Call us today on 0115 888 2777
Get a Quote

Category: Blog

Solar Panels Benefits for Businesses

Posted on by Creative Asset

With the continuously rising price of oil and the growing concerns for the environment, more and more businesses are turning to alternative sources of energy. Among the most popular of these energy sources is solar energy, a sustainable option that is becoming more financially viable every year. 

As small, medium and large companies alike are now discovering, solar panels can be highly beneficial in a number of different ways. Here are some of the main benefits of solar panels for businesses.

Return on Investment

As important as it is to help the planet, we understand that a business is a business; the priority is ultimately to make money. Therefore, if solar panels didn’t make much sense financially, there would be little motivation to have them installed. 

Fortunately, solar panels can all but guarantee a sound return on your investment. The reason for this is a combination of solar PV technology being more widely available (and therefore cheaper), the yearly savings on electricity bills, and minimal maintenance requirements for the solar panels. 

Due to the continuing rises in the cost of National Grid supplied energy, solar energy is now estimated to be around 60-70% cheaper than buying from the grid. This means you can expect to pay back the cost of installation in as little as 5 years (perhaps even less now that VAT has been cut), and then enjoy a generous ROI (around 15% per year) thereafter.

It’s also worth noting that if you choose to finance the capital outlay, you could expect to achieve a positive cash flow within two years. 

Reduce Operating Costs

Solar PV energy is one of the best ways to cut costs for your business. Granted, the initial payment for installation may seem expensive, but the mid-to-long-term benefits more than outweigh the initial costs. 

Plus, as soon as your solar panels are installed, you’ll immediately see reductions in your electricity bill. On average, businesses currently pay between 11 and 15p for every kWh of energy, whereas the average cost of producing commercial solar PV energy is 5p.

Also considering the fact that energy bills are set to double in the next ten years, it’s clear that solar panels will save your business more and more money as time goes on. 

Earn a “Green” Label

The environment is rightly a huge concern nowadays, with more and more customers becoming aware of how they personally impact the world’s ecosystem. As a result, these customers are being more choosy about the businesses they buy from; specifically, they may avoid businesses that are making no effort to adopt more sustainable practices.

By going green with solar panels and consequently reducing your carbon footprint, you are sending a very clear message of support for the planet. This can create some great PR opportunities, and may ultimately attract customers away from your non-green competitors.  

Low Maintenance Requirements

Solar panels have no moving parts, and for the most part, you can rely on the rain to take care of most of the cleaning. They are designed to last a very long time, and most solar PV systems nowadays come with a 25-year warranty. The only thing that will likely need attention is the inverter, which will need to be replaced around the 10-15 year mark.

Other than that, once installed, you can pretty much forget about your solar panels as they work their money-saving magic. 

Get Paid for Exported (Unused) Energy

Solar panels don’t just save your business money; they can make you money, too. This is thanks to the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), a government incentive scheme that rewards households and businesses for the solar energy they export. So if you generate electricity that you don’t use yourself, it gets pumped back into the National Grid, and you get paid for it.  

Exactly how much you make will depend on the size of your system and your energy tariff. In any case, the money-making opportunity from the SEG scheme is a very welcomed bonus for commercial solar panels.  

Prepare for the Future With Solar Panels for Your Business

Rising electricity prices aren’t going anywhere, and neither are solar panels. As time goes on, solar panels simply make increasing sense for businesses. By having solar panels installed, you are protecting yourself from the tumultuous price hikes in National Grid-supplied energy, and you are joining the crucial global movement towards a more sustainable future. 

If you want to support the future growth and economic well-being of your business, look no further than solar panels. If you are a business in the East Midlands, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at MTG. 

As accredited providers of commercial solar panels, we are more than happy to answer any questions, provide a free quotation, and of course supply you with a solar PV system that will provide numerous benefits for your business!

How Solar Panels Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

Posted on by Creative Asset

If you are looking for a simple, cost-effective way to reduce your carbon footprint, then look no further than solar panels. 

Together with the money-saving opportunities, the prospect of clean energy is why more and more solar panels are appearing on the roofs of properties across the UK. If you’re curious to learn more about how solar panels reduce your carbon footprint, read on!

How do solar panels reduce your carbon footprint?

The sun provides enough raw energy in just one hour to power the entire earth for a year. And unlike the fossil fuels commonly used in domestic and business settings, it is clean, renewable energy. 

Solar panels allow us to harness this energy. Using photovoltaic cells, they convert the photons of sunlight into a current of electricity, which is then passed through an inverter to generate an alternating current. This alternating current is the free, renewable energy that can either power your property or be fed into the National Grid. 

As a result, you use fewer fossil fuels, and therefore significantly reduce your carbon footprint. 

How much do solar panels reduce your carbon footprint?

According to the Energy Saving Trust, the average UK home with a solar PV system installed could reduce carbon emissions by 1.3 to 1.6 tonnes per year. 

To put that into context, 1.3 tonnes of CO2 is roughly the same amount of emissions that come from using 536 gallons of petrol, or charging 607,904 smartphones. 

Over the course of 30 years, a standard solar PV system can be expected to save 39 tons of carbon dioxide. This is equivalent to the amount of CO2 saved from planting 2,365 tree seedlings.  

Do solar panels have a carbon footprint?

Though solar panels don’t produce emissions once installed, the production steps leading to the installation inevitably contain a carbon footprint – from the mining of the metals, to the panel manufacturing process, to the transportation of the finished panels.

However, ever since the inception of solar panels, plenty of work and research has been carried out to improve the carbon efficiency of the manufacturing process. The solar industry has matured a great deal in recent years, and manufacturers have been able to adopt a number of practices that reduce emissions, including the use of more carbon-efficient materials.

Moreover, as renewable energy becomes more common, manufacturers rely less and less on coal to power the production process. This eventually could lead to a future where there are zero carbon emissions in the solar panel manufacturing process.

It’s also worth noting that any carbon debt you acquire from having solar panels installed will be 20 times less than the carbon output of coal-powered electricity sources. So in effect, you’ll completely reduce your emissions by just having solar panels installed. After just three years of use, the panels will have completely neutralised your carbon footprint.     

How to make the most out of your solar panels

One of the great things about solar panels is that, once they’re installed, you don’t really have to worry about them. Solar PV requires very little maintenance and will work its magic even on cloudy days. 

Your system will prioritise using electricity generated from your panels, and it will seamlessly switch to using energy from the National Grid whenever necessary. This means you won’t notice any difference in your electricity supply.

Your solar panels will work alongside your normal energy tariff without you having to notify your energy company. Having said that, you should consider shopping around to make sure you’re getting the best available tariff. 

In terms of your electricity usage, it’s best to use any heavy-duty appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers during the day, as this is when your solar panels are most effective. If you’re usually out during the day, you can take advantage of any inbuilt timers your appliances may have. 

You’ll also have the option to install a solar battery or energy storage system, which can store electricity generated during the day to be used at a separate time. This will help to ensure you’re using as much of your solar energy as possible, thus further reducing your carbon footprint. 

Invest in solar panels today to start reducing your carbon footprint!

Solar panels are undeniably a force for good when it comes to lowering carbon emissions, and by having them installed on your property, you’ll be playing a huge role in the planet-wide quest for sustainability – and saving yourself money on bills in the process!

At MTG, we provide top-quality solar panels to households and businesses across the Midlands. Get in touch today to receive a free quotation! 

12 Things You Should Know About Solar Panels (Part 2/2)

Posted on by Creative Asset

We could talk endlessly about the many interesting features and benefits of solar panels, but because we are conscious of your time, we have decided to limit ourselves to just 12. In part one of ‘12 things you should know about solar panels’, we covered their money-making capabilities, their hassle-free nature, and more. 

Welcome to part two, where we look at other interesting things worth knowing about solar panels. Feel free to check out part one first if you haven’t already, or you could go there afterwards, it’s up to you. Either way, here are six more things that you should know about solar panels!

They increase the value of your home

That’s right! We long suspected that solar panels increase the value of a property, but it wasn’t confirmed until recently. A few months ago, Solar Energy UK released a report revealing that solar panels could increase the value of a UK home by as much as £3,000!

This ground-breaking research involved a statistical analysis of five million property transactions, and the results were clear. Along with the monthly savings and money made from the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), the value increasing nature of solar panels all but guarantees a significant return on investment for you, your family and your business. 

It’s also very likely that, as the demand for solar energy continues to rise, so too will the amount of value solar panels add to your property. 

They are helping to save the planet

According to the Energy Saving Trust, a typical home solar PV system could save around 1.3 to 1.6 tonnes of carbon per year. In the grand scheme of the climate crises, these may seem like small and insignificant figures – but spread across thousands of businesses and households, these carbon savings are having a huge impact. 

You can calculate your savings ahead of time

If you want to get a more tangible idea of the savings you could make with solar panels, you could check out the Energy Saving Trust’s solar energy calculator. This clever tool gives an estimation of potential savings based on the information you provide. 

While there is no guarantee of accuracy, it should give you reassurance as to whether or not a solar PV system is right for you. 

They won’t affect your electricity supply

As long as your solar panels are installed correctly, the system will be able to switch seamlessly between solar energy and energy from the national grid. So if ever your solar panels don’t generate enough power, you won’t be left without electricity. 

There’s also no need to tell your energy company that you are having solar panels installed, since they are designed to work alongside your normal energy tariff. Having said that, you should consider shopping around to make sure your tariff is giving you the biggest possible savings!

You could recoup the costs in less than a decade

It takes an average of nine years for a UK solar household to recoup the cost of installation. This is based on a combination of factors, including where you live and how much electricity you use each day. 

In any case, it’s pretty much guaranteed that your solar panels will pay themselves back in less than 20 years. So if you’re planning on staying in your current property for a long time, solar panels are pretty much a no-brainer!

They reduce your energy bills!

We’ve saved the best till last. Indeed, this is the main reason why households and businesses alike choose to go solar. For the average household, a 3.5 kWp system could knock between £170 and £440 per year off your bills (according to the latest Energy Saving Trust estimations).

As the cost of living continues to rise, solar panels provide a refreshing constant in an otherwise turbulent energy market. Electricity generated from the sun is free, and always will be. 

Get in touch today to join the solar revolution!

That’s it for our round-up of things you should know about solar panels. Hopefully, you’ve learned something new, and have also been reassured that solar panels are a great choice for your home or your business!

Nonetheless, having solar panels installed is a big decision, and you’ll no doubt want to make absolutely sure they are right for you. If you have any questions or concerns, please give us a call – we’d be happy to help. And better yet, we can offer you a free, no-obligation quote. 

Start your planet-saving, money-saving and money-making solar journey today!

Solar Panels Success Stories

Posted on by Creative Asset

All around the world, public support surrounding solar panels is growing. The past decade has seen a drop in price and an increase in production, sparking a great deal of excitement as a result. 

And this excitement is well justified. Considering the Earth receives enough raw energy from the sun in just one hour to power the entire Earth for a year, the planet-saving potential of solar energy is plain to see. All we have to do is scale up our capacity to make the most of that energy.  

While there is still a long way to go, the team at MTG are delighted to be part of a global movement towards a more sustainable future. Households, businesses, and national communities alike have made the switch to solar, each telling their own story of sustainable success.

We have plenty of our own stories to share, but this article is a celebration of solar success stories across the world, great and small. From small households to national projects, here are some shining examples of why we should embrace the power of the sun. 

Residential Solar Panel Success

To kick off the celebrations, let’s trek to a land down under…

The Blighs – Solar holidays

Living quietly beneath the glaring Australian sun, Grant Bligh first considered switching to solar after a door knocker offered to get him some quotes. His interest was piqued, but he wanted to do more research first. 

Before long, he had received a quote from a company that ticked all the right boxes. By November 2018, Grant had a 6.6kW solar PV system installed on his property. All that was left to do was to watch the savings roll in. 

Fast forward a few years, and Grant has happily reported a drop in his electricity bills from $650 to approximately $100 per quarter – and those savings are now going straight into his and his wife’s holiday fund!

You can check out Grant’s full story here. 

Next up, let’s bring it back closer to home.

The Pagets – A solar win-win

Sure, Australia is a lot hotter than the UK, but that doesn’t mean we benefit any less from solar energy here in cloudy ol’ England.

Take the Pagets, for example, a family of five who live in rural Herefordshire, a place not particularly well-known for its nice weather. Fruit and cider production, yes, but definitely not sunny skies. 

Nonetheless, in the summer of 2015, Mark Paget decided that he and his family ought to do their bit and make the switch to solar. They had a 3.64kWp system installed, consisting of 14 panels which would straight away work their money-saving magic. In the first 12 months, they saved almost £200. 

But that’s not all. In the UK, there is a government Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme that basically rewards solar panel users for any excess energy they generate, paying 11-13p per kWh.

The Pagets were of course eligible for this scheme, and are thus making a nice bit of pocket money every month in addition to their consistent solar savings. As Mark himself commented, “It’s a win-win situation.” 

Take that, Australia! Here’s the full story. 

Moving on. Domestic success stories are great, but now let’s think a little bigger.

Commercial Solar Panel Success 

It’s always great to hear about businesses and institutions embracing the power and potential of solar panels. Here are a couple of shining examples.

The India Habitat Centre – An Indian Summer

Located in the heart of New Delhi, the India Habitat Centre (IHC) is a real hot-spot of culture, bringing together individuals and institutions from all walks of life.

The IHC was facing a major problem of overloading during peak hours. Being spread across 9 acres, often running multiple events and exhibitions at the same time, the power demands were getting out of hand and the bills were mounting to unsustainable levels. 

Eventually, the people in charge of the IHC decided that solar panels were the way forward to manage the rising popularity of their facilities. In April 2015, after two months of construction, a 250 kWp system was installed on the rooftop. Time to catch some rays!

The yearly reports have spoken of nothing but success. The IHC has saved an average of INR 1.75 million (roughly £17,000) annually, and they have cut down on their CO2 emissions by over 100 tons per year. 

You can read the full project report here.

Ahmarra Door Installations – Opportunity knocks…

Based in Hampshire, UK, Ahmarra door solutions was keen to explore the value of solar PV. They had a lot of roof space to utilise, and after receiving a thorough breakdown of investment costs and expectation of revenue, they barely hesitated with the decision to proceed.

A 240 kWp solar system was promptly installed, and as a result, Ahmarra has enjoyed annual savings of over £26,000 on their electricity bills. The panels are set to pay for themselves in as little as five years, and due to the value-increasing nature of solar panels, it has been projected there will be a profit of £655,790 after 20 years.

Opportunity knocked, and being the door experts they are, Ahmarra welcomed it with open arms – and now they are reaping the rewards. 

You can read the full report here.

Large scale solar success

It’s not just homeowners and businesses that are looking to harvest energy from the sun; entire nations are also committing to make large-scale transitions to solar power…

PV for the People of Peru

For the past decade, the South American nation Peru has been on a mission to provide solar power for the vast majority of its residents. 

The program has been aimed at the poorest people in the country, particularly those who live so remotely that they have no access to the grid. Before the program commenced, roughly half of the Peruvian population lived in poverty, and one-third of the population had literally no access to electricity. 

The Peruvian Government recognised that solar PV had the ability to provide electricity to areas that were too remote for the grid, and therefore it was decided that a large, long-term investment would be made. Through a series of rollouts starting in 2012, they installed thousands of solar panels in the rural areas of Peru, granting free electricity to those who needed it most.

The project is ongoing, but has so far been a success. Hundreds of thousands of Peruvian households now have access to electricity thanks to solar PV.

The Solar Revolution

It’s been estimated that at least 92.7 billion solar panels are in use throughout the world today. That estimation was made about a year ago, so it’s probably way more now. 

Considering that each solar panel produces an average of 500-550 kWh of energy per year, that’s… a lot of power. 

As a planet, we are marching swiftly towards a more sustainable future, and solar PV is confidently leading the charge. 

We’re excited to see what the future holds for solar power!

Now might be the perfect time for you to join the solar revolution. If you live in or close to Nottingham, and want to bask in the power of the sun like many households, businesses and nations are doing across the world, then get in touch with MTG today. 

We’ve been trusted providers of solar panels in Nottingham for over a decade, and have a lot of great stories to tell. Yours could be the next!

12 Things You Should Know About Solar Panels (Part 1/2) 

Posted on by Creative Asset

 
If you’ve been hearing a lot about solar panels recently, you may be aware that their prices are continuing to fall, and this fact alone is usually enough to pique interest.  

 
Considering the ongoing rise of electricity prices, solar panels are simply making more and more sense to households and businesses across the UK. The prospect of free energy at a reduced premium (not to mention the benefits for the environment) is too tempting to ignore, and is perhaps what has led you to this article! 

 
Before you make a decision on getting solar panels for your home or your business, you’re no doubt keen to know a bit more about them, and we are happy to oblige. Here’s part one of our roundup of things you should know about solar panels. 

They’ve been around for a long time 

It might surprise you to learn that the flashy photovoltaic technology of solar panels dates back as far as the 19th century. In 1839, a major breakthrough in the evolution of solar energy occurred when a young French scientist named Edmund Bacquerel discovered the ‘photovoltaic effect’ whilst doing research in his father’s lab.  

 
When exposing an electrolyte cell to light, Bacquerel found that its energy increased, thus unlocking a new realm of solar possibility. In 1883, American inventor Charles Fritts made the first ever working solar cell, which achieved a solar efficiency of 1%. We’ve come a long way since then; today, most solar panels have an efficiency of around 20%, and some can reach as high as 50%.  

They work in cloudy weather 

While it’s true that maximum efficiency is achieved when the sun is shining, your solar panels will still generate electricity on cloudy days and during winter. This is because the photovoltaic cells on the panels generate power from daylight, not sunlight or heat.  

 
Let’s face it, if solar panels were reliant on nothing but direct sunlight, the UK solar industry would be doomed.  

They can make you money 

Back in January 2020, the government launched the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme, whereby solar panel users get paid for any excess energy they send back to the National Grid.  

 
Based on which tariff you secure, a 4kWp solar panel system could currently make you close to £400 per year. So in addition to the monthly savings you’ll make on your energy bills, you could also earn a nice bit of pocket money.  

They require no maintenance  

Once your solar panels are installed, you can basically forget about them. They require very little maintenance over the course of their long lifespans, save for the occasional hose down if too many leaves settle on the surface. But if your panels are on a slanted roof, the rain will do most of the cleaning for you.  

 
Other than that, the only bit of maintenance you need to be aware of is the inverter, which typically needs replacing after 10-15 years. It’s also a good idea to have an installer examine your systems every 5 years or so, just to make sure everything is working as it should.  

They are not as expensive as you might think 

The price of solar panels has dropped quite significantly over the past few years. Previously you’d have expected to fork out over £6,000 for an averagely sized 3.5kWh system, whereas now you can now easily secure one for less than £5,000.  

 
This is due to a number of factors, including advancements in the tech and government support schemes. And as high-quality solar panels become more and more readily available, it’s likely these prices will continue to fall.    

You don’t need planning permission  

Solar PV is classed as permitted development, so as long as your panels don’t protrude more than 200mm off the edge of your rooftop, you will not have to apply for planning permission to install a solar system on your house.  

 
Naturally, there will be restrictions within protected sites or on listed buildings, but you can potentially get around this by applying for listed building consent from your local council. Approval usually depends on whether or not the panels are deemed to damage the character of the building or cause major structural changes.    

Get in touch today to start your solar journey! 

That wraps up part one, but feel free to jump right on to part two – we talk about increasing the value of your home, your reduced carbon footprint, and a bunch of other good stuff!  

 
If you’re keen to start saving (and making!) money with solar panels, get in touch today! We’re happy to answer any questions you might have, and we can arrange a free, no-obligation site visit. 

Top 5 Reasons Why You Need Solar Panels in 2022

Posted on by Creative Asset

If 2021 taught us anything, it’s that we are undeniably on the verge of a terrible climate crisis. Wildfires, severe weather events, and extreme temperatures have all been on the rise, compelling more and more of us to action.  

 
Rather than dwelling on some of the shocking statistics of the previous year, we are deciding instead to look hopefully towards the future. The new year has dawned, and with it, a number of opportunities to help mother earth on her road to recovery – solar panels being chief among them.  

 
Year after year, solar panels have proven themselves to be a crucial ally in the fight against climate change. But it’s not just the planet that benefits from the convertible power of the sun; your pocket also stands to gain a LOT in the long run. 

 
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top five reasons why you need solar panels in 2022.  

Get paid for the excess energy you generate 

In January 2020, the Government launched a new scheme known as the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), which basically rewards households for any excess electricity generated by their solar panels.  


If you generate solar energy which you don’t use yourself, it gets pumped back into the national energy grid for use in other homes and businesses, and you get paid for it. 

 
You’ll have to shop around for the best tariffs (we can help with that), but as of January 2022, you could get as much as 6p per kWh. Combined with your energy bill savings, this could earn you as much as £200 a year.  

Reduce your carbon emissions 

When it comes to saving the planet, lowering our home’s carbon footprints is one of the best things we can do as individuals, and solar panels are of course a sure-fire way of doing just that. 

 
Solar energy is totally clean. There is no fuel to burn, nor any gas to guzzle, meaning that no greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere. As a renewable, sustainable, emission-free power source, the carbon footprint of solar power is next to nothing compared to other power generation methods.   

 
The sun has enough beans to give us all the energy we’ll ever need, and then some. Provided we can turn that solar energy into usable electricity (which we can), the sun could easily power every home in the UK. Imagine how much better off we’d be if every house went solar?    

Spend less time and money on maintenance 

A well designed, properly installed solar PV system requires very little maintenance. This is because there are no moving parts, and all components of the system are built to last a very long time.  

 
The only guaranteed maintenance cost is replacing the inverter, but this typically isn’t necessary until around the 15-year mark.  

 
Solar panels are highly durable and resilient, and though the technology is constantly improving, even the earliest models have been known to produce for 20+ years! 

 
Today, most manufacturers offer a 25-year production warranty on their solar panels. However, there is plenty of real-world evidence to show that solar panels can easily last for 30+ years.  

Save money on your utility bills 

Solar power is a free and unlimited resource. Once your panels are installed, they won’t cost you any more money, and you’ll be generating free electricity.  

 
The less electricity you have to take from the grid, the lower your electricity bills will be. As the Energy Saving Trust estimates, a typical four-kilowatt peak (kWp) system can knock between £90 and £240 a year off your bill. 

 
If you are planning on staying in your home for a long time, then your solar panels will eventually pay for themselves, which could conceivably happen in less than a decade. If you’ll be staying in your home for 20+, this will result in huge long-term savings.  

Increase the value of your home 

A recent study by the good folk at Solar Energy UK confirmed that solar panels do, in fact, increase the value of a UK home – by as much as £3,000. We explored the report in more detail in this blog.  

 
Combined with the potential yearly savings of going solar, this value increase means that solar panels can effectively pay for themselves in as little as nine years. So even if you have no intention of selling your home any time soon, solar panels are an undeniably smart long-term investment. 

 
It is very likely that the value-increasing potential of solar panels will grow further throughout 2022, and beyond.     

 
 
 
If you want to save money, earn money, help save the planet, and increase the value of your home with a long-term, maintenance-free, unlimited power-generating solution, get in touch. With the solar experts at MTG, you could kick off 2022 with these fantastic solar rewards. 

Over 40 Countries Pledge to Phase Out Coal Power Generation

Posted on by Creative Asset

The COP26 climate summit saw more than 40 countries agreeing to quit coal for power generation, but China and the US, fail to join.

What is Happening?

  • More than 40 countries have pledged to phase out coal in a global pact made at the COP26 climate conference. 
  • The world’s biggest coal consumers including China and the US failed to join the pledge, harming the planet’s chances to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. 

More than 40 countries have agreed to phase out coal, the world’s dirtiest fossil fuel, as a source to generate electricity, in pledges made at the UN climate summit in Glasgow.

Major coal-dependent countries including Poland, Vietnam, Chile, Canada, South Korea, Ukraine and Indonesia, are among the nations that have vowed to phase out coal. Disappointingly, however, top coal consumers including China, the US and Australia failed to join the deal, making it all the more difficult for the world to reach the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. 

More than 100 financial institutions and organisations have also signed up to the pledge, with several major banks agreeing to stop financing coal projects.

Signatories have agreed to end all investment in new coal power generation domestically and internationally, but the pledge lacks any concrete commitment or timeline to phase out coal production and consumption. 

Major economies in the past have promised to quit coal in the 2030s “or as soon as possible thereafter” while developing countries agreed to transition away from coal in the 2040s “or as soon as possible thereafter”. Both timelines are a step back from the original 2030 goal.

Coal is the biggest source of greenhouse gas emission in the world and the main culprit of climate change. Globally in 2019, we generated 14.36 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions from coal, compared to 12.36 billion tons of emissions produced from oil.

As the host country of the COP26 summit, the UK had hoped to be the one that “consigned coal to history”. But without countries like the US, the world’s third-largest coal consumer, in the pledge, it would take another decade or even more for the world to phase out the dirty fossil fuel. 

In a separate commitment, however, the US and more than 20 other countries and financial institutions agreed to end public financing for all overseas fossil fuels projects by the end of 2022.

Do Solar Panels Increase the Value of Your Home?

Posted on by Creative Asset

The Latest Findings! 

Solar panels are on the rise, and in the past decade or so, they have become a ‘must-have’ feature for any environmentally conscious homeowner.  

 
With more and more people turning to renewable energy, the same question is often asked: do solar panels increase the value of a property?  

 
Up until recently, we did not have a definitive answer to this question. For many people, the value-adding potential of solar panels was plain to see, while others argued they could actually decrease the value of a property. It was a fair debate, with reasonable points being made on both sides. 

 
But now, thanks to Solar Energy UK, we have some conclusive answers.  

The Value of Solar Property – a game-changing report 

In their latest report, entitled ‘The Value of Solar Property’, Solar Energy UK explored the benefits of residential solar rooftop systems by conducting a statistical analysis of more than five million property transactions. You can download the full report here. 

So, what did they find? 

Do solar panels increase the value of your home? If so, by how much? 

 
Yes! By installing a solar PV system, a typical home could increase its sale price by £1,891 – £2,722. 

 
The exact values will vary based on a number of factors, including the size of the house, the location of the house, and the size of the system installed. In the Midlands, the highest likely increase in value is £2,722, whereas in London it could be as high as £3,053.  

 
As the report points out, this roughly equates to more than half the cost of installing solar panels in the first place. When you then factor in the yearly savings delivered by a solar PV system, which are an average of £330 a year, the return on investments for solar panels are there for all to see. Best-case scenario, your annual savings could be just shy of £1,000.  

 
Effectively, a well-placed solar PV system can pay itself back in as little as nine years. If we’re talking about forever homes, which are typically occupied for 20+ years, then solar panels are an absolute no-brainer.  

 

Implications for the future 

The findings of this report translate to wonderfully good news – not just for solar PV homeowners, but also for the planet.  

 
The case for higher levels of investment in solar is now stronger than ever. We’re expecting the government to support this with fairer solar-related taxes, which would encourage a surge in green initiatives.  

 
Additionally, we’re hoping that this report will influence the ways in which new residential and commercial properties are designed. If profit was the defining factor for property developers on whether or not to build solar-friendly buildings, there is no longer any excuse not to do so. For the UK to meet its net-zero target by 2050, the vast majority of properties must henceforth be built with solar in mind.   

 
We’re at a critical stage with our climate; the need to reduce carbon emissions has never been more urgent. The power generated from solar PV isn’t just value-generating – it’s also clean, sustainable, and unlimited. The more households embrace the planet-saving power of solar PV, the better.   

 
If you want to add value to your home, and help save the planet in the process, get in touch! 

Solar PV & other green tech given business rates exemptions, relief in 2021 Budget

Posted on by Creative Asset

Solar PV, energy storage and other clean energy technologies are to be exempt from business rate rises from April 2023 as part of Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s 2021 Budget, representing a major victory for the sector.

Discussing business rates during his Autumn 2021 Budget, Sunak said the Treasury was responding to calls by the Federation of Small Businesses and the British Property Federation by introducing new investment relief to encourage British businesses to adopt green technologies such as solar PV.

HMT’s red book confirms this within a section on ‘Warmer, greener buildings’ which states that “the government is providing business rates exemptions and relief in England for eligible green technologies to support the decarbonisation of non-domestic buildings”.

The finer details are laid out in the government’s final report on its review of business rates, also published today and readable here, which states that the government is to introduce an exemption for all eligible plant and machinery used in onsite renewable energy generation and storage from 2023 until 2035.

Eligible technologies include rooftop solar PV, battery storage that is used in conjunction with renewables and electric vehicle charging points.

It represents a major victory for campaigners from the UK solar, energy storage and other clean energy industries who have been calling for such a change for almost five years. At present, technology in the way business rates are calculated has meant that businesses investing in onsite energy generation have seen increases in rates payable for those investments of up to 500%, a factor that has served as a major deterrent.

Renewables trade associations in the UK have routinely lobbied for the change and last year addressed the Chancellor directly, calling for changes to business rates to reflect the need to decarbonise the built environment.

Chris Hewett, CEO at Solar Energy UK, said: “Today the Government have given rooftop solar a big endorsement by finally removing the perverse business rates treatment for onsite solar and energy storage, originally imposed in 2017. Companies and public sector bodies which have taken action to cut carbon by installing solar, will now also be rewarded with a cut in their business rate bills in the future.” 

Nina Skorupska CBE, CEO at the Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology, also welcomed the relief, stating it would “support businesses in taking necessary steps to reduce their carbon footprint in a challenging economic climate”.

Madeleine Greenhalgh, policy lead at Regen and the Electricity Storage Network, added: “The industry has been battling for fairer business rates for some time, so this change is very welcome and will encourage more businesses to invest in rooftop solar and storage. In an otherwise disappointing 2021 Budget for net-zero, this offers a glimmer of hope and the rectification of a distortion which has penalised businesses who invest in decarbonisation.”

Whilst a major victory for renewables in the UK, the industry was otherwise largely absent from inclusion in Sunak’s 2021 Budget.

Despite repeated calls from energy industry organisations, the Budget included no commitment to change VAT levels for technologies such as solar PV, heat pumps and domestic batteries. In July, the Treasury had noted that removing VAT on green products could “impose significant additional pressure” on finances.

Further green financing was confirmed, including support for offshore wind, nuclear and carbon capture utilisation and storage.

Within the executive summary, the Treasury wrote: “Taken together, this spending package, along with bold action on regulation and green finance, will keep the UK on track for its carbon budgets and 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution, and support the pathway to net-zero by 2050. It does so in a way that creates green jobs across the country, attracts investment, and ensures energy security.”

Boris Johnson Aims UK Electricity to be 100% Green Power by 2035

Posted on by Creative Asset

The UK pledges to make all electricity generation sourced from renewable energy by 2035. 

What is Happening?

  • Boris Johnson has confirmed plans for all of Britain’s electricity to be generated from green power and renewable sources by 2035.
  • The aim will help the UK’s path towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. 

Boris Johnson aims for all electricity generation in the UK to be 100% sourced from Green Power and renewable energy by 2035.

Speaking at the UK Conservation party conference taking place between October 3-6, Johnson has confirmed plans for the UK’s path towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Amid the UK’s ongoing fuel crisis, caused by a shortage of truck drivers which was exacerbated by Brexit. Johnson has said a full clean power shift can help lessen the impacts of gas price fluctuations.

“Looking at the progress that we’re making in wind power, where we lead the world now in offshore wind, looking at what we can do with other renewable sources, carbon capture and storage with hydrogen potentially, we think we can get to complete clean energy production by 2035,” said Johnson in a broadcast interview.

“[100% green power] will mean that for the first time the UK is not dependent on hydrocarbons, coming from overseas, with all the vagaries in hydrocarbon prices and the risks that pose for people’s pockets and for the consumer,” he adds. 

The UK is set to play host to the crucial UN climate change summit COP26 next month in Glasgow. While the country has pledged to cut carbon emissions by 78% by 2035, a recent report has found that Britain’s policies in practice are not on track to meet the Paris Agreement climate goals.

In 2020, 43% of the UK’s electricity generation comes from renewable sources but fossil fuel-power power plants, including nuclear power, remain a significant player in national energy production.

Earlier this year, 10 Downing Street announced plans to ban all new fossil fuel vehicles by 2030 in its transport decarbonisation strategy, and Johnson hopes to replicate that with the UK energy grid.