A survey from Project Solar UK, with offices in Houldsworth Mill on Houldsworth Lane in Stockport, shows 62% of Manchester residents surveyed would look to switch to an alternative energy such as the natural resource of the sun using solar panels for their energy.
One in eight (12%) of those surveyed in Manchester said that an increase of between 41% and 50% in their energy bills would encourage them to switch energy sources. And now, with the typical household energy bill set to rise by about a further £800 a year in October according to OFGEM (BBC 24 May 2022), considering solar panels is becoming a real option for many people in the city.
Just over half (51%) of respondents in or around Manchester think the advantages of solar panels are that they create cheaper electricity , 27% say solar panels add value to a property and 31% say solar panels help to become carbon neutral. Interestingly, 41% think the benefits of solar is they generate electricity even through winter when there is minimum sunshine.
Simon Peat, CEO of Project Solar UK, the largest retailer and installer of solar panels in the UK, who commissioned the survey, says, “A major benefit for people in the city who install solar energy systems in their home is that they can actually sell their electricity back to the grid – a feature only acknowledged by 31% of Manchester residents surveyed but one that many people will welcome as the cost-of-living increases. There has never been a better time to consider natural energy from the sun and solar panels. Although the £400 minimum per household is welcome, the soaring cost of electricity is a huge concern. From April there has been a cut in VAT on solar panels from 5% to zero which, according to the Chancellor in the spring statement, could see a family having solar panels installed having tax savings worth over £1,000 and savings on their energy bill of over £300 per year. This saving, alongside the opportunity to sell electricity generated back to the grid and the many other environmental factors, means that solar panels are being considered by 62% respondents in Manchester.”
Further evidence that the uncertainty around the price of electricity is a key concern has been witnessed by Project Solar UK who have recorded an 86% increase in visits to its website between 1 March and 26 May 2022 compared to the previous months (4 December 2021-28 February 2022).
Google Trends shows that search volume on people searching for the term ‘solar panels’ has increased by 80% since January 2022, underlining the increasing interest in the alternative energy source.
