More households will be helped to save money on bills through plug-in solar panels as the Government vows to go further and faster on clean energy in response to the conflict in the Middle East.
The current conflict, the Government says, is another reminder that the only route to energy security and sovereignty for the UK is to end dependence on fossil fuel markets and accelerate the drive for clean, homegrown power, as well as new renewables and nuclear.
Today, the Government is driving forward with the rollout of “plug-in” solar panels (low-cost panels that families can put on their balconies or outdoor space) to be available in shops within months and save people money on their bills.
Retailers like Lidl and Iceland, alongside manufacturers such as EcoFlow, are working with the Government to enable them to be brought to the UK market.
Plug-in solar is already widely used by households across Europe, with Germany seeing around half a million new devices plugged in per year.
Solar power can be used directly through a mains socket like any other device, without an installation cost, thereby reducing the amount of electricity taken from the grid and cutting energy bills.
According to the Government, the easy-to-install technology could save many households significant amounts on their energy bills and help make the UK less reliant on global fossil fuel markets.
This is alongside new rules coming into force to implement the Future Homes Standard, which includes measures to ensure the majority of new homes are built cheaper to run, with solar panels and clean heating as standard.
These measures on new homes could save families up to £830 a year on their energy bills, compared to a standard home with an EPC rating of C. This will help they are more comfortable and affordable – and create at least 75 per cent less carbon emissions than those built to the 2013 standards, the Government claims.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “The Iran War has once again shown our drive for clean power is essential for our energy security, so we can escape the grip of fossil fuel markets we don’t control.
“Whether through solar panels fitted as standard on new homes or making it possible for people to purchase plug-in solar in shops, we are determined to roll out clean power so we can give our country energy sovereignty.”
The Government is also announcing a new approach, predominantly benefitting Scotland and the East of England, and launching in time for this winter, enabling energy companies to offer discounted energy bills to customers on windy days, rather than continuing the previous default practice of paying wind turbines to turn off.
Historic underinvestment in Britain’s electricity grid means wind farms in these areas are being paid to switch off on windy days when the network cannot carry all the clean power they produce.
The Government will look to bring forward new legislation to ensure more homegrown, clean energy can be passed on as discounted electricity to consumers during these periods.
Dhara Vyas, Energy UK’s Chief Executive, said: “The Future Homes Standard is a landmark moment for clean energy in Britain.
“Critically, plans for rooftop solar with the possibility for households to export excess energy back to the grid mark a genuine shift in how people can engage with the energy transition, easily allowing them to save money from an increasingly flexible energy system.
“The Future Homes Standard gives businesses the long-term certainty they need to invest in manufacturing, scale up supply chains, and build the skilled workforce that will make the targets set in the Warm Homes Plan a reality.”
“For too long, households across the UK have been hit by soaring energy bills driven by our dependence on volatile gas and oil markets,” said Friends of the Earth’s head of policy, Mike Childs.
“Making it easier to install plug-in solar panels and ensuring new homes come with heat pumps and solar power is a welcome step that will help protect families from future price shocks.
“But we must go further to end our reliance on fossil fuels, strengthen energy security and cut the carbon pollution driving the climate crisis.
“That means rapidly expanding the UK’s huge renewable energy potential and helping more people switch to electric heating and vehicles.”
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