Drivers across the country could soon see solar panels covering car parks at supermarkets and shopping centres under new Labour plans.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, who is leading the charge for these law changes, said the Government hoped to create "solar carports".
As a byproduct of the solar canopies, they would generate energy to power homes, businesses and electric vehicle chargers.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will consider making solar panels mandatory for new car parks.
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Ed Miliband said the plan would help families save money
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The call for evidence will also look at the cost of installing the panels above parking spaces and potentially even extending the law to include existing car parks.
According to the PA news agency, officials believe installing solar panels in canopies over car parks would unlock "underutilised" space.
Miliband said: "Right now, the sun is shining on hundreds of thousands of car parking spaces across the country which could be used to power our homes and businesses.
"We want to work with businesses and car park operators to turn our car parks into solar carports to save families and businesses money with clean, homegrown British energy."
Estimates suggest that an 80-space car park could save a staggering £28,000 per year in electricity bills.
Large solar canopies can already be seen around the UK over electric vehicle charging stations.
A Shell charging site in Fulham, London, features nine ultra-rapid 175kW charging points which can charge most vehicles from zero to 80 per cent in 30 minutes.
The sustainable design of the site includes solar panels built into the canopy, which is made from sheets of timber.
Similarly, charge point operator InstaVolt recently opened its largest ultra-rapid charging "Superhub" in Winchester, fully equipped with an on-site solar farm.
Alongside 44 ultra-rapid chargers providing up to 160kW of power, the Superhub also features 870 solar panels to generate renewable energy.
It uses a mix of solar energy, battery storageand renewable grid power to keep the chargers running at optimum capacity at all times.
Delvin Lane, CEO of InstaVolt, commented: "The Winchester Superhub isn't just a charging hub - it's a flagship site that sets a new standard for ultra-rapid EV charging.
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The InstaVolt Superhub in Winchester is powered by an on-site solar farm
INSTAVOLT
"As our largest and most advanced site to date, it delivers industry-leading reliability at an unprecedented scale, ensuring drivers can charge quickly and with confidence.
"This site is also a milestone in innovation, marking our first-ever location where we are generating our own renewable energy - pushing the boundaries of sustainability and self-sufficiency in EV charging."
