British Summer Time has just begun, and in anticipation of the auspicious event His Majesty’s Government issued a long overdue press release last week. The initial bullet points of greatest interest to the team here at DES Ltd. read as follows:
- ‘Plug-in’ solar panels to be in shops within months, offering households chance to significantly cut energy bills
- New rules introduced today to ensure majority of new homes in England will come with solar panels fitted as standard
Regarding the first bullet, the Government has this to say:
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 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. The free 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.
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.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has even produced a YouTube short video. Michael Shanks MP, Minister for Energy, explains that:
This doesn’t replace the grid, but it’s a smart source of extra power for your home, and it’s about time we had them here in the UK! Last year alone, in Germany, more than half a million of these were plugged in.
When do you suppose it will be possible to actually purchase such “easy-to-install technology” in “the middle of Lidl” in the UK? The moment cannot come soon enough!
Moving on to our second bullet, the press release adds:
The government has taken decisive action in response to the conflict in the Middle East to fight for consumers and businesses on the cost of living, and is speeding up plans for more clean, homegrown energy that the UK controls to ensure energy sovereignty and security.
This is alongside new rules coming into force today implementing the Future Homes Standard, which includes common-sense measures to ensure the majority of new homes are built cheaper to run, with solar panels and clean heating as standard.
Isn’t it a shame that David Cameron’s Conservative Government pulled the plug on the previous Labour Government’s “Zero Carbon Homes” initiative way back in 2015?
