The UK government has exempted retrofitted battery energy storage systems (BESS) from its 20% VAT, from 1 February 2024. From the Spring Statement in 2022, energy saving domestic equipment such as heat pumps and roof-mounted solar have been exempt from the VAT. BESS too were exempt, but only when installed alongside other energy-saving materials such
When the grid goes down, most solar systems that lack a battery will also shut down. But with batteries, a home can disconnect from the grid. Each day, the sun powers the home and charges up the batteries, which provide power through the night. Our team atBerkeleyLab explored what it would take for homes and
One of the oft-heard criticisms of electric vehicles (EVs) is that, although they may be zero emission at the tailpipe, millions of tonnes of CO2 is created during the generation of their energy. While there is some truth in this given that huge amounts of fossil fuels are burnt by power stations, an increasing amount
Charlotte Lee, CEO from the Heat Pump Association (HPA), discusses the trade association’s new report, including recommendations to unlock the national-level decarbonisation opportunity presented by heat pumps. The pressing need to combat climate change has prompted the UK government to set an ambitious target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Recognising that the
Oliver Dowden this week advised people to stock up on certain supplies – but some people have been doing it for years Kathryn is a firm believer in the 19th-century adage that we are only ever nine meals from anarchy. Having learned the skill of stockpiling from her wartime parents and grandparents, her first mini-foray
The Emirati head of the UN's climate conference pressed countries on Wednesday to strive for common ground and reach a "historic" deal by early next week, giving negotiators days to untangle disagreements over the fate of fossil fuels. It is rare for UN climate talks to end as scheduled but COP28 president Sultan Al
The government has confirmed that homes with flat roofs can now install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels without planning permission. As part of the confirmation, the government also removed the 1MW capacity restriction, which required businesses to apply for planning permission if its solar panels were to generate over 1MW of electricity. Announced by the
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have risen to yet another record high in 2023, leading scientists to warn that it now appears "inevitable" that global warming will exceed the dangerous threshold of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) above preindustrial levels. Humanity released 40.6 billion tons (36.8 billion metric tons) of carbon dioxide into
Households should stock up on candles and battery-powered radios in case a catastrophe cripples digital gadgets, the deputy prime minister has warned. Oliver Dowden urged people to prepare for being thrown back to an 'analogue' era if internet and power systems collapse. Details will be set out in an official government 'resilience website' –
Nissan has confirmed that all three models made at its UK plant will go 100% electric. The announcement means the EV36Zero hub in Sunderland, Nissan's blueprint for future manufacturing, will consist of three electric vehicles (EVs), three gigafactories and up to £3 billion investment. The transformational project includes future all-electric versions of Nissan's flagship Qashqai and JUKE