Solar News Explained
New panels, batteries and breakthrough claims can make it hard to know when to act. Here I check the evidence and explain whether a story changes what a Scottish homeowner can buy today.
Battery economics · Winter tariffs
Charge cheaply overnight, cover normal winter use and buy fewer expensive daytime units. The practical sizing test and the honest savings maths.
27 September 2026 · 6-minute read
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Battery safety · Scottish homes
Outside only? One metre from gas? No front or south-facing walls? What MCS, PAS 63100, planning and building rules really say.
27 September 2026 · 9-minute read
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Scottish research · Batteries
Two 2026 papers address first-cycle charge losses and unstable tin electrodes. Why this Scottish research matters—and what it has yet to prove.
27 September 2026 · 5-minute read
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Batteries · Supply chains
How sodium compares with lithium, who might benefit from a new supply chain, and what Cheshire salt can—and cannot—provide for British batteries.
27 September 2026 · 8-minute read
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Suppliers · Smart tariffs
The CMA is examining the proposed takeover. What both suppliers are offering solar, battery and EV households—and why OVO customers need not act on the deal today.
27 September 2026 · 6-minute read
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Electricity tariffs · Tesla
Ofgem has granted a licence, but there is no published UK household tariff. What is confirmed, what is still unknown, and whether solar and battery buyers should wait.
27 September 2026 · 4-minute read
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Research · Solar panels
Hot electrons may retain their energy 1,000 times longer in an experimental material. What the research really found, what the 33% efficiency limit means, and whether it is worth delaying a purchase.
27 September 2026 · 4-minute read
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