| With over six months still to go
until the introduction of the UK government's new clean energy
cash-back scheme, interest is continuing to grow in domestic
renewable energy technologies, according to a major new survey
from the Energy Saving Trust (EST).
The EST
survey of 2,700 UK adults found that half of respondents are
interested in finding out whether their home is suitable for
renewable energy systems, such as solar panels or micro wind
turbines.
Meanwhile, over a third said they would be willing to pay
more for a house where some of the energy was supplied by
renewable sources, suggesting that those investing in microgeneration
systems will be able to recoup some of the cost through increased
house prices.
Philip Sellwood, chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust,
said that the findings were good news for the UK's emerging
onsite renewables sector. "It seems Britons 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 be as attractive to house hunters
as a new kitchen or solid wood floors," he said.
The survey also confirmed that the high upfront cost of renewable
energy systems - the cheapest solar energy systems cost over
£3,000 and most technologies take anything between five and
25 years to deliver a return on investment - remains the main
barrier to adoption.
However, Sellwood said that homeowners could still access
grants from the government to help cover some of the cost,
while next year the government's cash-back scheme will be
introduced - also known as a feed-in tariff - which will guarantee
people a cash payment for the energy they generate.
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