Home and business solar setups don't need planning permission unless the site is a listed building, within a conservation area or World Heritage site. If this is the case, solar can still be installed as long as the panels are not visible from the road.
A site surveyor will pop by to assess the structure and orientation of your roof. They’ll assess your electrics and determine the best cable routes, and take photographs of the roof for reference purposes.
Of course! Our site surveys for solar, battery and electric vehicle installations are 100% complimentary.
Different manufacturers offer varied warranties for their solar panels. Typically, you'll see a 10-year product warranty and a 25-year performance guarantee. But many panels outlive these periods.
Batteries typically have a base lifespan of 10 years. With a standard 6000-cycle warranty and a 10-year product guarantee, the actual lifespan can vary. Heavy daily use, like multiple times a day, might mean closer to 10 years. But less frequent use can extend their life.
A 10-year warranty on the product. A 25-year guarantee for performance. A decade-long warranty from battery manufacturers. A warranty for workmanship backed by insurance. A life cycle guarantee ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 cycles.
Harnessing the sun doesn't cost a penny! After covering the initial cost of setting up your solar panels, you'll find savings on your monthly energy bills. Plus, you have the option to cash in by selling any extra energy and battery storage back to the Grid.
Creating your own solar energy rather than using the National Grid's can substantially reduce your electricity expenses. With a 4kWp solar panel array, The Energy Saving Trust projects yearly savings of £500-£700 via the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), depending on your residence. By integrating battery storage, you're storing extra energy for nighttime use, further reducing your reliance on the Grid*
*Source: Solar Panels: A comprehensive guide (UK Energy Saving Trust)
100 tonnes of carbon can be offset if you switch to solar*
Imagine driving an average car for about 250,000 miles. That's roughly the distance you'd cover driving ten times around Earth's equator. In that journey, you'd emit around 40 tonnes of CO2. By switching to solar, over a 30-year period, you're offsetting the carbon of not just one, but two and a half such global car trips. 100 tonnes of carbon—erased from your carbon impact and our world's air*
- Your energy consumption is responsible for 50% of your home’s carbon production*
- Households contribute to 40% of the UK’s total carbon emissions*
- UK home’s produce 8.1 tonnes of CO2 on average per year*
*Sources: EPA - Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle
UK Government - Greenhouse Gas Reporting: Conversion Factors 2021
2020 UK Greenhouse Gas Emmissions
Solar panels require minimal maintenance, as they self-clean during rainfall. For any additional dirt, a simple rinse with a hose suffices. The lack of moving parts in photovoltaic (PV) systems means fewer components prone to wear, and the panels are designed to last, with warranties often covering up to 25 years. Although panels have a coating that repels dust and water (especially when angled above 10 degrees), in areas with excessive dust, leaves, or bird droppings, a gentle wash with hot water can help, but avoid abrasive materials or chemicals to prevent damaging the protective coating.
Your roof's size, direction, and angle are key determinants for solar panel efficiency. A roof space of 10-20m^2 can typically provide up to 45% of an average home's electricity. While south-facing roofs free of shade are ideal, east or west-facing ones still generate 80-85% of what a southern exposure would. In the UK, the sun's angle averages between 50-60 degrees, making a 30-40 degree roof pitch optimal, coincidentally the standard for most UK homes. While direct sunshine is primary, ambient light and reflections also contribute, making even non-south-facing roofs valuable. In fact, surfaces between SW to SE, at 10 to 50-degree angles, can achieve 95% optimal performance, and east or west orientations about 85%. Essentially, nearly all roofs can significantly benefit from solar panels*
*Sources:
Solar Panels (UK Energy Energy Savings Trust)
Solar Trade Industry Research Data
MCS Solar PV Guide
It's essential to distinguish between direct sunlight and daylight. Solar panels harness energy from daylight, not necessarily direct sunbeams. As a result, they remain effective even when skies are overcast.
