Prince Charles unveils plan to put solar panels on Clarence House

Plans to put solar panels on the roof of the Prince of Wales' London home could encourage others to take up green technology, according to officials behind the proposal.

Photovoltaic panels will cover a portion of Clarence House's tiles if the scheme - Charles' latest renewable energy initiative - is approved.

Highgrove, the prince's Gloucestershire home, already uses woodchip boilers and heat pumps which extract heat from the ground and air.

About 22% of his household's total energy consumption comes from renewable sources, according to his annual review published last month.

Documents submitted earlier this month to City of Westminster council to support the application by the firm BLB Architects, acting on behalf of the Royal Household property section, highlight how the project could encourage others.

An environmental assessment of the scheme stated: "The installation of solar panels on the roof of Clarence House will be the latest in a line of renewable technology projects undertaken by the household of HRH the Prince of Wales that not only have a direct benefit of reducing fossil fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions but also have an indirect impact by raising the profile of such technologies."

A Clarence House spokeswoman said the cost of the plans, which were not disclosed, would be met by the prince.

The proposed 32 solar panels if approved would be fitted to the south-east facing roof of the 19th century building, once home to the Queen Mother.

It is hoped the panels will generate 4,000 kilowatt hours of electricity each year - about the same electricity consumption as the average London home.