Looking to bring your home up to date with renewable energy? Ikea is now the place to go, as the store is offering solar panels and home battery packs to UK customers.
The new products are the result of a partnership with solar firm Solarcentury, and allow users to install super-sized lithium-ion batteries on their walls, which store the power from the solar panels.
It’s this battery element which is the biggest development, as customers will now be able to use more of the energy produced by their solar panels than they could using previous systems.
Ikea claims the new system could save users up to £560 a year, with prices for the solar battery storage starting at £3,000.
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The company says, on average, a UK home will use about 40% of any solar electricity it generates, with the rest being sold back to the National Grid at a loss compared to its value.
Now, Ikea’s battery storage, which can be used with existing panels or new ones, will allow users to store unused solar electricity and use it at a later time, doubling the amount of solar electricity an average home can use to 80%.
What’s more, it’s claimed customers can cut electricity bills by up to 70%, with Ikea stating solar panels could save customers £380 on average in the first year if only 40% of the solar electricity is used.
Using 80% of the energy will apparently result in savings of up to £560 with the help of Solar Battery Storage.
Hege Saebjornsen, Country Sustainability Manager, IKEA UK & Ireland said: “We know that our customers want to live more sustainably and together with Solarcentury we will help them to get more value from their solar panels and do just that.”
Susannah Wood, Head of Residential Solar at Solarcentury added: “We’re committed to helping homeowners reap the benefits of going solar and our business partnership with Ikea is a significant step forwards for the renewable energy industry.
“The cost of solar installations has dropped considerably in recent years and is in fact 100 times cheaper than it was 35 years ago.
“We believe Ikea and Solarcentury are bringing the most competitive package to the market yet so more people than ever before can profit financially and environmentally by producing their own energy.”
Those looking to take advantage of the new system can do so now by visiting Ikea’s website.
Ordering the solar panels and battery storage involves completing an online calculation of the cost and savings you can expect to receive, followed by a quote being generated, then a survey of your home, and final installation.
Let us know what you think of the new system by tweeting us @trustedreviews.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
