"Ministers are poised to allow homes in England to be built without carbon-cutting technology in what experts have said is a climbdown after pressure from housebuilders. The future homes standard (FHS), due to be published in January, will regulate how all homes are built and is expected to enforce tough new regulations such as mandating solar panels on nearly all houses and high standards of insulation and heat pumps in most cases."
"But the Guardian has learned that the regulations are unlikely to stipulate that homes must be fitted with batteries, despite the strong advantages of combining renewable power generation with energy storage. Jess Ralston, the head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit thinktank, said: Batteries are really useful for ensuring that homes can use as much of their own power as possible and that lowers bills, something the government says is a top priority."
"New-builds being built from 2027 without the latest cost-saving net zero tech may mean we're not making the most of our own power, increasing bills and meaning we need more gas from abroad. The failure to mandate the installation of batteries, which have fallen dramatically in price, will reduce the efficiency savings for homeowners. Battery storage would cost an estimated 2,000 to 5,000 for each new home but result in longterm savings on energy bills."
Ministers are set to allow new homes in England to be built without some carbon-cutting technologies under the future homes standard, with the FHS due in January. The standard is expected to mandate solar panels on nearly all houses, high insulation standards and heat pumps in most new builds. Regulations are unlikely to require battery storage despite batteries enhancing self-consumption of renewable generation and lowering household bills. Battery storage costs have fallen to an estimated 2,000–5,000 per home, while combined heat pump, solar and battery systems could save roughly 1,350 a year for an average three-bedroom semi. Building 1.5m new homes without batteries would forgo grid efficiency and demand-smoothing benefits from distributed storage.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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