The British Invention Report

Sound familiar?

You are not imagining it.

Your bill went up again. With gas beneath our feet and wind off our coast, you want to know why affordable energy still feels so far away.
Your boiler, petrol car and hob are apparently finished. Before you spend thousands replacing them, you want the winter figures, the running costs and an answer about the grid.
Another breakthrough fills the headlines. Then nothing turns up, and you are left wondering which claims to believe.
Another British invention ends up being built somewhere else. You would like to know what happened between the clever idea and the factory.
You can do the sums. You just want someone to give you the figures in pounds and miles.

What this report does

Fifty things you own. Three honest grades.

We examine 50 familiar things in your home, on your drive and in the systems you rely on, and grade each proposed replacement on three things. Each entry explains the replacement, works through the money in pounds and ends with what we would do. You get the installation costs, running costs and practical limits needed to judge the purchase for yourself.

Stage

How far along it really is: from the drawing board to everywhere.

Verdict

Whether the claim stands up: Real, Real but overpromised, Not yet, or Hype.

The Catch

The one thing that decides it: cost, the grid, planning rules, physics, or where you live.

Six of the fifty verdicts

Straight from the report.

The gas boiler

On saleReal but overpromisedCatch: Cost

The gas hob

EverywhereRealCatch: Cost

Solar panels

EverywhereRealCatch: Where you live

Home batteries

On saleReal but overpromisedCatch: Cost

The petrol car

EverywhereRealCatch: Where you live

Synthetic fuel

On trialNot yetCatch: Cost

Every entry shows the working: the costs, the assumptions and what we would do.

What's inside

Ten parts, 133 pages.

How to Read This Report — the three grades, the evidence and how to read the sums.
Warm — boilers, heat pumps, hobs, insulation and keeping the house warm.
Powered — solar panels, batteries, tariffs and the electricity system behind your meter.
Driven — petrol cars, electric cars, charging, battery wear and alternative fuels.
Built — bricks, concrete, steel, factory-built homes and the pipes beneath them.
Fed and Watered — food production, packaging and the water reaching your tap.
Moved — railways, buses, aircraft, ferries and lorries.
Sold Abroad — ten British inventions that left the country or died here, and why.
The Tell — seven warning signs to spot a hype claim in ten seconds.
By Nation and Region — what changes where you live, plus all fifty verdicts in one table.

After reading, you can

Decide with the figures in front of you.

Decide whether to keep your boiler or plan a replacement, with the full installation and running costs in view.
Compare keeping your petrol car with buying electric, using your mileage, winter journeys and available charging.
Work out whether solar panels and a home battery earn their keep on your roof and tariff.
Spot a hype claim in ten seconds by checking for the missing evidence.
Identify the grants, grid constraints and practical catches that apply where you live.

Why Britain Builds

We cover British engineering every week. This report is the straight version: what works, what it costs and what still stands in the way. No cheerleading and no doom. We give you the figures and trust you to do the sums.

The British Invention Report

$19

One payment. Instant PDF download on the next page after payment. Read all 133 pages on your phone, tablet or computer.

Buy the report — $19

Charged in US dollars; your bank converts it to pounds.

Questions

Before you buy.

What exactly do I get?

A 133-page PDF of The British Invention Report. It contains ten parts, fifty graded entries, the guide to spotting hype, the breakdown by nation and region, and a table of all fifty verdicts.

How do I download it?

Your PDF is available instantly on the next page after payment. No account is needed. If you close the page or lose your download, use the get my book again page to retrieve it.

Is it up to date?

This edition uses 2026 figures. Prices, grants and rules change, so check the current figure before you buy equipment or book an installation.

Will I be charged again?

No. It is one payment of $19, with no recurring charge.