Plans recently unveiled by the Government for a solar “rooftop revolution” mean millions more homes will be fitted with solar panels in the coming years. Renewable energy is back and in a big way. The Feed-in-Tariffs (FITs) introduced in 2010, kick started the solar domestic market as millions of people were incentivised to install solar on their roofs.
The real game changer is the plan to introduce solar-related regulations for inclusion in new builds in 2025. Something that we in the industry think is long overdue.
We work with many property developers who see the value in building homes capable of producing their own clean, green energy. As well as the environmental benefits, home owners are less likely to be impacted by rising energy costs. The long lifespan – 25 years plus – of solar panels mean the long-term value of an investment will reap rewards for many years to come.
Adding at new build stage makes sense
Next year, if all goes well, we’ll be seeing new houses springing up with rooftop solar with storage batteries and possibly EV chargers. This will give homeowners who haven’t yet moved to solar, the confidence that they are making the right choice.
The rationale for the new Government plan is to wean Britain off its reliance on imported gas power and on to cheaper homegrown renewables. Local power generation is an essential part of the energy mix as it reduces pressures on the transmission grid.
Great British Energy
The formation of a new publicly-owned company, Great British Energy (GB Energy), capitalised with £8.3 billion over the next parliament, is instrumental in making this happen. GB Energy will partner with energy companies, local authorities, and co-operatives to install thousands of clean power projects, through a combination of onshore wind, solar, and hydropower projects.
The plan is to make Britain a clean energy superpower. Bring it on!