German supermarket group Lidl is among organisations working with the government to support the roll-out of 鈥榩lug-in鈥� solar panels.
Within the next few months we can expect to find low-cost solar panels in the middle of Lidl that families can put on their balconies or outdoor space to start saving money on their energy bills.
Lidl GB corporate affairs director Georgina Hall said: 鈥淎t Lidl GB, we are committed to making sustainable living affordable for everyone and we welcome the government鈥檚 move to modernise regulations in the UK. Updating the regulatory landscape for this 鈥榩lug-and-play鈥� technology is a positive step towards empowering British households to manage their energy costs and support the nation鈥檚 net-zero ambitions.鈥�
Plug-in solar is already widely used by households across Europe, with Germany seeing around half a million new devices plugged in per year.聽 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, the government reckons, and help make the UK less reliant on global fossil fuel markets.
The government said that it was accelerating the drive towards solar panels in response to the conflict in the Middle East, which is pushing up fossil fuel energy costs.
At the same time, the government has published the long-awaited Future Homes Standard, which is all much as has been expected after several years of consultation, except for a slight turbocharge on the extent of solar panel requirements on all new homes.
The Future Homes Standard will introduce a functional requirement to the Building Regulations that new homes, with some exceptions (including high-rise buildings), are built with on-site renewable electricity generation. The majority of this is expected to be solar panels.
The Future Homes Standard will also see all new homes built with low carbon heating such as heat pumps and heat networks.
Energy secretary Ed Miliband said: 鈥淭he government is determined to fight people鈥檚 corner in this crisis, which is why we have acted to prevent unfair practices like price gouging and provided immediate help for the most vulnerable facing spiralling heating oil prices.
鈥淭he 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鈥檛 control.
鈥淲hether 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.鈥�
Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, said: 鈥淧eople want to be free of these fossil fuel crises 鈥� since the conflict in the Middle East began, interest in solar has shot up 50%, heat pump and electric cars are also seeing surges. Every solar panel, heat pump and battery cuts bills and boosts Britain鈥檚 energy independence. And the government鈥檚 latest steps can help cut the costs of electrification.
鈥淲ith solar, many homes can produce and use their own electricity, and cut their bills further by selling the excess back to us. With heat pumps and electric cars, their own electricity can slash heating and driving bills 鈥� stuff you simply can鈥檛 do with gas and petrol.鈥�