Currys Goes Solar!

UK’s Leading Electrical Retailer Becomes the First  to Offer Solar Panel Technology for the Home

Currys, the UK’s leading electrical retailer, has teamed up with Sharp, the global leader in solar cell production, to offer a range of solar energy solutions for the home from tomorrow. Customers opting for solar power can expect to reduce their energy bill by up to 50% and could reduce their home’s carbon dioxide emissions by up to two tons per year. Solar panels will initially be on sale in three Currys stores, and information will also be available online. Panels come with a performance warranty of 25 years, and minimum maintenance is required by the customer.

Announcing the trial, Peter Keenan, managing director for Currys, comments, "our customers are becoming more environmentally aware all the time. But this is far more than a ‘green solution’ for the home, it is also a perfect way of safeguarding against seemingly inevitable energy price rises."

This is the first time solar panels for the home have been available from a major retailer in the UK. The products will initially be offered from three stores: West Thurrock, Fulham and Croydon. After a detailed in-store consultation with a trained adviser, customers with suitable houses will be offered a house assessment free of charge. Should the house be capable of supporting the technology – and most are - installation of the solar panels on the property roof takes just one or two days and requires a minimum of equipment to be installed, usually in the roof space.

Technological advances mean that the solar panels are perfectly adapted to the UK climate. Solar panels do require daylight, but not necessarily direct sunlight to generate electricity. Customers investing in solar panels for the home will see instant as well as long-term reductions to their electricity bills, as well as a potential increase to the value of their property. The cost for an average three-bedroom house to have nine solar panels (enough to cover half a household’s electricity) is circa £9000. There are also grants available through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme.

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Mark Webb 01727 205019 / 07834 256 779

Hamish Thompson 01727 203195 / 07702 684920

• Currys is Britain’s biggest electrical retailer with a network of more than 550 stores nationwide.
• Currys has over 5,000 product lines from the world's leading manufacturers offering the UK's widest range of home electricals from domestic appliances and home entertainment technology to audio and visual equipment and PCs.
• Products are available at out-of-town Currys superstores, Currys.digital on the high street or online at www.currys.co.uk.
• Currys offers customers a "hassle free" shopping experience with the convenience of seven-day delivery and installation services and comprehensive after-sales support, including 24-hour helplines and a national team of engineers.

• Currys customers have the option of a comprehensive product support service whateverhappensä which offers fast and convenient repairs and technical support.

Currys Preferred Supplier is Sharp, the global leader in solar cell production, with more than 45 years' experience in the industry. With installations as diverse as satellites, commercial, public and residential buildings, over a quarter of solar modules installed worldwide are manufactured by Sharp. In 2004, Sharp opened its first solar module manufacturing plant in Europe based in Wrexham, North Wales. The facility assembles monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar modules for residential and commercial installations. In 2005, Sharp’s annual production capacity increased to 428 megawatts. With a current market share of 26 per cent, Sharp has been the worldwide leader in production of solar cells for six years.