Solar and Battery

How leasehold reform can unlock the potential of rooftop solar

Proposals for solar farms on green fields are now common. Such proposals split local environmentalists between those who want to preserve nature and farming, and those who think the country needs solar energy at all costs. Rooftop solar can help us reach net zero while protecting our countryside, but we need to look at

The solar panel theory of socioeconomic unfairness

Terry Pratchett's famous economic theory tells us a lot about the urgent need for a net zero transition where the costs and benefits are fairly distributed right across the income scale In his 1993 novel Men at Arms, the late, great comic writer Terry Pratchett deployed one of his characters to present what was

Powering Net Zero with Battery Energy Storage Systems

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are one of the pivotal components in powering Net Zero, one application of BESS is allowing the power generated from renewables such as wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) to be stored until it’s needed. This helps to minimise the amount of renewable energy generated in favourable conditions going to

Shedding light on the finances of solar panels

After energy bills surged, more homeowners are weighing solar panel power. But does it pay off? In 2010, Dr Adrian Penney, a GP in Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire, decided to find a new, creative and green use for his children’s premium bond money. Having been “dead keen on insulation for years”, the 68-year-old installed 2.4

UK VAT relief on residential batteries comes into effect

Effective Feb. 1, the UK government has exempted retrofitted battery energy storage systems (BESS) from the 20% value added tax (VAT). Residential BESS are now exempt from VAT in the United Kingdom when installed either new or retroactively in conjunction with rooftop solar systems. Previously, VAT relief was only available for domestic BESS if installed together

Solar panel installations hit a seven year high

Solar panel installations rose by almost 50% last year, new figures show High energy bills are behind the rise - but panels still have their naysayers  The rate of new solar panel installations on homes reached a seven-year high in 2023, according to new analysis. More than 161,494 new solar panels were installed on

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