Homeowners interested in buying and installing solar panels on their roof can now do so by visiting their local B&Q store, as the DIY giant announced it is offering them for the first time.
The retailer has teamed up with clean energy solutions provider Egg to offer customized solar panels and battery storage the latest big name to enter the home green energy market.
Solar panel prices start from £7,740 for an eight-panel system, which comes with a 15-year warranty product warranty and a 25-year performance warranty, while the same solution including battery storage starts from £12,250.
Energy saving: B&Q has teamed up with Egg to offer customized solar panels and battery storage
The offering is part of B&Q’s new Energy Saving Service, which advises customers on how to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
Clients can schedule an appointment with a B&Q consultant to review a range of available data on their property, including its age, construction, EPC rating and current energy usage.
B&Q then assesses the suitability of the client’s home for various ways to potentially reduce energy consumption – from solar panels to attic insulation or switching to a more efficient boiler.
> How much would it cost to make your home greener? Two-thirds of owners want to – and one-fifth are even considering taking out a new mortgage
Those who decide to opt for solar panels will be referred to Egg, who will manage the entire process, from advice and design, through planning to installation.
Julie Agnew, CEO of Egg, said: ‘It is significant and exciting that B&Q – one of the most trusted names in home improvement – is guiding customers through energy saving options, enabling them to create homes that are more sustainable and cost efficient.
Egg is excited to partner with B&Q to remove the complexity around solar panels and make solar energy a viable solution for more homeowners.
The company, which started operations in February last year, also makes chargers for electric vehicles.
It said the number of applications for solar panels has seen a staggering 830 percent year-on-year rise in summer 2022 as homeowners look for ways to lower their energy bills amid rising prices, and take advantage of sunny weather.
The energy price crisis has boosted the solar industry, with rooftop solar installations doubling by 2022.
According to recent data from the renewable energy organisation, MCS, a total of 130,596 solar panels were fitted to UK roofs last year. That is almost as many as the installed in 2019, 2020 and 2021 combined.
According to industry association Solar Energy UK, there are now more than 1.26 million registered solar installations across the country, with around 1.1 million of them on homes.
In this week’s budget, the Treasury proposed extending the existing zero sales tax for solar panels, heat pumps and insulation to battery storage, either retrofitted into a solar photovoltaic system or as a standalone unit.
Exemption from VAT is only possible under the current rules if solar panels and battery storage are installed at the same time.
However, there were no other major giveaways to the solar or wind industry by the government, which instead announced investments in carbon capture, low-carbon energy projects and nuclear power.
B&Q’s foray into solar panels is the latest push by major companies to capitalize on an explosion of home energy improvements.
Last month, Octopus Energy unveiled an air source heat pump that can be fitted for just £2,500.
The announcement put the company in competition with British Gas, which recently said it would cut costs for heat pumps to just £2,999 per customer.
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