British officials have published a planning document requiring housing developers in England to install solar panels and heat pumps in all new homes from 2028. The government added on March 24 that "plug-and-play" solar modules that owners can install on their balconies will be fully available in the next few months.
Such so-called "self-service" solar kits have been used in many places around the world, including the United States and Europe-more than 1.5 million households in Germany have adopted them-but they have not been sold in the UK before due to safety regulations. The move comes as British officials point out that the current war in Iran has once again shown that access to clean energy is "critical" to ensuring energy security ".
"The war in Iran has once again demonstrated that the pursuit of clean energy is essential to our achievement of energy security, allowing us to break free from the shackles of fossil fuel markets that are not under our control," Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said.
Energy companies welcomed the move, but housing developers were concerned about the impact of the requirements on their business. In fact, over the past decade, a number of British officials have been promoting the development of the Future of Housing Standard, which aims to improve residential energy efficiency through design changes.
The guidance issued on Tuesday makes it clear that from 2028, all new homes will no longer be connected to the natural gas network and must instead use electricity for heating or install heat pumps. In addition, the construction of new houses also need to be equipped with rooftop solar facilities, the area of which needs to reach 40% of the ground space area of the first floor of the house.
Garry Felgate, chief executive of the MCS Foundation, which certifies low-carbon heating system installers, said: "This move will provide clear expectations for the UK market, installers, builders and manufacturers, confirming that there is a huge market demand."
It is estimated that the adjustment of building standards is expected to increase the cost of housing for developers by an additional 10000 pounds (about $13400). But the use of solar power and heat pumps is expected to lower residential energy bills in the long run, officials stressed. Analysts pointed out to the "Power" (POWER) magazine, if the addition of energy storage equipment can also help reduce energy costs, but this is not part of the government's current strategy.
Hannah McCarthy, director of new residential partnerships at Octopus Energy, told the BBC: "Decarbonizing the new housing stock is a huge step forward-the introduction of battery technology will go one step further." McCarthy."
Sachin Vihbute, technical consultant and product training manager for LG HVAC and heat pumps, said in an email to POWER magazine: "Clean energy is on the fast track. The promise to install heat pumps in new homes and promote plug-and-play solar energy marks a return to policy focus, which could be a turning point for homeowners to adopt green technology. Decarbonizing new-build homes is a logical step towards achieving energy independence ambitions. However, we must not ignore the millions of people living in the old stock of housing."
Wibout added: "Adding renewable energy technologies to these existing properties is often more complex and requires specialized skills, yet the relevant policies still fall short in terms of the training and infrastructure needed to support effective scale. Manufacturers are already playing a key role in supporting this transformation by investing in innovation to develop a skilled workforce capable of meeting growing demand. To fully unlock the potential of these major policies, a sustained focus on training, skills development and capacity building of installers is essential."
HBF said in a statement that the additional costs faced by developers were "not welcome at any time", but admitted that builders were already aware of the requirements. HBF officials pointed out that they are concerned about the size of the solar panels that must be installed, and that it may be difficult to meet the 40% standard.
The government has set a target of building 1.5 million new homes by 2029. Housing Secretary Steve Reed said in December that a wave of construction was urgently needed as the rate of new housing construction fell.
Officials also pointed out that Scotland banned the use of gas and oil heating in new homes two years ago. Currently, builders must install government-defined "climate-friendly" heating systems, which can include heat pumps, district heating connections or wood-burning installations.
British officials said that the government is working with retailers such as Lidl and Amazon, as well as manufacturers including EcoFlow, to promote the popularization of "self-service" or "plug and play" solar panels.
Housing Secretary Reid said: "Building 1.5 million new homes also means creating high-quality homes that are cheaper to run and warmer to live in. As we transition to clean, local energy, today's standards are exactly the vision of the future of housing. These changes will not only protect hard-working families from overseas shocks, but will also save them hundreds of pounds a year in their energy bills."