The number of Britons considering switching to greener power sources has surged as concerns about rising energy bills and petrol prices mount due to the continuing conflict in the Middle East.
Supplier Octopus Energy said it had its best month ever for solar panel sales in March, up 54 per cent on the year before.
Sales of heat pumps also climbed 51 per cent, while there was a 20 per cent rise in those getting electric vehicle chargers fitted.
Energy customers are protected from rising prices at the moment because of Ofgem’s energy price cap, which will set the maximum bill for a home with average usage to £1,641 per year from April to June, lower than it was in the previous three months.
However, forecaster Cornwall Insight predicts this could jump to £1,973 per year from July if the conflict continues. Fixed deals are also vanishing or rising in price.
This is because gas and oil prices are rising due to disruption in the key shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz.
While the upfront cost of solar panels and heat pumps is high, households stand to make savings on their energy bills over many years and eventually make a return on their investment.
Modern Eco-Friendly Home with Solar Panels (Image: D. Goug/Pexels)
One couple told This is Money how they now pay nothing for their energy, and some months even earn as much as £178.
This is because households with solar panels can sell excess solar power they generate back to the National Grid at times of high demand.
Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy, said:
‘We are seeing a massive shift as people stop just asking and start acting. British families are tired of being held hostage by global fossil fuel prices.
‘By switching to solar and heat pumps, they are becoming their own power stations – locking in low costs and protecting their wallets for the long term.’
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