Now plug-in solar panels for your balcony

A decision that developers will be required to install solar panels and heat pumps in all new homes in England is a great step forward, says Midlands green energy expert Ron Fox.

He was commenting on the Government’s long-awaited Future Homes Standard, which also wants to make it easier for those in existing homes and flats in the UK to access renewable energy.

As part of the scheme, ministers said plug-in panels that can be installed on balconies would be available in supermarkets in the coming months.

The changes are estimated to add an additional £10,000 onto the cost of building a new home, but over the long term will bring down the cost of energy bills for customers.

The savings could be significantly increased where homes have batteries, but the government has opted not to include those as a requirement.

“It is a very encouraging move, which will play an important part in the fight against climate change,” said Ron Fox, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science Innovation Park. “It will also give people clean power, which is essential for our energy security, particularly with the present political situation in the Middle East.”

He added: “For those with a larger balcony, homeowners could also put up a solar water panel to get cheaper hot water as well.”

He said solar water heaters use sunlight to heat water for domestic use, whereas PV solar panels take the sunlight to generate electricity. These systems, which can also be mounted on roofs or in small garden spaces, can supply up to 70-90 per cent of a home’s annual hot water, as well as reducing energy bills and carbon footprints.

The plug-in panels have been successful in Germany, where it is estimated that more than 1.5m homes have them.

At the moment, the panels are not sold in the UK as they do not meet safety regulations for electrical installations. The government said it was working to review and update these rules in the coming months.

The guidance published at the end of last month means that from 2028, no new homes will be on the gas network – and will instead be on a heat network or get a heat pump. They must also have solar panels on their roofs covering an area equivalent to 40 per cent of the ground floor space.

First proposed by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson back in 2019 – four years after the Zero Carbon Homes policy was scrapped – the changes to the Building Regulations will finally come into force in full in just under two years’ time in March 2028, following a 12-month transition period.

In Scotland, gas and oil-based heating in new build homes was banned two years ago. Housebuilders are now required to install what it classifies as ‘climate-friendly’ heating systems, which can include wood burners as well as heat pumps or district heating.

But Ron did give one warning about buying solar panels and solar water panels off a supermarket shelf.

“Householders should have their electrical installation checked by an expert as what may be safe in one home may pose a significant risk in another,” he said.

This article raises some interesting questions, said Ron. Would you like cheaper energy bills and hot water? Would you like a plug-in solar panel and solar water panel on your balcony, roof or garden? Is this the green way forward for your home? Send your views to Ron Fox at [email protected]

Ron added: “If you want any advice about installing a solar panel and a solar water panel on your balcony or on your roof, call me on 0845 474 6641 or contact me here .”

Caption: A sunny outlook for solar panels on a balcony. Picture: John Butterworth