Solar Panel Myths & Misconceptions UK

Solar myths – or Smyths if you will – are plentiful.

But are they really myths? Are they smoke accompanied with the expected fire? Or does a bear poo in the portaloo?

Perhaps they were once true, but the solar PV industry has evolved quickly. The answer isn’t black and white but our text on this background is so we’ll get to the bottom of why they came to be, the truth behind them and why that truth has possibly changed.

Heatable are a UK-wide, solar PV installation company - specialising in fixed, transparent pricing for the best solar installation and battery storage solutions available.

Our bespoke and unique online pricing tool allows the consumer to draw their own conclusion (literally) for solar PV and instantly obtain a price for panel and battery fitting as well as transparent bill-saving data – all backed by MCS statistics.

It means we’re lifting the lid on previously mysterious solar pricing strategies. Beneath that lid? It isn’t the bear poo – that goes in the woods.

PS We offer MCS-certified solar panel installation nationwide. Simply answer these questions, get your fixed price and arrange your free design.

Solar Panel Myths Debunked 

The ‘payback’ period is so long, it isn’t worth the hefty upfront cost

Dying before you see your solar panels ‘paid for’ through saved energy bills and/or exports to the grid has long been the main concern for would-be PV and battery buyers.

Morbid as it may be, dying before things get good is a justifiable human concern. Fans of Everton Football Club know this all too well.

The truth behind the myth: Solar PV fittings in any type of popularity are around 20 years old in the UK.

Up until recently, it was an undeniably expensive venture with average costs being £15,000 - £20,000 – materials and skilled labour were less abundant therefore prices were accordingly higher.

But what are the numbers now?

For this, we’ll take average install costs Vs average savings:

*The methodology and data used are sourced from MCS and as noted are based on a series of assumptions. Figures last updated: August 2023.

UK homeowners’ appetite for having solar panels fitted has risen dramatically in recent years – hardly surprising considering our ever-soaring energy bills (and planet temperatures).

Lower prices = shorter payback time.

But higher energy bills also cause payback times to fall due to the cost of not having a self-generating energy solution.

The same has been true for new boiler installations – rising gas prices have seen payback periods for boilers dropping to as little as two years.

Further considerations to solar PV payback times:

• Quality of panels and their generation capability. Not all panels are created equal.

• Good quality solar PV installations and panels also add value to your property.

• Battery storage. Panels alone will typically offer less saving potential.

• Your energy tariff and export rate (SEG) – if applicable.

Check out our YouTube video debunking solar panel myths below:

Electricity savings are way over-exaggerated.

The UK solar industry earned itself a bad name from its inception and still carries that to some degree.

It has been so poor in fact, that many banks and lending houses aren’t willing to provide consumer finance for installations because of the high risk of the customer having technology performing nowhere near the levels promised.

Why?

Mis-selling.

Many ‘cowboy’ installation companies and solar salesmen throughout the UK have promised consumers that they would be so off-grid, that they would be waving it goodbye from a great distance.

They left unfortunate homeowners expecting to be bill-free, when in fact this was wildly inaccurate.

This was more abundant several years ago when the panel technology was much further behind and potential savings were much lower in any instance.

At Heatable, our team are regularly hearing stories from customers about the ‘off-grid’ promise still made by salesman today – it can be a difficult conversation to navigate and even well-accredited companies are giving misleading, but compelling figures.

Draw your own conclusion on solar panels here.

UK weather isn’t good enough to make solar PV worthwhile.

The first part of this statement is almost undeniable. UK weather isn’t good.

Two points of truth in the myth to address here:

1. Absolutely, sunny is better – but it doesn’t render less sunny days useless.

2. Manufacturer reported the generation capability of panels (i.e. 420 watts).

Point 1: Brighter, sunnier days are indeed better for the solar panel’s ability to generate power and run at its peak.

For most panels available in the UK, low light days or shading on the panels will vastly reduce their performance and there is a degree of inevitability to this.

Panel performance should be considered over a year and you should accept the ‘average’ performance as opposed to getting overly obsessive about the troughs.

A little like your waistline on 2nd January, that’s not necessarily year-round for you.

What can be crippling is most standard UK panels using a string inverter will often struggle in those lower light days to engage whatsoever.

The string inverter for the array (a gaggle of panels) will require a certain amount of solar energy before it can switch itself on. Those all too regular miserable UK days might mean a very short window of switch-on time.

The solution here is independently functioning solar panels that use micro-invertors. Grab a quote for that system here.

Point 2: It should be taken into account that the manufacturer-listed generation output, isn’t what the panel will consistently perform at; only its peak.

Meaning, that under strategic – and perfect – laboratory conditions, the listed wattage that the panel is capable of is what it generated under these false conditions.

In reality, that number will only ever be achieved on certain super-sunny UK days and for a very small proportion of that day.

A note on cold: Cold weather shouldn’t always be confused with a lack of sun. Many UK winter days will be sufficiently bright and have your system purring even in low temperatures. *The performance of a solar storage battery may be reduced in sub-zero temperatures.

They’re ugly.

Some still are, and most definitely were.

As with many things (even extending to boilers), their designs improve over time as we come to terms with the hideous aesthetics of our past – including our own historic family photos.

Modern solar panels, none more so than Heatable’s REA packages are getting remarkably attractive.

No more sky-blue panels, no silver trims and ugly square edges.

They let your neighbours know that you’re smarter than them, have more of a green conscience and lower energy bills. They’ll be reconsidering their gargoyles.

The image above shows the REA Fusion Solar Panels (Exclusive to Heatable). 

They’re a money spinner (you can sell your energy back to the grid)

This myth is a little different, a false positive perhaps.

It’s often oversimplified that solar panels can become profitable for the homeowner based on their ability to ‘export to the grid’ for the energy that you haven’t used.

Fundamentally, this is true.

However, it’s likely on a much lesser scale than you might have imagined and comes with some caveats to consider. Hold off on your digital nomad plans for the moment:

• You’ll need to be registered with SEG (Smart Export Guarantee). A Government scheme designed to encourage greener purchases in the UK.

• Depending on your SEG provider (energy company) and tariff, export rates will vary and often be as low as 5p per kW which would yield a lower income than your last office whip-round.

• You won’t be further incentivised to store energy in a battery – only what you export. It’s more likely in doing this, you would be buying more energy at a higher price instead of storing it and in turn, selling it at a very low price. I once had a friend who bought shares in Cineworld because ‘the Avengers was about to come out’ – same result.

• Some energy companies (like OVO & Octopus) are starting to deliver some more compelling SEG rates, paying closer to 12-15 pence per kW.

The last point gives us hope that we can sell our bottled sunlight back to the energy companies – many of which have historically profited hugely from our misfortunes.

However, at present it's most likely that on current SEG rates, solar PV will generate around £100 - £200 a year if you’re exporting a large amount and choosing not to store it in a solar battery.

Whilst those figures are still absolutely fantastic – profit is profit after all – it might be some way below the ‘earner’ many homeowners were expecting.

Just remember the profit is after your substantially reduced electric bills!

Explore a Solar Case Study: Check out an insightful Q&A session featured in one of our detailed case studies on domestic solar panels. Hear directly from a Heatable customer in the UK and gain valuable perspectives on their experience here.

The image above shows a 23-panel solar installation, carried out by the MCS-certified solar team at Heatable, featuring the REA Fusion2 solar panels.

Is solar PV difficult to clean and maintain?

The simple answer here is; if you were to do this yourself – probably.

Most solar PV installation companies should provide you with:

• A substantial product warranty (minimum 10 years)

• An aftercare & maintenance plan

• Bird protection option

The first two points should be standard issues for all MCS-registered solar installation companies and no DIY maintenance should be required.

In return for your hospitality, they’ll proceed to use the area as a toilet with such alarming regularity you’ll assume they’re also sharing your curry house.

Fortunately, discrete bird protection can be easily added onto most installations at the point of checkout or sourced afterwards should you be in a position of regret. Owning, training and keeping a large bird of prey locally is a more extravagant option.

Maintenance-wise, your warranty and aftercare plan should provide peace of mind and it’s more than likely your panels will last for many years without issue.

Should you have a standard array running on one string inverter, you should factor in 1-2 replacements for those over the course of the array’s lifetime. Another bonus of a micro-invertor system.

Next Steps For Your Solar Journey:

When planning to install solar panels for your home, there are several important factors to consider. Make sure to refer to the following guides to help you make informed decisions:

• How much do solar panels cost? 

• Are solar panels worth it for your home? 

• Is your roof suitable for solar panels? 

• What are the best solar panels available? 

• Is battery storage worth it? 

To dive deeper into these topics, head over to our advice section, check out our YouTube channel for informative videos, or read a customer case study to see how others have benefited from their solar installation. 

Get a Quote for Solar Today 

Without boasting you should get your solar installed with us, here's why: 

• Thousands of Happy Customers: We boast an average score of 4.9 on Trustpilot, outperforming the market leader.

• Which? Trusted Trader: Heatable is proudly recognised as a Which? Trusted Trader.

• MCS Accredited: Our accreditation by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) ensures high-quality standards.

• Exclusive Panels: We offer REA Fusion solar panels, available only through Heatable.

• Consumer Protection: As members of the HIES consumer code, we provide 2-year deposit protection.

• Flexible Payment Options: Choose from multiple payment methods, including finance options.

• Fixed Price Guarantee: Enjoy transparency with no hidden costs.

• Save Your Quote: You can save your quote and decide later.

• Bespoke Design Tool: Draw your own conclusion (literally) on whether solar is worth it for you, here.