As part of the British government’s updated planning requirements, developers will be required to install solar panels and heat pumps in all new homes in England beginning in 2028. It also said plug-in panels that homeowners can self-install on balconies would be available in supermarkets in the coming months. These small versions of the green tech are already deployed across Europe but are not currently sold in the UK due to safety regulations. Announcing a list of measures to ramp up solar, the energy secretary said the Iran war had shown that clean power is essential. The move has been welcomed by some energy companies but developers have raised concerns about the scale of solar required. The changes in building requirements are estimated to add an additional £10,000 ($13,393) to the cost of each home for developers, but over the long term will likely bring down the cost of energy bills for customers. The savings could be significantly increased where homes have batteries, but the government opted not to include those as a requirement.
