HomeSun is an UK solar panel business founded in 2009. The company fits solar panels on the roofs of domestic dwellings for free in exchange for the householder’s feed-in tariff

Feed-in Tariff

A feed-in tariff is a policy mechanism designed to accelerate investment in renewable energy technologies. It achieves this by offering long-term contracts to renewable energy producers, typically based on the cost of generation of each technology...

 (FITS) grant.

The business model

HomeSun offers three payment methods: ‘Free Solar’, ‘Solar Share’ and ‘Buy Solar’. The first involves fitting and maintenance solar panels (solar photovoltaics or solar PVs) on domestic roofs in exchange for the householder’s Feed-in Tariff. This provides the benefits of reduced energy costs for home owners who might not otherwise be able to afford the comparatively high price of buying solar panels. The second scheme applies to roofs that are less well suited for solar power; a one-off fee of £500 is required in addition to the FIT. Alternatively, homeowners can purchase the solar panels outright.

HomeSun partner with Carillion Energy Services to survey properties and with installing the panels.

Background and the UK FIT scheme

After the introduction of FIT scheme passed through parliament by the Labour government on 1 April 2010, HomeSun planned to install 100,000 panels worth £1 billion over three years as part of their ‘free solar’ scheme. The new Conservative government’s introduction of financial caps on this scheme led to fears that the solar industry would suffer, however Daniel Green, chief executive of HomeSun maintained that the benefits of solar energy would still be felt by ordinary households.

The HomeSun free solar panel installation scheme was highly commended by the The Microgeneration UK Awards in 2011, (while the company’s partner Carillion Energy Services won the Commercial Innovation award for Project Bright, a privately financed end-to-end delivery model for installing solar PV).

The company

HomeSun is based in Wembley, North London. The company was founded upon ‘green principles’ to take action against climate change. The company was co founded by Daniel Green and Bill Sneyd. Sue Welland (a founding partner of HomeSun) was founder of The CarbonNeutral Company.. The company is attempting to allow homes to generate their own energy using solar panels, and thus become more self-sufficient, use less fossil fuels and reduce their carbon emissions. The company is accredited to renewable energy trade bodies including Act On CO2, The Energy Saving Trust, Renewable Energy Association, Solar Trade Association and the Micropower Council.

Media

HomeSun has featured on BBC TV and many UK news and media outlets. In 2010, BBC Breakfast

BBC Breakfast

BBC Breakfast is the morning television news programme simulcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. It is presented live from BBC Television Centre in White City, West London, and contains a mixture of news, sport, weather, business and feature items...

featured an investigation into how HomeSun could help UK consumers save money on their electricity bills. The company has also featured in articles on home solar energy by the Financial Times, The Sunday Times, and The Guardian.