IKEA Starts Selling Solar Panels in the UK

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Via Inhabitat

Home furnishing giant IKEA is a popular retail destination for many British shoppers and now it’s set to attract shoppers looking to make their homes greener with alternative energy. The company has teamed up with global solar giant Hanergy to offer a full solar installation service to its customers at a more affordable price.

IKEA Family Members will now be able to buy a standard 3.36kW photovoltaic (PV) system for a semi-detached home for £5,700 (US$9.172), inclusive of VAT. Alternatively, they can opt for a solar finance package and pay nothing upfront. Resembling flat screen TVs, the next generation all-black Hanergy solar panels are among the most advanced models on the market.

The service package launched includes an in-store consultation and design service as well as expert installation, maintenance and ongoing energy monitoring.

Hanergy says that owners of an average semi-detached three-bed home could earn as much as £768 (US$1,235) a year through reducing their bills and being paid for the energy they generate under the Government-backed Feed-in Tariff Scheme (FiT). A home solar system remains one of the best investments homeowners can make today with a 14% return, allowing people to pay for the system in around seven years.

The pioneer nationwide initiative was launched late last week at IKEA’s Southampton Store in Quay Road and will be rolled out in all 17 IKEA stores across the UK within the next 10 months. IKEA stores across the UK will be dedicating space in-store for solar energy experts Hanergy Solar UK to showcase the very real financial benefits of home solar panel systems and enable customers to touch and feel the equipment themselves. In July 2013 a successful pilot began in the Lakeside store, where a PV system is now sold almost every day.

Recent research showed that only 6% of homeowners said they had already made the switch to solar panels with almost two thirds saying they were put off by the cost. The research identified a number of concerns including the “ugly” appearance of solar panels and also confusion around whether there is enough sunshine in the UK to power them.

Britons also dramatically underestimated just how much they might earn and save on energy bills with 29% believing they would only save up to £100 whereas the true figure is over £700 a year.

More information can be found on Hanergy’s website.

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