The plug-in solar panel revolution has finally arrived in the UK, as self-install kits go on sale from Thursday.
Argos and other retailers are selling £699 solar panel kits that let consumers plug the device into British three-pin sockets.
The Government hopes that its updated regulations – aimed at allowing consumers to easily install the devices – will spark a boom in home renewables. Ministers expect that users of plug-in solar will be able to save between £70 and £110 a year on their energy bills.
Top Gear to return to BBC – everything we know
The BBC has confirmed is returning to the broadcaster. The show has been on hiatus since presenter Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff was almost killed during filming in December 2022.
What we know so far
The BBC’s director of entertainment Ed Havard confirmed the news of the return at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Thursday. He said: “There has been a lot of speculation about this and we can confirm that is coming back.”
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What happened to Flintoff?
Following the crash, the BBC announced would not be returning “for the foreseeable future”, explaining it had “decided to rest the UK show”.
Who will host now?
- Havard declined to comment on reports that Jimmy Carr is being lined up as the show’s new host.
- However, reports claim talks are underway with the comedian.
- Joe Marler, a former rugby player who appeared in last year, is also being eyed by the BBC, according to Deadline.
- No deals are thought to be in place.
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The back story
- It enjoyed a second life when Chris Harris, Paddy McGuinness and Flintoff took over hosting duties from Matt LeBlanc and Chris Evans, before the crash involving Flintoff occurred.
Liver disease cases linked to obesity up five-fold
Cases of a linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes have risen five-fold in a decade, a study has found.
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) happens when in the liver and is left undiagnosed, researchers said.
What are the symptoms?
- Symptoms include feeling very tired or generally unwell, and pain in the abdomen.
- People who are overweight or not active are more likely to develop MASLD.
- Those who have type 2 diabetes, are over 50, or have high blood pressure are also more at risk.
- New diagnoses doubled from 2012 to 2022, and those diagnosed with the condition were three times as likely to have type 2 diabetes, analysis of GP records found.
A closer look at the findings
The study by researchers at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Glasgow found that 2.4 per cent of adults – 283,762 people had the disease in 2022, up from 0.02 per cent (1,300 people) in 2003.
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The expert view
The diagnostic gap remains large compared to expected rates. At-risk groups such as those living with type 2 diabetes and obesity should be identified and -finding actively pursued
researchers at Queen Mary University and University Glasgow
More on health from The i Paper
Thunderstorms expected across England and Wales
Flooding has hit part of the West Midlands as are expected across large areas of England and Wales.
A yellow thunderstorm has been issued from 5am until 10pm on Thursday.
What the warning says
The yellow warning covers swathes of the country, from Norwich and London to Cardiff and Manchester.
Some areas could see 50-75mm of rainfall on Thursday, as well as lightning and hail, which could cause disruption.
Warm temperatures with highs of 27°C or 28°C are expected, and there is a small chance some areas could see more than 75mm of rainfall.
Where the warning is in place
What happened in Birmingham?
There has been significant flooding in Birmingham. A flood warning was issued for the Perry Barr area on Wednesday night due to rising river levels.
The Environment Agency has issued 22 flooding alerts – meaning flooding is possible – in the Midlands and South East.
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The forecast for the rest of the week
- Further heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected on Friday across the UK.
- Further rain will move in on Saturday, followed by a mix of sunshine and showers on Sunday and Monday.
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Dozens of Britons missing in deadly Nepal flood
More than 160 people have died and hundreds are missing, including , after a devastating flash flood on the Nepal–Tibet border.
What happened?
- Floodwater swept along the Bhote Koshi river in Rasuwa region, in the Himalayas, at around 8.30am local time on Wednesday, destroying roads and washing away houses and bridges.
- More than 40 people were injured in the tragedy and are receiving treatment in hospital.
- Nepali officials said a further 826 people are missing, the majority of them tourists, including 33 Britons.
- Around 2,000 military personnel have been deployed by the Nepali army to assist with search and rescue operations.
What is known about the missing Britons?
Among the 33 Britons missing, 12 were with one tour company. Ram Kumar Adhikari, manager of Alpine Eco Trek, said the group included a 13-year-old girl, with the oldest member aged 65.
He said they had passed Chinese border controls to enter Tibet.
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The flood in pictures
Plug-in solar panels go on sale – what you need to know
New rules mean that people can now buy plug-in solar panels online and in shops.
Retailers will begin selling them from Thursday, meaning solar power can run into the home network using an ordinary plug.
What you need to know
A kit can produce up to 800W of power, enough to generate up to 20 per cent of an average home’s electricity, officials say.
This should equate to savings of around £110 annually on bills. As they appear on shelves, ministers say prices could start off higher, but they expect them to average out at around £400-£600.
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Who will sell them?
Argos has confirmed it will sell the kits from Thursday and Amazon is expected to follow suit soon.
Other retailers, including Currys, B&Q, Screwfix and Wickes have committed to stocking the plug-in panels.
Why are they only on sale now?
The sale of the technology was previously restricted because of safety and wiring standards.
The legal change follows rigorous, independent safety checks which show the panels are safe, according to officials.
Can everyone have one?
It depends on your property and its rules. You may still require consent from landlords, building owners, councils, freeholders, planning permission or listed building consent.
- Officials have advised people to check if any permissions are required for their home before buying or installing the techology.
The young Maga women whitewashing Trump’s presidency
The make-up of Donald Trump‘s inner circle has come under scrutiny after US Senator Jon Ossoff remarked on the President’s close relationship with his executive assistant, Natalie Harp.
The episode has highlighted how Trump has surrounded himself with young, perfectly groomed Maga women in the White House.
Leavitt has been perhaps the most prominent of these women as White House press secretary. She recently announced she would step down at the end of August to focus on her family.
- Upon her appointment to the post, she became known for her combative style, quick thinking and pushing false claims. She was often described a Trump’s “attack dog”.
Martin, communications adviser and special assistant to Trump, has been tipped as a possible replacement for Leavitt. She is the President’s leading content creator, often posting photo dumps and reels of events she has attended with Trump.
She was accused of “whitewashing and sanitising” Trump’s Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin by Azza Cohen, Kamala Harris’s official White House videographer.
Kelly is also in the running to replace Leavitt, who she has worked under as White House deputy press secretary.
The 29-year-old is a former beauty queen with a master’s in political management, and has followed Leavitt in attacking journalists and defending Trump.
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The President and Harp have a very close working relationship.
She also reportedly left him notes saying, “you are all that matters to me” and, “I want to bring you joy”.
A closer look at Ossoff’s comments
Ossoff made his comments after it emerged that Harp was one of the few aides who went with the President when he secretly switched planes after a Nato summit in Turkey last month, because of a possible Iranian threat.
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Mpox arrives in new countries – how worried should you be?
Since 2022, there have been nearly 190,000 lab-confirmed cases of mpox, but a fresh outbreak in the small West-African nation of Guinea-Bissau means the virus is back on the global agenda.
What we know about the new outbreak
Cases had not been reported in Guinea-Bissau before the latest outbreak, with 23 of the 46 reported cases being children under the age of 15.
The confirmed cases do not appear to be linked, suggesting the virus is circulating more widely and there are unidentified cases.
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Why is it spreading?
In the last major global outbreak in 2022, mpox appeared to undergo changes which meant it spread more efficiently from person to person, passing via close contact.
- This more infectious version of the disease means that it spreads more easily in places like West Africa as there are areas where many people live closely together, such as refugee camps.
Vaccines and treatments
The WHO recommends two vaccines, but the issue of availability is particularly pressing in poorer nations.
A new global stockpile is set to be launched within weeks, meaning vaccines can be deployed more quickly to stop outbreaks.
But they do not stop outbreaks alone, with experts calling for better contact tracing, early detection, strong public health surveillance and supportive care.
Some experts have already assembled their own systems and taken advantage of this summer’s weather to begin cutting their bills.
Matt West, an electric vehicle (EV) expert with a background in electronics and engineering, set up plug-in solar panels in his garden at the start of July.
West, who runs the Matt Goes Electric YouTube channel, told The i Paper he was on course to save around £300 a year – higher than Government estimates.
“Reading about how the Government wanted to make this more widespread, I was curious about what plug-in solar could do,” said West, who formerly sold second-hand EVs. “I wanted to save money on energy bills. And I’m the sort of person that’s curious about how it all works.”
The Government has amended regulations so that from 27 August, solar products already being sold in other countries can be made compliant with UK plug and socket rules.
Until now, Britons have been able to go online and buy plug-in solar devices created for markets in Europe or elsewhere. The expectation has been that an electrician should attach a UK plug and install the devices safely.
Ministers wanted to make sure anyone could buy a “plug-in-and-play” kit without the need for an electrician. So they have created a new regulatory framework to make sure all devices sold to UK consumers come with compliant UK plugs.
‘It works so much better than expected’
West bought four 465W solar panels – the type typically installed on rooftops – for £93 each at the start of summer. He also purchased an 800W microinverter through Amazon for £122, and attached a plug himself.
Another £100 went towards building his own frame for the solar panels, taking his total spending to about £600.
The microinverter is the key bit of kit that allows the solar panels to start generating power in a household’s electricity circuit – but it caps the amount at a certain level.
The amount of power users can generate has been limited to 800W by the Government. “I was slightly cynical – I thought 800W wouldn’t be enough to run a kettle and a toaster. But it works so much better than expected,” said West.
The system has been able to generate around £13 worth of energy a week over the past two months of summer sunshine. However, around 50 per cent of the power generated is going out of his home and to the national electricity grid – leaving him with savings of around £6.50 a week.
Even with so much of the energy going to the grid, West estimates that he is still on course to save £338 a year.
Households are set to pay around £60 more for their energy bills as Ofgem raises its price cap to £1,723 per year.
West deliberately bought four panels to help him absorb as much sunlight as possible during the overcast winter months – hoping it can keep him something close to the maximum of 800W all year round. “One or even two panels will never produce maximum generation throughout the year,” he explained. “I’m hoping I can make it work well in the winter.”
Why plug-in battery could create higher savings
Despite being pleasantly surprised by how well the system works, West said he was “shocked” to see so much energy leaving for the grid. “The only issue is that you can’t use all the power generated without a battery,” he added.
He and other renewable energy enthusiasts would like Labour ministers to turn their attention next to plug-in batteries. Regulating the market for these devices would allow Britons to store the energy they generate. Existing wiring regulations are not designed for such appliances.
“I hope the Government can look at encouraging plug-in batteries and creating straightforward rules for those. That will make a big difference,” said the electrics expert.
West thinks he might be able to save £600 a year if he was able to store all the solar power generated with a plug-in battery.
He is enthusiastic about this week’s launch of self-install plug-in solar kits: “If they’re more readily available, it’s a good thing.
“I can’t see electricity prices coming down. So the advantages of solar is getting more and more attractive all the time. Unfortunately, this roll-out is happening at the wrong time of year, now that the sun is going. It may be that a lot of people won’t think about it seriously until next spring.”
Argos and City Plumbing, a builders’ merchants with 350 branches, confirmed that £699 UKsol plug-in solar kits will be available for households to buy from Thursday.
Major retailers, such as Wickes, Currys, B&Q, Screwfix and Amazon, are all expected to have plug-in solar available to purchase in stores and online soon.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh said plug-in solar was “a simple, affordable way for households to take control of their energy bills and start saving straight away”.