Solar sector slams Reform UK threatens to double energy bills

A Reform UK government would be terrible for UK billpayers and could cost the average household as much as £4,000 a year. 

Why? Because the party is severely against the idea of generating cheap, clean energy, and instead would prefer to keep households hopelessly at the mercy of fossil fuel markets. 

Fossil fuels cost about 11 pence per kWh to generate electricity. The average UK household uses at the top end about 2,900kWh a year. This would push energy bills to over £3,000 a year, potentially rising to £4,000 if wholesale gas prices remain volatile and the Strait of Hormuz is shut for the long term. 

The results of the local elections have made the prospect of Nigel Farage at Number 10 all the more real. When it comes to energy bills, the volatility we’ve had since the beginning of Donald Trump’s war with Iran would be the norm in a world where we cannot rely on safe and secure supply chains for oil and gas. And no, drilling in the almost entirely empty North Sea is not the answer. 

That’s not just rhetoric: Reform-controlled councils have tried to block clean energy projects, including the Springwell solar farm in Lincolnshire. The party has also set its eyes on other projects in Norfolk. Solar Energy UK describes its policies as “relying on tired and false rhetoric” about solar farms. 

Why is Reform UK so against cheap, clean energy? Probably because about two-thirds of its income is from donors with interest in fossil fuels. Since 2019, when it was known as the Brexit Party, Reform has accepted £26.7m from those with a vested interest in keeping the UK hooked on fossil fuels.

On top of being the best way to keep bills down, clean energy is the best way to make sure the country as a whole is safe. A report from NATO says that the war between the US and Iran has left European countries (big energy importers) “especially vulnerable” to price shocks. 

A separate report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) proves that demand for solar energy is booming worldwide. In 2025, solar energy accounted for 70% of electricity growth globally in 2025. In the EU, solar and wind accounted for 30% of electricity growth, overtaking coal for the first time. 

There are two certainties in the world at the moment: firstly, only renewables can bring bills down for the long term and secondly, almost the whole world knows that fossil fuels belong in the past. Reform UK’s success makes this country’s energy future uncertain, but we have to hope the bill-busting benefits will see it choose the right path. 

Clean energy news

Reform UK threatens British billpayers

Bills could more than double in the long term if we end up reliant on fossil fuels, as Reform UK would like us to be. We’ve explained how we could all be paying much more if the recent local election results turn into a Reform UK government.

Solar Energy UK slams anti-renewable rhetoric

Reform UK’s opposition to renewables are based on fundamental untruths about solar farms and the cost of clean energy vs fossil fuels. They also take a fortune (more than £26m since 2019) in donations from those with interests in gas and oil, unsurprisingly. 

NATO backs clean energy 

Despite Donald Trump despising cheap, clean energy, the NATO alliance knows that getting away from oil and gas is the best way to keep major importers (especially the UK and EU) safe in an increasingly dangerous world. What are the chances of it convincing the US president? Sadly, quite slim.

R&D specialists aiming to put solar panels on EVs

There’s loads of innovation in the clean tech world, and this week we’re featuring solar research and development firm Oxford PV, who are trying to get solar panels on electric vehicles (EVs). This could be a big step towards improving EV range and efficiency.

Average price of clean technology

Solar PV system: £7,972.35

Solar storage battery: £9,414.42

Air source heat pump: £13,773.22

Ground source heat pump: £24,020.55

Number of the week

£4,000

That’s how much a Reform UK government could cost you in energy bills.

Written By

Maximilian Schwerdtfeger Deputy editor

Max joined The Eco Experts as content manager in February 2024 and became deputy editor in 2025. He has written about sustainability issues across numerous industries, including maritime, supply chain, finance, mining, and retail. He has also written extensively for consumer titles like City AM, The Morning Star, and The Daily Express.

He has represented The Eco Experts on national television several times, including the BBC’s Sunday Morning Live and ITV Tonight .

In 2020, he covered in detail the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) legislation on sulphur emissions and its effects on the global container shipping market as online editor of Port Technology International.

He also explored the initiatives major container ports and terminals have launched in order to ship vital goods across the world without polluting the environment.

Since then, he has reported heavily on the impact made by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices on the supply chain of minerals, with a particular focus on rare earth mining in Africa.

As part of this, in 2022 Max visited mines and ports in Angola to hone in on the challenges being faced by one of the world’s biggest producers of rare earth minerals.

His most recent sustainability-related work came much closer to home, as he investigated the eco-challenges faced by independent retailers in the UK, specifically looking at how they can cut emissions and continue to thrive.

Max lives in South London and is an avid reader of books on modern history. He has also recently learned to play the game Mahjong and takes every opportunity to do so. He is also yet to find a sport he doesn’t enjoy watching.

More about

Reviewed By

Will Georgiadis

Since 2018, Will has been the engine of the Expert Reviews production team as sub-editor, senior sub-editor, and now production editor. Will is responsible for making sure that the content Expert Reviews publishes is of the highest quality; he also keeps the team’s vast workflow running smoothly and maintains the ancient and revered Expert Reviews style guide. With five years of experience behind him and thousands of articles edited, sub-edited and triple-checked, Will is confident that you won’t find a single mistake on the site – and if you think you have, you’re wrong.

More about