Are solar panels worth it and do you need planning permission? We put your top questions to an expert
Before investing in your own rooftop energy system, it’s wise to do your research. That’s why we’ve asked an expert to answer some of the internet’s most-searched questions on solar panels The way solar panels work is pretty simple
Grid War: How Geopolitics And Anxiety Drive Home Solar
In December 2025, Russian state-sponsored hackers deployed a destructive “wiper” malware against Poland’s power grid, targeting the digital links between wind and solar farms and their distribution operators, along with two heat-and-power plants serving roughly half a million homes.
Phil Spencer reveals why he is putting more solar panels on his house – and what you need to consider if you get some
Property guru Phil Spencer has revealed he plans to install more solar panels on his house, as energy bills are forecast to jump again. The Location, Location, Location presenter says his house in Hampshire, which he purchased several years
Solar powers record share of Britain’s electricity mix in July
Farms and rooftop panels contribute 14.4% to the grid – and figures reveal a surge in new installations Solar energy supplied more power to Great Britain’s grid in July than in any previous month as households turned to rooftop
Could solar panels make running air conditioning free?
Britain's third heatwave of the year has left people sweltering and sent interest in air conditioning soaring. However, many worry not just about the cost of installing air con but also of running it, so could combining it with
Peak Oil: Specter and Substance
It’s been a long time now since peak oil dropped off the radar screens of public consciousness. Mention it these days and the reaction you’ll get from the few people who remember it at all amounts to “Yeah, that’s
A quarter of EU power came from solar for the first time in June
The EU saw a record share of power from solar in June 2026, making it the EU’s largest single source of power for only the third month ever. For the first month ever, solar power provided a quarter of
Rooftop solar can provide five hours of ‘free’ air conditioning a day. But is it green?
Energy analysts say solar power and air conditioning are ‘complementary technologies’ – but is the race to cool Europe down backfiring? Europe’s solar boom is providing homes with hours of ‘free’ air conditioning (AC) – providing much-needed relief amid
Heatwave delivers £40m bonus for UK homes with solar panels
Last week’s heatwave delivered a £40 million windfall to the nearly two million British households with solar panels, reveals analysis by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service. Seven days of hot, sunny weather generated almost twice the amount of