Rise of energy bills is pushing people to move to solar power

• Almost half (49%) of homeowners have considered investing in solar panels for their home – with younger generations leading the way (66% for Gen Z and millennials).
• The reason for the majority (90%) is to help reduce rising energy bills.
• Less than half (46%) of homeowners are aware of the current government policies to make UK homes more energy efficient.

Despite the energy price cap being lowered, almost half (49%) of UK homeowners are considering investing in solar panels of their home – with 9 in 10 considering the switch to help them to further reduce energy bills.

Yet, while energy costs were the main motivator, according to a survey of 2,000 UK homeowners, by roof system manufacturer Marley, almost half of respondents (46%) said they were considering investing as a way to reduce their household carbon emissions.

Generation gap

However, the biggest variances were seen across different generations, with 43% of those aged 65 and over thinking of installing solar panels, compared with two thirds of Gen Zs and millennials.

There also seems to be a disconnect when it comes to being more environmentally conscious, with 60% of Gen Zs considering solar panels as a way to be more sustainable, in comparison to only 38% of those aged 65 and over.

Overcoming barriers

When questioned on the main barriers preventing more homeowners from installing the renewable technology, cost of the panels was identified as the biggest barrier (61%), followed by a lack of understanding of how they work (28%), while 27% of respondents said they did not like the look of the panels.

Interestingly, when questioned on whether they were aware of the UK government’s plans to make homes more energy efficient, the majority (54%) responded ‘no’ or ‘don’t know’.

Dan Redfern, Head of Marketing Communications from Marley, said:

“There is a potential 60% decrease in costs per kWh when adopting solar energy. This saving, on top of the fact homeowners can potentially sell unused energy back to the grid and earn money, means it’s becoming increasingly attractive to switch to solar PV.

“However, the cost often associated with installation remains a barrier for many, despite the government trying to address this with changes such as removing planning permission to install solar panels on flat roofs.

“Yet, our research found that less than half of homeowners are aware of the current government policies to make UK homes more energy efficient. It’s therefore clear more needs to be done to educate the nation about the options available to them when it comes to renewable technologies, such as solar, to not only benefit them today, but to also ensure a sustainable future for generations to come”.