing a clear image of the present market condition, the
expected future, and how a new entrant may enter the UK solar industry.

2
1.3 Objectives
 An extensive review and research of the leadership attribute necessary for a project
manager are to execute tasks effectively.
 The relationship between achievements, leadership, and project management
effectiveness is studied and examined.

1.4 Research Questions

 How are the styles, features, and project success of a project related to project leadership?
 How are the project manager's fundamental skills, such as management, analytical and
mental skills, connected to the performance of the project?

1.5 Hypothesis
Three hypotheses are suggested to address our study concerns.

Hypothesis 1: Project managers make use of emotional intelligence as a primary leading factor
that improves a project's effectiveness

Hypothesis 2: The project managers utilize special leadership characteristics as core leadership
elements to maximize project performance.

2. Literature Review
Apart from what has been said before, it is evident that there are a number of technical
and non-technical barriers to adopting a photovoltaic solar panel system. The sluggish growth of
a photovoltaic solar panel system in Sweden is attributed to a lack of knowledge about the
technology (T. Islam & N. Meade., 2013). The main obstacle to photovoltaic systems is their
high initial cost and lengthy payback period, which is a result of Sweden's low energy costs and
poor sun radiation (R. Margolis & J. Zuboy., 2006). Additionally, a lack of technical
understanding and consumer apprehension about the risk associated with installing solar systems
are seen as critical barriers to the product. The biggest source of frustration for consumers is the
procedural barriers associated with obtaining authorization for installing a solar system from
municipal and building authorities (Jager, 2005). The uncertainty for prospective customers
around obtaining building clearance to install photovoltaic systems, as well as the lengthy wait
for government backing for photovoltaic systems and the low budget allocated for solar systems

3
in the UK, make the consumer unconfident when discussing purchasing solar systems (Palm A. ,
2014).

According to a study prepared by the European Commission, the United Kingdom had 2,499
MW of domestic solar photovoltaic capacity in 2015, with 775,000 home solar photovoltaic
prosumers accounting for 2.7 percent of households. By 2030, the average size of home solar
photovoltaic systems is expected to reach 3.25 kW. Residential solar photovoltaic (PV)
technology potential in the United Kingdom is predicted to be 41,636 MW. As of 2015, the
average payback period for residential solar photovoltaic systems in the United Kingdom is 11.4
years.

Among the benefits of small scale residential solar are the elimination of the need for additional
land, the retention of cost savings for local communities, and the empowerment of homes to
become prosumers of renewable energy, therefore boosting awareness of wasteful consumption
patterns and environmental concerns via direct experience. It will take between four and twenty
years to repay the cost of solar panels, depending on a variety of criteria, including the number of
modules, their size, their orientation to the sun, and where you reside. According to some
research, feed-in tariff systems disproportionately favor richer families, providing little or no aid
to poorer families in obtaining financial loans or affordable programs, although the costs of the
programs are uniformly divided throughout utility bills.

The Energy Saving Trust, which distributes government grants for household solar systems
under the Low Carbon Building Program, estimates that an installation for an average-sized
home would cost between £5,000 and £8,000, with the majority of household systems typically
ranging between 1.5 and 3 kWp and generating yearly savings of between £150 and £200. (in
2008).

The Green Energy for Schools initiative will provide solar panels to 100 schools throughout the
United Kingdom. Tavernspite Primary School in Pembrokeshire was the first in Wales to get
solar panels costing £20,000, which will generate 3,000 kW•h of power each year. The typical
UK house uses around 3000 kWh of power each year, which equates to around 1 tonne of CO2
(clearly dependent on electricity industry energy mix). This translates to 25 million tonnes of
CO2 emissions per year from home energy usage in the United Kingdom.

4
At the moment (Sep 2019), there is no need for new constructions to integrate any solar energy
(or wind where feasible).

2.1 Project Management of Solar Panel

Because the technological needs and engineer knowledge for this specific project were
insignificant, the thesis's primary focus is on project management from an engineering
perspective. As a result, this section should be the chapter's primary emphasis. Since the late
twentieth century, project management has grown in prominence as a critical component of
project success. A project manager's best measure is to strike a balance between project specialist
abilities, in this example electrical installation in a solar energy system, and resource
management. While the preceding parts discussed the requirement for project specialized
abilities in detail, this section will discuss the balanced scale's later half.

Identifying activities that result in a stronger competitive advantage was critical for organizations
seeking to swiftly adjust to changing customer expectations (Yang et al. 2011). It has resulted in
a shift away from the conventional approach toward a project-based strategy. Organizations
concentrate their efforts on initiatives that help them accomplish their corporate goals (Medina &
Medina 2014; Anantatmula, 2010). Project-oriented management is used to increase efficiency
and successfully overcome obstacles in order to make the enterprise's purpose a reality and the
intended future a reality (Turner 2008). Including transition, ambiguity, high uncertainty, and
quickly increasing projects (Atkinson 2006), the project management approach to managing
business difficulties via innovative management approaches that optimize the monitoring and use
of available capital is sometimes referred to as Project Management (Kerzner, 2013).

5
 3. Methodology
3.1 Research Design
A descriptive study is a quantitative research approach aiming to gather quantifiable data to
analyze the demographic sample statistically. It is a common market analysis method to capture
and explain the dynamics of the demographic group.

3.2 Research Philosophy

The theory of studying positivism is used for this analysis. It has strong reliability and
representativeness. Positivism prefers quantitative approaches like demographic polls or formal
questionnaires. The positive view of culture is that it shapes the person and that 'social realities'
form individual behavior.

3.3 Data Orientation

Quantitative knowledge would be gathered for this study. This research is essential in explaining
the difficulties in implementing project management techniques to achieve its success. Besides,
this research would expand the current knowledge base to identify key factors of project
management for completing the project and gain an organization's success.

3.4 Nature of Data

This research is a quantitative and comprehensive analysis. Participants obtained objective data
on the importance of project management. To help the organizational efficiency with the
involvement of success factors for project management is considered.

3.5 Sampling Population and Process

Priority is given to the deductive method and input from the usage of this material. This research
incorporates previously generated hypotheses that the quantitative hypothesis approach can
illustrate.

3.6 Constraints in Data Collection

It is difficult to obtain data because the other limitations are financial constraints. Thus, modest
populations are taken into consideration in the study.

6
 3.7 Data Analysis
"In order to test the findings, the Statistical Social Science Software (SPSS, version 20) is used.
For the submission of observations, it might be possible to perform descriptive and inferential
statistical analysis. A statistical research methodology is used to analyze the quantitative details.

3.8 Limitations
Sample size and sample population are the most important constraints, as there is no sufficient
data for a detailed understanding. Samples of quantitative knowledge are often adequate to
gather detailed data, but observations cannot be simplified across a broader community

3.9 Ethical Consideration

Ethical considerations have been developed to address the issues for ethical reasons. In addition,
a decision was made to keep the collected information secret to minimize the risk of data
breaches and an organization's privacy.

3.10 Project Plan

The division of time requires the complexity of the tasks into account. The project plan
developed for this project considers all of the measures that may be utilized to complete the
whole process and ensures the completion of the whole process along with quality control in the
timelines and commitments defined in this project plan. If one of these tasks is not done on time,
the timeframe for participating and accomplishing it is different. This modification would be
affected by the time the project is completed.

7
References