Almost three quarters (73 percent) of people have adopted smarter technologies, according to the research. When asked which everyday items are becoming obsolete due to smarter solutions, around half of respondents said CD/DVD stands (52 percent) and photo albums (48 percent), a third said bookshelves (34 percent) and a quarter said cables and wires (26 percent).
But when it comes to solar energy, a number of myths persist. Almost one in five people questioned incorrectly think solar panels only generate electricity on sunny days and one in ten think solar panels don’t work when it’s cold. Four in ten people say they would like to install solar panels and/or battery energy storage by 2020.
The research with 2,000 homeowners has been conducted to investigate the nation’s attitudes to the smart solutions available today and in the future. It reveals that the majority of people have already taken steps to make their homes smarter with a third (34 percent) planning further upgrades.
However, there’s still work to be done with more than a quarter (27 percent) of people yet to adopt smart technologies in their homes. In fact, one in five (21 percent) homeowners are uncomfortable with using smart technology.
Those who’ve already implemented technology upgrades cited saving money (59 percent), becoming more energy efficient (55 percent) and saving time (38 percent) among their key drivers. Almost half (48 percent) said they’d made their homes smarter to make their lives easier, while 17 percent simply liked having the latest gadgets, 13 percent wanted their home to be more fun, and 6 percent desired better looking technology.
When asked about the types of smart technologies people would want in their homes by 2020, four in ten (44 percent) said they’d like solar panels and/or an electricity battery storage system, more than a third (35 percent) would like smart lighting, a fifth (20 percent) wanted a voice controlled smart hub and 13 percent would like a charging point for an electric car.
Of those surveyed, almost one in ten (9 percent) homeowners said they already have solar panels. Of these, more than three quarters (76 percent) said they’re saving money, almost two thirds (65 percent) said their home is more energy efficient, and almost a third (30 percent) said they’ve seen the value of their property increase – all as a result of having solar panels installed.
What’s more, four in ten (41 percent) of those asked said that having a solar panel and battery system would make a potential home more appealing to them if they were looking to buy.
“It’s really heartening that three quarters of households have already taken steps to make their homes smarter” said Gavin Stokes, Head of Commercial Solutions at E.ON UK. “But with a quarter of people saying they’re yet to take steps to make their homes more solutions-savvy, there’s still much we can do to help people realise the benefits a smarter lifestyle can bring. For example, we recently launched E.ON Solar and Storage – a solar and battery solution that’s available now for the four in ten people questioned who said they’d like to have this type of technology by 2020. Many of the people we spoke to are already aware of the benefits solar and battery systems can bring – from saving money, to having a more energy efficient home, to making homes more appealing to buyers. We’re committed to bringing smarter solutions to market for our customers and we’d welcome anyone who’s interested in finding out more about E.ON Solar and Storage to visit our website and find out more and get detailed, personalised information for their home and their needs.”
E.ON Solar and Storage solution could cut electricity bills by 50 percent, saving £300 per year. The solution converts sunlight into electricity using solar PV panels and the electricity generated can either be used straight away or stored in a battery to use when it’s needed, even at night.
Currently being offered in the Midlands, E.ON hopes to offer Solar and Storage more widely later in 2017. Anyone can have E.ON Solar and Storage installed, not just people supplied by E.ON, provided they own their home and their roof. Homeowners can visit eonsolar.co.uk to enter details about their home, using E.ON’s calculator to work out how much E.ON Solar and Storage could cost and what they could save and earn from it.
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