Homeowners turn to solar panels as oil prices rise
BBCRenewable energy firms in Yorkshire have reported a spike of interest in solar panels prompted by the US-Israel war with Iran.
As fuel prices have risen, households have been turning away from oil and gas, with energy supplier Octopus seeing a 50% rise in solar panel sales - a picture replicated in local companies.
Mark Houldsworth, managing director of Boroughbridge-based Solar Plus Yorkshire Ltd, said: "We normally get 15 inquiries a month, but we've had around 150 so far in April."
He said customers told him they were pleased to be going green, but believed saving money and wanting a feeling of "control" is what prompted the change.
The price of crude oil, which is used to produce diesel and petrol, has risen as the key Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed.
About 20% of the global supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas usually passes through the route.
Houldsworth said the company, which has been installing solar panels for 16 years, had seen similar surges in interest in the past.
"We have been busy since the Ukraine war," he said.
"That had a big impact similar to this, and also Covid when energy bills shot up - that had a fairly dramatic effect, but this is on another level now."
Gavin Andrews of Leeds Solar reported a similar rise in interest, with a 50% increase in inquiries since the start of the Iran war.
He said this was "double the number of inquiries for the same period last year".
Chris Simpson is one of the homeowners who has been spurred on to install solar panels.
"All of these geopolitical events are well outside of what I can control," he said.
"But I can control what my house does so by being able to generate some energy myself, I'm less reliant on instability across the world."
He had been planning to get panels for his house in Great Ouseburn next year, but the war made him act sooner.
Emily Seymour, Which? energy editor for consumer association, advised people to do careful research before investing as solar panels are not suitable for all houses.
She suggested getting an independent solar feasibility survey to help "suss out how much money you might be able to make from solar panels on your roof".
"If that goes ahead then look for three or four installers to get quotes from, see what they offer and how that's going to work for your home."
If homeowners do decide to press ahead, the war may still affect their plans, as most solar panels are manufactured in China and are shipped to the UK.
Houldsworth said possible disruption to supplies was the "only downside" of the increased demand.
He said: "It'll probably take a bit of a nosedive if the stock isn't available for a while.
"Anything like that will have a dramatic effect, and it's impossible to predict that."
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