THE first solar panel manufacturing company in London has opened.

Walthamstow-based company Solar Empower designs and builds solar panels for residential homes and offices - and has just received European accreditation for its designs.

The business hopes to forge contacts with the council and housing developers and today gave Waltham Forest mayor Anna Mbachu and Cllr Sheila Smith-Pryor a tour of its Brummer Road factory.

Solar Empower marking manager Andrew Clough said: “When we tell people we are manufacturing in London they are shocked. We can build them here and want the council and local developers to use locally produced solar panels.

“It is early days because we have just received accreditation, but we have a number of installations coming up. We will be employing more people with technical skills in the future and are looking into setting up an NVQ training programme.”

There are Government incentives for home owners fitting solar panels onto their homes, including grants and payments for energy produced.