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Articles by Jeff Meyer
Zendure plug-in solar kit gets a price cut in Black Friday sale
Zendure has announced its Black Friday sale, cutting the price of its new plug-in solar kit by £50 and offering savings of up to £500 on selected home battery storage systems. The company's plug-in solar kit has been reduced from £849 to £799 as part of the Black Friday sale. The kit includes two 460W bifacial solar panels, a solarflow 800 microinverter, connecting cables and mounting brackets.
Zendure plug-in solar kit gets a price cut in Black Friday sale
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Zendure plug-in solar kit gets a price cut in Black Friday sale
Zendure's plug-in solar kit has been reduced in its Black Friday sale - (Zendure) Zendure has announced its Black Friday sale, cutting the price of its new plug-in solar kit by £50 and offering savings of up to £500 on selected home battery storage systems. The company's plug-in solar kit has been reduced from £849 to £799 as part of the Black Friday sale. The kit includes two 460W bifacial solar panels, a solarflow 800 microinverter, connecting cables and mounting brackets.
Zendure plug-in solar kit gets a price cut in Black Friday sale
Zendure has announced its Black Friday sale, cutting the price of its new plug-in solar kit by £50 and offering savings of up to £500 on selected home battery storage systems. The company's plug-in solar kit has been reduced from £849 to £799 as part of the Black Friday sale. The kit includes two 460W bifacial solar panels, a solarflow 800 microinverter, connecting cables and mounting brackets.
Do solar panels work in the winter?
As the nights draw in, temperatures fall and the British winter arrives, it's reasonable to wonder how effective solar panels are during the darker, colder months. It is important to remember that solar panels need sunlight, not warmth, to generate electricity. Days are shorter and nights longer in winter, so there are fewer hours of potential sunlight exposure per day. But solar panels still work, generating electricity and lowering your household energy bills.
8 essential boiler checks every homeowner should do before winter
Checking your boiler pressure, heating controls and radiators before winter can help identify problems before temperatures drop - (Getty/iStock) If you've had your heating switched off for months, the last thing you want is to discover your boiler isn't working when the first cold snap arrives. Yet it's often only when temperatures drop that homeowners realise something isn't quite right with their central heating.
8 essential boiler checks every homeowner should do before winter
If you've had your heating switched off for months, the last thing you want is to discover your boiler isn't working when the first cold snap arrives. Yet it's often only when temperatures drop that homeowners realise something isn't quite right with their central heating. The good news is you don't need to be a heating expert to carry out a few basic checks.
What the 2026 Budget means for you and your energy bills
Millions of households will receive £100 towards their energy bills under new measures announced in the 2026 Budget, as the government attempts to ease the cost of living this winter. Chancellor John Healey has also extended a temporary VAT cut on electricity bills and confirmed plans to scrap gas standing charges, potentially saving some consumers around £45 a year. But not everyone will benefit equally.
What the 2026 Budget means for you and your energy bills
Millions of households could benefit from new energy bill support announced in the 2026 Budget - (Alamy/PA) Millions of households will receive £100 towards their energy bills under new measures announced in the 2026 Budget, as the government attempts to ease the cost of living this winter. Sign up to read this article Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you. Email is required Email is already registered. Please sign in instead. Start reading
What to do when your solar panel installation goes wrong
Homeowners have legal protections if solar panels are installed incorrectly - (Getty Images) Installing solar panels can be an effective way to reduce your electricity bills and protect yourself against rising energy prices. But what happens if your new system doesn't work as expected, the installation damages your roof, or the company that fitted your panels refuses to make things right?
What to do when your solar panel installation goes wrong
Installing solar panels can be an effective way to reduce your electricity bills and protect yourself against rising energy prices. But what happens if your new system doesn't work as expected, the installation damages your roof, or the company that fitted your panels refuses to make things right? Although solar panels are generally reliable and require relatively little maintenance, problems can occur during installation or sometimes months or years later.
New £577 plug-in solar battery promises to cut energy bills
Fuse's Jules system combines plug-in solar panels with a 2.5kWh battery, with deliveries expected in 2027, subject to regulatory approval - (Fuse Energy) A new integrated plug-in solar panel and battery system is launching in the UK, promising renters and homeowners a cheaper way to generate and store their own electricity. Energy supplier Fuse has opened reservations for Jules, a system that combines plug-in solar panels with a 2.5kWh home battery.
New £577 plug-in solar battery promises to cut energy bills
Jeff Meyer Mon, 26 October 2026 at 11:20 am UTC 3 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Fuse's Jules system combines plug-in solar panels with a 2.5kWh battery, with deliveries expected in 2027, subject to regulatory approval (Fuse Energy) A new integrated plug-in solar panel and battery system is launching in the UK, promising renters and homeowners a cheaper way to generate and store their own electricity.
How much should a new boiler cost in the UK?
A new boiler in the UK will typically cost around £2,500 to £4,000, including installation for a straightforward like-for-like combi boiler replacement. However, the final bill can vary considerably depending on the type and size of boiler you need, the brand you choose and how much work is involved in fitting it. The boiler itself is only part of the expense.
‘Our electricity bill fell from £120 to £40 a month after upgrading our solar panels’
When Joanne Marshall first installed solar panels on her home 15 years ago, reducing her carbon footprint was more important than saving money. But since replacing her ageing system and adding battery storage last year, she's discovered just how much the technology has changed.
‘Our electricity bill fell from £120 to £40 a month after upgrading our solar panels’
When Joanne Marshall first installed solar panels on her home 15 years ago, reducing her carbon footprint was more important than saving money. But since replacing her ageing system and adding battery storage last year, she's discovered just how much the technology has changed.
Best heat pumps in the UK: Installation, price and efficiency compared
The Independent and Yahoo will earn a commission from purchases made via links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Choosing the best heat pump for your home isn't just a case of finding the most efficient model, or even the most powerful. The right heat pump for you will depend on your property's size, insulation, existing heating system, and, of course, your budget.
One in three solar households could earn more than they spend on electricity – here’s how
Choosing the right electricity tariff could help solar panel owners maximise their savings and earn more from exporting surplus energy to the grid. - (Alamy/PA) More than a third of households with solar panels could have earned more selling electricity to the grid than they spent buying it over the summer, according to new research.
New plug-in solar kit targets renters as energy bills rise
Zendure's new SolarFlow 800 plug-in solar kit is designed to connect directly to a household socket. - (Zendure) A new plug-in solar panel kit designed for renters and households without traditional rooftop solar is launching in the UK, just weeks after the technology was legalised. Sign up to read this article Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you. Email is required Email is already registered. Please sign in instead. Start reading
New plug-in solar kit targets renters as energy bills rise
Mon, October 19, 2026 at 9:08 PM UTC The new system has been designed for households unable to install traditional rooftop solar panels The Independent and Yahoo will earn a commission from purchases made via links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change. A new plug-in solar panel kit designed for renters and households without traditional rooftop solar is launching in the UK, just weeks after the technology was legalised.
Gas boiler vs heat pump: Which saves more money, according to an energy expert
Mon, October 19, 2026 at 11:30 AM UTC Gas boilers have been the main sources of heating in UK homes for decades, and despite the growing popularity of alternatives, such as heat pumps, around 85 per cent of households still rely on gas to keep warm. But with energy bills an ongoing concern for many and government incentives encouraging homeowners to switch to greener alternatives, it’s worth considering whether a heat pump could be a better long-term investment than a traditional gas boiler.
What are the different types of solar panels? Rooftop, plug-in and PV technologies explained
Solar panels may all perform the same basic job, turning sunlight into electricity, but there are important differences between the technologies and systems now available to UK households. For most homeowners installing conventional rooftop solar panels, monocrystalline panels are now the standard choice. They combine high efficiency with strong power output from a relatively small roof area, while older polycrystalline technology is increasingly difficult to find.
What are the different types of solar panels? Rooftop, plug-in and PV technologies explained
From monocrystalline and thin-film panels to rooftop, plug-in and flexible systems, we explain the different types of solar panels available in the UK and which is best for your home Solar panels may all perform the same basic job, turning sunlight into electricity, but there are important differences between the technologies and systems now available to UK households. For most homeowners installing conventional rooftop solar panels, monocrystalline panels are now the standard choice.
Could your roof save you £950 a year? The areas in the UK where solar pays off fastest
GreenSketch’s analysis ranks Torbay as the top English district for estimated annual solar and battery savings, at £1,069, with a projected payback period of just over seven years - (Getty) Installing solar panels and a home battery could cut the average household’s electricity costs by almost £950 a year, according to new modelling of more than 15 million UK rooftops. Sign up to read this article Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Could your roof save you £950 a year? The areas in the UK where solar pays off fastest
Installing solar panels and a home battery could cut the average household’s electricity costs by almost £950 a year, according to new modelling of more than 15 million UK rooftops. The research, from solar software company GreenSketch, estimates that the average home it analysed could save £946 a year with an optimised solar and battery system. But some parts of the country appear considerably better placed than others to recoup savings.
Gas boiler vs heat pump: Which is right for your home?
Gas boilers have been the main sources of heating in UK homes for decades, and despite the growing popularity of alternatives, such as heat pumps, around 85 per cent of households still rely on gas to keep warm. But with energy bills an ongoing concern for many and government incentives encouraging homeowners to switch to greener alternatives, it’s worth considering whether a heat pump could be a better long-term investment than a traditional gas boiler.
What is a heat pump and how does it work?
Heat pumps are becoming an increasingly familiar alternative to gas and oil boilers, offering a more energy-efficient way to heat a home without burning fossil fuels. Rather than generating heat themselves, they use electricity to capture heat already present in the air, ground or water and transfer it into your home. This makes them remarkably efficient.
How long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves?
Solar panels can typically take around nine to 12 years to pay for themselves, but installation costs, energy use and export tariffs can all affect the calculation. - (iStock / Getty Images) Solar panels can cut your electricity bills for decades, but with a typical system costing thousands of pounds, one question matters more than almost any other: how long will it take to get your money back?
How long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves?
Solar panels can cut your electricity bills for decades, but with a typical system costing thousands of pounds, one question matters more than almost any other: how long will it take to get your money back? The Independent’s latest analysis suggests a typical 4-5kW solar panel system costs around £6,500 to £8,000 in 2026, and our recent solar panel cost guide puts the typical payback at around nine to 12 years without a battery.
New government-supported loans could make solar panels cheaper to finance
Households could soon be able to borrow money for solar panels, batteries and heat pumps at lower interest rates under a new government-supported loan scheme expected to begin rolling out in the coming weeks. The Warm Homes Loan Scheme is designed for homeowners who can afford to repay a loan but have been put off green home improvements by the high upfront cost or expensive finance.
Can solar panels offset the October energy price cap rise?
Households are facing yet another increase in energy bills this autumn, with Ofgem's energy price cap rising by 4 per cent from 1 October. For a typical household paying by Direct Debit and using both gas and electricity, the headline figure will rise from £1,663 to £1,723 a year, a £60 increase, or about £5 a month, if those rates remain in place for a full year.
The ideal temperature for every room in your home explained
From living rooms and bedrooms to bathrooms and spare rooms, different parts of your home need different levels of heat. Here’s the ideal temperature for every room and how to stay comfortable without wasting energy Ask 10 people what temperature their home should be, and you'll get 10 answers, most of them delivered with total confidence. Somebody will mention 21C. Somebody else will insist their grandmother managed fine at 15C.
New £30m solar and clean energy fund opens – but can homeowners apply?
The Independent and Yahoo will earn a commission from purchases made via links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Communities across the UK are being offered a share of £30m in new government funding to build their own solar panels and other clean energy projects. Great British Energy launched the funding on Thursday 17 September as the first wave of the government’s Local Power Plan, which has up to £1bn earmarked for locally owned renewable energy projects.
New £30m solar and clean energy fund opens – but can homeowners apply?
GB Energy will fund solar panels for the roofs of hundreds of schools and hospitals - (Alamy/PA) Communities across the UK are being offered a share of £30m in new government funding to build their own solar panels and other clean energy projects. Community groups and councils will be able to use the money to develop projects ranging from solar panels on local buildings to community-owned wind turbines and hydro schemes.
An honest evaluation of the SunPower Maxeon 7 solar panels
The Independent and Yahoo will earn a commission from purchases made via links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change. The SunPower Maxeon 7 combines some of the strongest specifications available to UK homeowners, including efficiency of up to 24 per cent, high output from each panel and warranty cover lasting as long as 40 years. These qualities helped it earn the top spot in our guide to the best solar panels, but they also come at a premium price.
Should you store your solar power or sell it back to the grid?
Once your solar panels are generating more electricity than your home needs, you have a choice. If you have a home battery, you can store that spare electricity and use it later. Or you can export it to the grid and get paid for the energy you send back. There is no single answer that will be right for every home.
Should you charge your home battery from the grid in winter?
If you have solar panels and a home battery, summer makes the relationship between the two technologies fairly straightforward. Your solar panels generate electricity during the day, the battery stores whatever you don’t use, and that stored energy can power your home once the sun goes down. Winter is different. Shorter days and weaker sunlight mean your panels generate much less electricity, often when your household is using more.
How to maximise sunny days for solar panels
If you can do this, the savings can be significant. Phil Steele, future technologies evangelist at Octopus Energy, says the exact benefit depends on the size of your solar panel system and how much electricity your household consumes – but in the UK a typical home could potentially save more than 40 per cent on its annual electricity bill with solar panels, particularly when paired with a battery.
How to maximise sunny days for solar panels
Gulf Today | September 15, 2026 When the sun is shining, your solar panels could be generating much more electricity than your home needs at that moment. The question is what happens to the excess. If you have a battery, it can be stored for later. If you have an export tariff, you may be able to sell it back to the grid. But one of the simplest ways to get more value from your solar panels is to use more of the electricity yourself while it is being generated.
Your first autumn with a heat pump: 7 things to do before the heating goes back on
A couple of hours of preparation now can save you a winter of guesswork. Here are seven things worth doing before the heating goes back on. 1. Test the heating out before you need it The worst time to discover a fault is the first properly cold morning of the year, when every local engineer is already booked. Pick a mild September afternoon and run the heating for an hour or two. Walk round the house and check each radiator warms up evenly.
Your first autumn with a heat pump: 7 things to do before the heating goes back on
If you had your first heat pump installed during spring or summer, it’s spent the past few months doing the easy part. It’s handled hot water on demand and very little else. But autumn is when it starts doing the job you actually bought it for.
I’m an energy expert – here’s my verdict on plug-in solar panels
8 hours ago A federal judge sided with the Sierra Club and other groups Sept. 1 to halt a controversial data center project outside Boulder City, Nevada, southeast of Las Vegas. Backed by the Trump administration, the project had come from Townsite Solar 2 LLC, a Houston-based company that had previously …
How do solar panels work and generate electricity for your home?
Solar panels can cut your electricity bills by generating renewable energy at home using sunlight – and, contrary to popular belief, they don’t need gloriously sunny days to work. Even on cloudy days, solar panels can still turn daylight into usable electricity to power your home directly, charge a battery for later, or be sold back to the national grid.
Stop treating your heat pump like a boiler: The settings that could be costing you money
If you've recently swapped a gas boiler for a heat pump, one of the biggest adjustments may have nothing to do with the technology itself. It's learning to use your heating differently. The temptation is to treat a heat pump just like the boiler it replaced: turn the thermostat down when you go out, crank it up when the house feels cold and expect the radiators to get piping hot within minutes. But heat pumps generally work best when they provide heat more steadily and at lower temperatures.
Stop treating your heat pump like a boiler: The settings that could be costing you money
Jeff Meyer Wed, 9 September 2026 at 1:00 pm UTC 6 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Heat pumps typically work best with steadier temperatures and more considered heating schedules than traditional gas boilers (Octopus Energy) If you've recently swapped a gas boiler for a heat pump, one of the biggest adjustments may have nothing to do with the technology itself. It's learning to use your heating differently.
Stop treating your heat pump like a boiler: The settings that could be costing you money
If you’ve recently swapped a gas boiler for a heat pump, one of the biggest adjustments may have nothing to do with the technology itself. It’s learning to use your heating differently. The temptation is to treat a heat pump just like the boiler it replaced: turn the thermostat down when you go out, crank it up when the house feels cold and expect the radiators to get piping hot within minutes. But heat pumps generally work best when they provide heat more steadily and at lower temperatures.
Stop treating your heat pump like a boiler: The settings that could be costing you money
If you've recently swapped a gas boiler for a heat pump, one of the biggest adjustments may have nothing to do with the technology itself. It's learning to use your heating differently. The temptation is to treat a heat pump just like the boiler it replaced: turn the thermostat down when you go out, crank it up when the house feels cold and expect the radiators to get piping hot within minutes. But heat pumps generally work best when they provide heat more steadily and at lower temperatures.
Stop treating your heat pump like a boiler: The settings that could be costing you money
Jeff Meyer Wed 9 September 2026 at 1:00 pm UTC 6 min read Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Heat pumps typically work best with steadier temperatures and more considered heating schedules than traditional gas boilers (Octopus Energy) If you've recently swapped a gas boiler for a heat pump, one of the biggest adjustments may have nothing to do with the technology itself. It's learning to use your heating differently.
Still heating your home with oil? You could now get £9,000 towards a heat pump
If you live off the gas grid and heat your home with oil, switching to a heat pump has become considerably cheaper. Under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), eligible households in England and Wales can now receive £9,000 towards the cost of an air-to-water or ground source heat pump, up from the standard £7,500 grant. The higher rate has been available since 21 July 2026 and runs until 31 March 2027. Households appear to be taking notice.
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