A YouGov poll of 107 MPs, commissioned by the MCS Foundation, found that 79 per cent support making solar panels mandatory for all new-build homes, according to results reported by Solar Energy UK1. The poll was published as the Government consults on regulations for new-build homes due to come into force in 2025, with two options under consideration: one to mandate solar panels for all new homes, and one not to1.
Support was higher among Labour MPs than Conservatives. The poll found 83 per cent of Labour MPs and 73 per cent of Conservative MPs agreed that solar panels should be incorporated into all new-builds by 2025. Across all surveyed MPs, 17 per cent neither agreed nor disagreed and 4 per cent disagreed1.
On other measures, 61 per cent of MPs agreed that battery storage should be incorporated into all new-builds by 2025, including 47 per cent of Conservative MPs and 77 per cent of Labour MPs. For heat pumps, 56 per cent of MPs agreed, including 43 per cent of Conservatives and 72 per cent of Labour MPs; 27 per cent neither agreed nor disagreed and 17 per cent disagreed1.
| Measure mandatory in all new-builds by 2025 | All MPs | Conservative MPs | Labour MPs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar panels | 79% | 73% | 83% |
| Battery storage | 61% | 47% | 77% |
| Heat pumps | 56% | 43% | 72% |
David Cowdrey, Director of External Affairs at the MCS Foundation, said:
"When it comes to constructing modern homes that are climate-friendly and cheap to run, building-in solar panels, batteries for energy storage, and heat pumps from the start is very clearly the way to go."
Chris Hewett, Chief Executive of Solar Energy UK, said the policy would save newbuild homeowners between £910 and £2,120 per year, according to the Government consultation, while pushing purchase prices up only marginally1.
The Government's consultation states there is "no practical way to allow the installation of fossil fuel boilers while also delivering significant carbon savings and 'zero-carbon ready' homes", and that fossil fuel heating, hybrid heat pumps and hydrogen-ready boilers are not expected to meet the standards. The proposals are based on notional buildings with an efficient air source heat pump or a fourth generation heat network using air source heat pumps1.
Why it matters for households
The poll concerns standards for new-build homes, not existing ones, so it does not change what is permitted or required on a home already standing. For a household buying new, the outcome of the consultation would determine whether a solar PV system arrives as standard, and whether battery storage is fitted alongside it. A home generating its own electricity and storing it has less exposure to grid prices, which is the practical meaning of energy independence at household level. The consultation's own figures, cited by Solar Energy UK, put the annual saving for newbuild homeowners at between £910 and £2,120, with only a marginal effect on purchase price1. The MCS Foundation's suggested consultation response and the Government's proposals both address the Future Homes Standard, which also sets the direction on heating: the consultation expects heat pumps or low-carbon heat networks to be the default, on the grounds that direct electric and immersion heating can be more expensive to run1.
What happens next
The Government consultation on the Future Homes Standard is open, and the regulations are due to come into force in 20251. The Future Homes Standard itself is due to come into force from next year, according to Solar Energy UK1. No date has been reported for the publication of the Government's response to the consultation.
Sources1 cited
- MPs overwhelmingly back mandatory solar panels for newbuild homes, solarenergyuk.org