Fans of bonny Scotland’s often inclement weather observe that “today’s rain is tomorrow’s whisky“.
Under brighter conditions, in contrast, the nation’s mams & grans comment idiomatically that the ‘sun is splitting the skies.’ Or the trees. Or the staines/stones. Seeking a tan, Glaswegians are known to partially disrobe, or “get their tapps aff”.
While not excluding the first condition, British Gas now favours the second, and for the first time from the glens to Scotland’s lowlands and cities.
The powerco is partnering with Angus-headquartered installation company Forster Energy to achieve greater penetration of BG’s home PV offering beyond Hadrian’s Wall and furthe into the Highlands. The distribution franchise also covers Wales and – whisper it quietly – England.
The energy provider claims installing PV systems and batteries can in theory save households between 75% and 90% off their electricity bills. That range assumes a south-facing typical 4kWp array plus battery provide 35% of the home’s electricity needs. It also assumes excess daytime energy is sold back to the grid at 15p per kWh via BG’s Export & Earn Plus tariff.
The partnership is the latest step in British Gas and Hive’s commitment to helping customers decarbonise their homes and save money on their energy bills.
Last year British Gas launched its Effective Home solar deal in England and Wales. For the first time, the deal with Forster Group will enable its offering to install home solar power & battery technology to any eligible customer in Scotland, England and Wales.
Latest figures from installations quality regulator the Microgeneration Certification Scheme reveal that more than 183,000 solar installations, overwhelmingly on homes, were carried out across all three nations in 2023.
“Ne’er cast a cloot (*), till May is oot” – Scots wisdom
Forster Group says it provides solar services to one in five of all new homes in Scotland. Tapping into the Brechin-based firm’s workforce will boost by 55% the number of accredited solar PV technicians available to British Gas.
Customers can benefit from a free consultation for solar panel installation tailored to their energy usage and home layout. Without commitment, a free survey will give estimated costs, savings and installation options.
Research in the British Gas Homes Index revealed that more than two fifths (42%) of people said they were considering installing solar panels in the next two years to tackle climate change and save on bills.
“We’re seeing our customers get more engaged with the benefits of solar energy”, said British Gas’ director of low carbon homes Susan Wells.
“We are committed to delivering the right products and solutions to help people cut carbon in their homes and save money on their bills in a way that works for them through British Gas and Hive.
Installation company boss John Forster, pictured said: “We are seeing solar power and battery technology playing an essential role in Scotland’s transition to Net Zero. With consumer appetite growing, more people now have the ability to take control of their own energy usage and make huge savings generating their own power”.
At the start of the Feed-in Tariff subsidy in 2010, British Gas bought a Hampshire-based PV installation company, as it sought to cash in on the government-approved deal, offering 20 years of guaranteed, generous income to homes installing PV. Inept Whitehall administration of the FiT, fought by installers through England’s courts, confused consumers however, leading to disappointing uptake of home PV.
Footnote: A ‘cloot’ in Scots is a patch or a piece of cloth. Alternative meanings include a slap or punch, or part of a cloven hoof, sometimes associated with the devil. It’s anyone’s guess as to why June is the best time to be ‘casting’/throwing/hurling discarding any of these.
