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SOLAR panels could allow you to run aircon in your home completely for free – as the plug-in gadgets are set to hit stores in the UK in just weeks.
New research has found that a rooftop solar system can provide enough electricity to run air-conditioning throughout an entire home for several hours without taking any power from the grid – costing families nothing.
During the last heatwave in June, these systems produced around 15kWh of electricity each day, according to clean energy think tank Ember.
This is enough to run a 3kW air-conditioning system throughout a typical home for up to five hours.
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This is because solar panels are most effective at generating electricity during long spells of sunshine, such as in the current heatwave.
It means households with solar panels could save around £4 a day on their energy bill – or £28 if you ran aircon in your home over a whole week – based on the current average electricity price of 26.11p per kWh.
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Ember said solar panels and aircon “complement each other” as they suit similar weather patterns.
Currently, around 1.9million homes have rooftop solar panel systems.
WITH the UK in the middle of its third heatwave, many households will be thinking about getting aircon for their home to keep cool.
According to Checkatrade, a typical wall-mounted aircon unit costs around £750 to buy, plus £1,150 for installation.
If it needs fixing, Air conditioning engineers typically charge around £280 – £720 per day.
You can apply for a grant of up to £2,500 through the Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme for aircon.
This can go towards installing an air-to-air heat pump, which functions as aircon as it can cool your home as well as heat it.
Installing a solar panel system for a 2-3 bedroom house costs around £8,000 a year on average, according to Checkatrade.
However, plug-in solar panels are set to hit shelves in several major UK retailers in just weeks as part of a new Government scheme.
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The devices, which are cheaper to buy than standard solar panels and don’t require any installation, were previously banned in Britain under safety laws, but are soon to be made legal.
However, these don’t produce as much electricity as rooftop solar systems, so they won’t be able to power a full day of aircon in your home.
Lidl, Amazon, B&Q and Currys are among the retailers pledging to stock the low-cost gadgets.
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