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Ikea to start selling solar panels and batteries

Swedish furniture behemoth Ikea has teamed with renewable energy firm Solarcentury to sell photovoltaic panels and batteries for storing their power.

The products can work alongside existing solar panels or as part of a new system, which Ikea says will make it easier for homeowners to “save on their electricity bills”.

The firm says the average UK home with solar capabilities will “typically consume around 40% of all the solar electricity generated, or even less if they are regularly out during the day”.

The remaining 60% of unused current is sent back to the National Grid, at a loss compared to its value.

Ikea says that its storage system means “unused solar electricity can be used at a later time, meaning the amount of solar electricity an average home can use doubles to 80%”.

The company says that electricity bills may be cut by up to 70%.

Ikea notes that “homeowners who install solar panels could benefit by £380 in the first year after purchase if only using 40% of the solar electricity, or £560 if using 80% of the power with the help of storage”.

The price of the panels and battery storage is £6,925, and that “homeowners can pay off the capital invested in the system in roughly 12 years”.

Read more about the product and calculate how much you could save here.

Image courtesy of Ikea

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