Should Liz Truss have offered free solar panels as well?

Krakkkers

Everything has to be fair to everyone these days.
I don't expect fairness, some will benefit others won't, does it matter?.

Tucosalamanca

Yes, 28.3million homes in the UK. Assuming £5,000 per property, that's quite close to the Energy Companies handout. We could set up an entirely new £140bn industry, from design, to manufacture, to installation. That's one helluva cash generator for UKplc. Think of all the jobs created, opportunities for apprenticeships etc. We want a high wage, high skilled economy. This seems like a no-brainer. Too simple? Easier to send money to oligarchs and speculators apparently.

Krakkkers

I am all for every new build having to have solar installed.
If the government could mandate and enforce a policy of uk sourced and manufactured panels then it might be worth the cost but the scale would be enormous.

[Deleted User]

Tucosalamanca said:

Yes, 28.3million homes in the UK. Assuming £5,000 per property, that's quite close to the Energy Companies handout. We could set up an entirely new £140bn industry, from design, to manufacture, to installation. That's one helluva cash generator for UKplc. Think of all the jobs created, opportunities for apprenticeships etc. We want a high wage, high skilled economy. This seems like a no-brainer. Too simple? Easier to send money to oligarchs and speculators apparently.

You think it would cost £5000 per property to create the entire industry including all the design and manufacturing facilities, and to actually manufacture and install all the panels?

ChaunceyGardiner

Krakkkers said:

Everything has to be fair to everyone these days.
I don't expect fairness, some will benefit others won't, does it matter?.

Those who own property are already at a significant advantage over those who don't. And you want to give them expensive equipment, for free, which generates free electricity? At the taxpayers' expense? Come off it.

sienew

Krakkkers said:

I am all for every new build having to have solar installed.
If the government could mandate and enforce a policy of uk sourced and manufactured panels then it might be worth the cost but the scale would be enormous.

Except most people can't really afford to buy a house now... adding the extra cost of solar is a mistake.

[Deleted User]

It is not that simple. The Grid managers could not cope with millions of small solar generators going from 800W to 5kW as clouds come and go (as is happening at the moment). We need a mix of renewables to provide security of supply. 

Krakkkers

Lots of well off people were paid £2500 a month to do nothing while those on benefits didn't. Life isn't fair.

ChaunceyGardiner

Life isn't fair.

Indeed. There's no need to worsen it though.

wrf12345

Net metering of the output (so the household gets full credit for any energy produced) and a couple of megafactories in the UK producing the latest spec panels at much lower prices might make solar more popular, and even on winter days there will be small but useful output (on bright winter days you might get max output as the panels lose efficiency if they get too hot). There will be more on alternative energy from the govn so who knws...