It's Your World: Solar’s so good for property values

Sep 2 2009 by Jade Wright, Birkenhead News

REMEMBER the days when we all dreamed of a designer kitchen – Le Creuset pots boiling merrily on the AGA, the Dualit toaster doing its thing and more Alessi gadgets than we knew what to do with?

Well, it seems those days have come to an end, and the solar panel is the new must-have addition to the most desirable homes.

According to research released today by the Energy Saving Trust advice centre in Wallasey, Wirralians are happy to pay more for a green home with a renewable energy source than for a posh kitchen.

And it seems they are more interested than ever about installing a renewable energy source – such as wind, solar or hydropower – to their property. Of those surveyed, 46 percent said they would like to know if their home is suitable for renewable energy.

Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive of the Energy Saving Trust, says: “It seems people from the North West are willing to pay more for a home with a renewable energy source so investing in a solar panel or a wind turbine could add to the resale value of a property and could be as attractive to househunters as a new kitchen or solid wood floors.

“Forty-four per cent of carbon emissions are from the home, and with depleting fossil fuels, government are looking at ways to incentivise householders to install domestic renewable energy.

“Next year will see the introduction of feed-in tariffs – where householders will receive a set payment for the electricity generated and exported.”

This means that from next April, householders who generate their own energy will be able to sell excess supplies back to the National Grid.

And those who install alternative energy systems before then can also reap the rewards of government grants to help meet the costs, meaning that alternative energy is more affordable than ever.