Scots warm to solar panels as energy bills rise

Over half of those questioned said they had recently installed solar panels or planned to do so, as they seek ways to cut the cost of their energy bills.

Some 44 per cent of homeowners in Scotland said they plan to install solar panels on their homes - that’s almost 20 times more than last year, the study shows.

A further 13 per cent have already installed solar panels.

The Energy Saving Trust says that a typical family of four in a three-bedroomed house can save between £500 and £800 a year on their energy bills, depending on where they live. This saving is made up of households using solar energy earning £560 a year from their supplier for generating electricity, £90 from selling power back to the National Grid, and a further £150 from their electricity bill.

While homeowners can gain long-term savings from having solar panels, the biggest barrier to installing them is the upfront cost. The average cost of a domestic solar panel system can cost up to £8,000, according to the Energy Saving Trust. This is a deterrent to 37 per cent of Scots.

Until last month, homeowners could access help with the cost of installing solar panels and other improvements to make their homes more energy efficient through the Government’s Green Deal. However, the low take-up of the scheme led the Government to end the scheme in July.

The second most common reason for not installing solar technology is the way the panels look, with more than fifth of those surveyed saying they don’t want to have them fitted on to their roofs.

The research also reveals some commonly-held myths about solar panels. Of those who said they wouldn’t install solar panels, over a quarter said they can’t because they don’t receive enough sunlight, and 15 per cent said they didn’t believe they could get planning permission to install them. Solar panels usually don’t require planning permission.

Gareth Shilton a spokesperson for Ocean Finance, said: “It’s interesting to see the rise in the number of homeowners who plan to install solar panels. Britain has some of the least energy-efficient housing in Europe and this leaves homeowners struggling with high energy bills. The fact that so many more homeowners are warming to solar technology is likely to be a response to rising energy costs and the search for ways to cut bills.

“While the up-front costs can be quite high, installing solar panels not only saves you money over the long-term on your energy bills, it can also increase the energy rating of your home and therefore, add value to your property.”