A reduction in VAT on energy efficient systems from 5% to nothing this spring has added to the appeal of solar power. The number of eBay searches for solar panels and solar power batteries increased by 54% and 134% respectively in June, compared with same period last year. “There’s a definite crossover between people who are getting solar panels, and electric cars and heat pumps. Ikea sold solar panels and batteries in the UK for two years before stopping in 2019, although it still sells them in Europe. Xinjiang, officially an autonomous region of China, accounts for about 45% of the world’s supply of polysilicon, the key component of solar panels.

Source: The Guardian July 04, 2022 11:15 UTC