When it comes to solar panels, there are a lot of important factors to consider and whether that be installation costs, payback periods and return on investment, in this guide we cover them all.
- What Are Solar Panels?
- What are the different types of solar panels?
- On average, what’s the monthly output from solar panels?
- What are the benefits of solar power?
- What can solar power be used for at home?
- Are solar panels worth it?
- How much do solar panels cost?
- How much do solar panels cost to install?
- How much does it cost to maintain solar panels?
- How much can you save with solar panels?
- How much money can you get selling energy back to the grid?
- How long will it take to make your money back from solar panels?
- Are solar panels efficient in the UK?
- How many solar panels do you need for your home?
Drawing from the latest figures provided by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), the United Kingdom has surpassed a milestone with over 1 million solar panel installations. Looking forward, the government has set an ambitious target to triple the nation’s solar capacity by 2030.
This raises important questions for many: What kind of savings on energy bills can one realistically anticipate from installing solar panels? Moreover, how do these solar systems function to harness the sun's energy?
This guide is crafted for homeowners who are considering the financial and environmental benefits of solar energy, as well as for those intrigued by the technology behind converting sunlight into electricity. It serves as a comprehensive resource addressing the most common inquiries related to solar energy.
Let’s explore the mechanics of solar power and uncover how this renewable energy source can revolutionise our energy consumption and significantly impact our lives.
PS We offer MCS-certified solar panel installation nationwide. Simply answer these questions, get your fixed price and arrange your free design.
What Are Solar Panels?
Solar panels represent a remarkable technological advancement that enables us to capture the sun's energy throughout the day and convert it into alternating current (AC), providing a renewable source of power for our homes at no additional cost. While there are various types of solar panels, the majority share a similar operational principle.
Over the last decade and a half, the technology behind solar panels has advanced significantly. Modern panels are now capable of producing much higher levels of electricity than before.
To illustrate, a decade ago, a system comprising ten solar panels would generate an average of 6 kWh of energy daily. Fast forward to 2024, and the same setup now yields around 10 kWh per day—an impressive increase of 40%.
The integration of battery storage solutions marks a pivotal development in solar energy utilisation. This innovation allows us to store the surplus energy generated by the sun for use at a later time, overcoming the previous limitation of having to consume solar-generated electricity exclusively during daylight hours.
This enhancement not only increases the efficiency of solar panels but also significantly boosts their convenience and utility for homeowners.
What are the different types of solar panels?
In the vast landscape of solar panels, there are three main iterations that you’ll find, although with technology constantly advancing, newer hybrid panels are also making headway.
And although they all generate energy by converting rays from the sun using the same fundamental principle, the efficiency, cost, and specific applications of solar panels can vary significantly based on their type.
1. Monocrystalline solar panels
These solar panels are one of the most common you’ll find across homes in the UK. Their cells are made of cylindrical silicon ingots and are cut up into wafers, but they tend to be on the pricier side, with an average cost of between £120 and £400 per panel.
Monocrystalline panels also have a higher efficiency rating than panels like polycrystalline, ranging from about 15-26%.
With that being said, monocrystalline panels have a life expectancy of around 20 - 40 years, so you know you’ll be getting your money's worth with this investment!
2. Polycrystalline solar panels
These panels are made by melting multiple silicon fragments together to form solar cells. They’re more wallet-friendly than their monocrystalline option — think around £70 to £250 per panel — making them a great choice for those looking for a cheaper alternative.
Polycrystalline panels gradually degrade in performance due to damage from oxygen in the atmosphere breaking down the cells. As a result, polycrystalline panels tend to last between 12 - 15 years.
3. Thin film solar panels
These solar panels are exactly what they say on the tin — they consist of flexible thin-film materials and, in some cases, can either be made of one single layer of film or several layers.
In comparison to monocrystalline solar panels, thin film panels have an energy efficiency of just 7-13%, and they cost about £200 - £250.
In the grand solar race, thin film solar panels aren’t the leader of the pack — they require more space to generate roughly the same amount of power as their polycrystalline counterparts. They also have a significantly shorter life span of around 5 - 8 years.
When considering solar energy, it’s important to understand solar panel sizes and how they impact installation and energy output, as well as to stay informed with the latest solar statistics on the growing adoption of renewable energy in the UK. Additionally, you might be eligible for solar panel grants that can help reduce installation costs, making solar more affordable. To ensure your system runs efficiently, proper cleaning of solar panels is key, while weighing up the pros and cons of solar power can help you make a well-informed decision about whether it’s the right choice for your home.
Join Thousands of Satisfied Customers:
We’re proud to be MCS accredited and Which? Trusted solar installers with over 10,000 glowing reviews on Trustpilot. Discover why so many trust us for their solar panel installations—visit our Reviews and Testimonials page and watch Phil’s video testimonial below.
On average, what’s the monthly output from solar panels?
The monthly output from solar panels can vary as widely as the weather itself and can depend on a few key factors, such as where you live and the size of your system.
Most solar panels in the UK run at about 20% efficiency, which averages about 10 kWh per day for a typical 10-panel, 4KWp system. However, over a year, you’ll tend to see your output fluctuate like this:
Get your best solar deal now, or find out more about how much energy solar panels produce.
You can improve the system efficiency of your solar system by installing high-performance, monocrystalline N-Type panels such as the REA Fusion2 or REC Alpha Pure.
What are the benefits of solar power?
There are so many benefits of using solar power, not only for your home but for the planet! Let’s delve into some of the most important ones:
Cheaper electricity bills — Solar power allows you to generate your own electricity, reducing your dependence on the utility grid. The amount of money you save will vary depending on factors such as the size of your solar system and your general electricity usage. The average UK energy bill is around 75-80% less when you rely on solar panels!
Low maintenance — Solar panels are renowned for their durability and low maintenance requirements. Once installed, you’ll only really need to have the panels inspected annually to ensure that they’re on top form. All solar installs at Heatable come with a 25-year panel warranty and are insured by an independent insurance company (not just the manufacturer - for extra peace of mind).
Reduce your carbon footprint — Solar is a green and clean power source, and unlike conventional power sources that rely on burning fossil fuels that emit harmful greenhouse gases and pollutants, solar generates no pollution whatsoever. According to the IPCC, in terms of CO2 emissions generated per kWh of electricity, solar panels are 12 times less than natural gas and a staggering 20 times less than coal.
Protection against volatile energy markets - Installing solar empowers the homeowner by becoming your own energy generator. A well-designed, high-performance solar system will reduce your grid dependency by up to 75%
Renewable source of energy — Solar energy is truly inexhaustible on a human timescale. The sun provides an overwhelming abundance of energy daily; in fact, about 173,000 terawatts of solar energy continuously hit the earth, which is around ten times more than the amount of energy used (and needed!) on the planet. This makes solar one of our greatest sustainable solutions and can help reduce our reliance on finite sources.
Check out one of the largest Solar Panel Case Study's Heatable has conducted to date:
What can solar power be used for at home?
From popping the kettle on to charging your phone, there are so many ways that solar can be used within your home.
1. Providing electricity
Solar power can be the heart of your home's energy system.
By installing solar panels on your roof, you convert sunlight directly into electricity that can be used to power everything from your lights, heating and cooling systems, appliances and even tech.
But what’s the beauty of it? Well, the more you use solar power for your electricity needs, the less you rely on the grid, leading to lower energy bills and a reduced carbon footprint.
Any of the energy you don't use will be exported to the grid and you’ll be paid for each KWh by your utility company. Some customers are earning up to £10 per day on this scheme.
2. Charging electric vehicles
In recent years, we’ve seen the rise of electric vehicles (EVs), and given that 100% of all cars in the UK are set to have zero emissions by 2035, there’s never been a better time to make the switch.
Solar power makes the advantage of EVs possible by providing a green and cost-effective way to charge them. By installing a solar-powered charging station at home, you can tap into the sun’s energy and charge your EV’s battery in no time.
Essentially, it’s a win-win: you reduce your carbon footprint and save money on fuel costs over time.
All the solar systems installed by Heatable are suitable for EV chargers.
Are solar panels worth it?
Well, whilst it’s dependent upon the homeowner (as some people may use almost no energy at all), solar panels are resoundingly worthwhile for almost all ‘normal’ UK homeowners.
Most homes use an average of around 3800KWh (kilowatt hours) worth of electricity each year, which is around 10kWh per day.
While the quality of solar equipment varies depending on the type of panels you have, a well-designed 10-panel system using high-performance panels should meet at least 3600KWh worth of annual demand.
You should then see this reduction reflected equally in your monthly and annual electricity spending. On average, Heatable customers reduce their grid dependency by 77%.
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.
How much do solar panels cost?
Put simply, there are two aspects of solar panel costs: the quality of the product — there are good and bad panels out there, but there are also good and bad inverters (critical to performance), plus how many panels you are looking to install.
The more panels you install, the more you’ll generate; you can expect to pay around £400 per panel for a low-quality kit and £550 per panel for a top-quality one (supplied and installed on a typical home).
Installing a solar battery to maximise efficiency, performance, and savings will also add to the cost, but it is worthwhile. 99% of Heatable customers choose to install a battery with their solar panels.
How much do solar panels cost to install?
It’s unlikely that anyone would source their solar panels, inverter and battery and then arrange installation separately. Frankly, it would be a nightmare. All good solar companies should provide an all-inclusive service, like us, at Heatable.
However, you should expect installation to cost anywhere from £1,500 - £3,000 plus scaffolding will almost definitely be needed, on average costing around £700 per elevation — they are heading to the roof, after all!
Most solar panel installations take around about 1-2 days to complete, so, as a rough estimate at the highest prices you can expect to pay:
Scaffolding: £700 x 2 (elevations) = £1, 400
Installation costs: £2,000
Total: £1,400 + £2,000 = £3,400 for installation.
How much does it cost to maintain solar panels?
You, and your wallet, will be pleased to know that solar panels will cost almost nothing to maintain. Once every 3-5 years (or likely less), you may choose to have them cleaned both for aesthetic reasons and performance; this may cost around £300, depending on whether or not the company includes access and scaffolding costs.
If not, you’ll have to fork out a bit more to set this up if it’s required, most are now using expendable poles to reach panels.
If you’re buying quality products from a reputable company, you should have at least 24 months of workmanship warranty coverage to account for any early teething issues.
It’s also important that you consider things like bird-proofing your panels when they’re getting installed — you don’t want any pesky pigeons laying claim to the underside of your panels that you spent your hard-earned cash on.
At Heatable, our panels have a 25-year guarantee, so you can rest assured your panels are designed and built to last the life of your system.
How much can you save with solar panels?
As your solar panels soak up the sun, your bank account can soak up the savings. But, how much you can save can depend on a variety of factors such as:
The product quality
The cost of electricity in your area
The size of the solar panel system
The direction your roof faces
The amount of sunlight your location receives
Habit changes
However, a typical solar customer who has purchased high-quality panels such as the REA Fusion2’s with microinverters from Enphase plus battery storage could see their electricity bill drop by around 80%.
As an estimate, you can expect to save around:
How much money can you get selling energy back to the grid?
In times gone by, there were some extremely high tariffs being paid to homeowners for their energy production, but this isn’t quite the case anymore. Whilst there is an obligation that your excess energy is purchased, the amount paid can vary from tariff to tariff.
We would always recommend using and storing your energy before selling. If you choose to export, try to do this at peak times where you'll be paid the most. Some customers can earn up to £10 per day.
Currently, the only way to sell excess energy is through a government-run scheme known as the Smart Export Guarantee. This scheme pays homes and businesses for any excess energy they generate through renewable technologies like solar panels, wind turbines and more and exports it to the grid.
If you do wish to sell energy back to the grid, you'll have to have your system installed by an MCS-registered installer like Heatable.
How long will it take to make your money back from solar panels?
There are two ways to consider return on investment (ROI) for solar. Firstly, plain old money is outlayed vs when your savings meet that amount.
Let’s say your solar and battery installation costs £12,000, and a typical customer could save £130 per month (or £1,560 per year).
£12,000 ÷ by £1,560 = 7.6 years to ‘payback’.
However, another compelling point is how hard your money is working. Let’s say you put your £12,000 into a savings account with 5% of generous interest.
In a year, your £12,000 has worked hard enough to make you £600. That same £12,000 on your roof in solar form is saving you £130 per month — so that’s working hard enough to ‘earn’ you £1,560.
Are solar panels efficient in the UK?
We all know about the unpredictability of the British weather, so do solar panels hold their own? Well, the simple answer is yes.
But it also depends on the type of solar panels and equipment you buy. Older generations of solar panels were less efficient, but more importantly, so were older inverters.
An inverter takes the power from the sun (in DC energy form) and turns it into AC energy, which we use in our homes.
If you’re buying solar on a ‘string inverter’ (older tech), you’ll have one big inverter that needs quite a lot of energy to even fire itself up and get your solar panels going.
New generation tech — also known as microinverters — are tiny inverters on the back of each panel, essentially making them all their power plant and requiring much less light.
Essentially, this means they’ll be producing your energy early in the morning and in low light conditions that we’re used to in the UK. High-performance products such as the REA Fusion 2 panel are also dual-sided, allowing for up to 20% increased performance from the sunlight.
Find out more about which solar brands offer the most efficient solar panels in the UK.
How many solar panels do you need for your home?
This is entirely dependent upon your energy usage and the size of your property.
You’ll be able to find your usage in your energy bill and should look for your monthly kWh usage. From there, multiply that by 12 and that’s what you’re looking to offset with your solar system.
Heatable’s online solar quote tool will measure your roof and recommend a system size based on your current usage.
Sometimes you’ll be limited by the physical size of your roof, this is where installing high-performance panels pays dividends to maximise the performance of your available space.
The simplest way to get an exact rundown on the number of panels you need is to use our free solar calculator tool and draw on your roof.
Wondering how different solar installers compare? Check out our in-depth solar installer comparison here.
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:
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 set for solar with Heatable
And that’s everything you need to know about solar! While we know it can be an expensive topic, we’re really just scratching the surface of what solar has to offer.
And, not to toot our own horn, here’s why you should get your solar panels installed with us:
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.
Do you need planning permission for solar panels?
Installing solar panels on the roof of your property in the UK usually falls under ‘permitted development’ rights, which means you typically don’t need to apply for planning permission.
However, there are certain conditions and limitations you need to be aware of to ensure that your installation falls within these rights.
For example, the solar panels should, as much as possible, minimise their impact on the appearance of the property and the surrounding area.
Panels mounted on the roof should also not protrude more than 200mm above the plane of the wall or the slope of a roof.
Additionally, you will need to make an application to your Distribution Network Operator (DNO), however, the good news is that we handle all of that as part of our service.
Can you get free or subsidised solar panels in the UK?
Potentially yes, you can apply for funding and may be eligible for help with the costs of a solar panel installation via the ECO4 scheme.
Explore what solar panel grants and funding are currently available in our comprehensive solar grant guide here.
