- The new policy has been welcomed by campaigners
- Home buyers are expected to save more than £1,000 on their annual energy bill
- However, housebuilders have criticised these plans
Housebuilders will be legally required to install solar panels on all new-build properties by 2027, according to new plans by the government, in a move that could cut bills and generate huge amounts of clean energy.
The new policy comes after the government’s net-zero strategy was criticised by former Prime Minister Tony Blair, as it would add between £3,000-£4,000 onto the cost of the home. However, it is expected to save those purchasing a home more than £1,000 on their annual energy bill, according to The Times.
This is all part of Labour’s target of building 1.5m new homes by the end of parliament in 2029, as well as its promise to decarbonise the electric grid by 2030 and cut household energy bills by £300 a year.
Ministers, according to The Guardian, are expected to offer government-funded loans and grants for the installation of solar panels on existing homes, a move that will see the government press ahead with its net zero agenda.
Greenpeace welcomed the news, saying that the UK had “wasted the free energy that falls on the roofs of houses every single day”.
Describing the policy as “common sense”, Lily-Rose Ellis, Greenpeace’s UK climate campaigner, said that people living in newbuild houses will “now save hundreds every year on their energy bills”.
Roger Mortlock, ceo of the Council for Preservation of Rural England (CPRE) said the UK’s roofs have the potential to “generate huge amounts of cheap and sustainable energy” and “slash people’s bills” and called for solar panels to be “rolled out across warehouses, car parks and existing homes”.
However, the news has been met with some controversy. Earlier in May, Blair called for a radical reset of net zero policies, including investments in carbon capture and other clean technology.
Housebuilders have also criticised these plans, warning that the imminent regulations could prove hard to implement and even cause delays to building.
The Home Builders Federation said it was “unrealistic” for the government to expect all new homes to be suitable for 40% coverage at full efficiency and capacity, given many would have uneven roofs and north-facing aspects.
According to the Financial Times, its submission said that 20% would be a more realistic target to set.
The Federation told the Financial Times that the proposal could “slow the delivery of new-build homes” because companies would have to seek “prior approval” from councils in advance if they wanted to provide less than 40%.
Government officials have said there will be flexibility for legitimate cases where it would be appropriate to have reduced or no solar panel coverage.
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However, some industry bodies have welcomed the news, as Chris Hewett, chief executive, Solar Energy UK claimed it will help boost energy security, cut bills and put the UK closer to reaching net zero.
Builders are seeking to upskill the construction workforce to help equip them to install solar panels on new-build homes.
The housing department said it has listened to housebuilders and other views to develop practical, yet ambitious proposals through the Future Homes Standard to maximise the installation of solar panels on new homes.
A spokesperson said: “We have always been clear that we want solar panels on as many new homes as possible because they are a vital technology to help cut bills for families, boost our national security and help deliver net zero.
“Through the Future Homes Standard, we plan to maximise the installation of solar panels on new homes as part of our ambition to ensure all new homes are energy efficient, and will set out final plans in due course.”
