Guides
Plain-English UK solar guides.
Suitability, costs, batteries, payback, and choosing an installer — written for UK homeowners and updated as the market changes.
Plug-in solar in the UK — what's actually changing in 2026
The UK government announced in March 2026 that plug-in solar panels under 800W will be legal to connect to mains sockets without an electrician. Here's what that actually means, who benefits, and what plug-in solar can't do.
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Common questions
Quick answers for UK homeowners.
Can I get solar panels?
A quick suitability check for UK homes — what rules you out, and what doesn’t.
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Is my roof suitable?
Direction, pitch, and shade — what actually makes a roof work for solar.
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How much sun does my roof get?
How sunlight falls on a roof month by month — summer glow, winter dip.
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How much do they cost?
UK pricing in honest 2026 ranges, not a single made-up number.
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Solar battery storage
When a battery actually pays back — and when it doesn’t.
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Solar panel grants
Current UK schemes you can really use, no Facebook fluff.
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Latest guides
- 8 min read value, epc, ukmarket
Do solar panels affect your EPC rating? (the honest UK answer)
Solar PV usually improves your EPC rating, adding roughly 6–15 SAP points and sometimes a whole band. But some homeowners see their EPC fall after solar. Here's the honest reason why, and how to make sure your panels actually count.
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- 8 min read batteries, backup, technical
Do solar panels work in a power cut? (UK backup power explained)
No, a standard grid-tied solar system shuts down in a power cut by law, for safety. Here's why (G98/G99 anti-islanding), what you actually need for backup power, and how partial vs whole-home backup really works in the UK.
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- 8 min read generation, seasonal, ukmarket
Do solar panels work on cloudy days? (UK weather, shade and snow)
Yes, solar panels work under cloud, just at reduced output. An honest UK guide to cloudy-day generation, why diffuse light still counts, and how shade, trees and snow really affect your roof, plus why your own roof beats any average figure.
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- 8 min read batteries, lifespan, ukmarket
How long does a solar battery last? (UK lifespan, cycles and warranties)
A home solar battery typically lasts around 10–15 years or 6,000+ cycles for the LFP chemistry most UK homes now use. Here's how battery lifespan really works, LFP vs NMC, what the warranty promises, and what shortens and extends it.
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- 9 min read generation, ukmarket, beginners
How much electricity does a solar panel produce? (UK figures for 2026)
How much electricity a solar panel actually makes in the UK, from a single 400-450W panel to a whole system. Real kWh-per-year ranges, what drives output, how many panels it takes to power a house, and why your own roof beats any average.
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- 8 min read selling, value, ukmarket
Selling a house with solar panels (UK): the conveyancing guide
How to sell a UK house with solar panels smoothly. The document pack solicitors ask for, transferring the SEG export contract, the MCS certificate that matters most, and the rent-a-roof lease complication that can stall a sale.
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- 8 min read lifespan, recycling, ukmarket
Solar panel disposal and recycling in the UK (end-of-life explained)
What happens to old solar panels in the UK. How WEEE producer-responsibility rules work, how panels are recycled, what it costs you, and the honest environmental picture, for a decision that's decades away for most homes.
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- 8 min read newbuild, regulation, ukmarket
Solar panels on new build homes (UK): the 2026 rules explained
Are solar panels included or required on new build homes in the UK? The Future Homes Standard, what it mandates and when, buying a new build with or without solar, adding solar afterwards, and the ownership and warranty quirks to check first.
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- 13 min read heating, hot-water, ukmarket
Solar thermal panels UK: how solar water heating really stacks up in 2026
An honest UK guide to solar thermal (solar water heating). How it works, flat-plate vs evacuated-tube collectors, realistic costs and payback, why combi boilers usually rule it out, and why solar PV plus a diverter or a heat pump has overtaken it for most homes.
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- 8 min read heating, hot-water, ukmarket
Solar thermal vs solar PV: which is right for your UK home?
A plain head-to-head of solar thermal (hot water) versus solar PV (electricity) for UK homes. What each does, cost, roof space, savings, the grants reality, and why PV plus a hot-water diverter is now the more flexible choice for most homes.
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- 7 min read planning, regulation, beginners
Do I need planning permission for solar panels? (UK, 2026)
Most UK homes can install solar under permitted development with no planning application. Here's when that's true, and when conservation areas, listed status or Article 4 change it.
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- 7 min read value, ukmarket, beginners
Do solar panels increase your house value in the UK?
The honest evidence on solar panels and UK house value: EPC uplift, buyer appeal, and why owned systems help a sale while leased ones can complicate it.
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- 7 min read lifespan, technical, ukmarket
How long do solar panels last? (UK lifespan & degradation)
Solar panels typically last 25–30 years with gradual output decline. Here's what UK homeowners should expect from panels, inverters and batteries over the system's life.
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- 8 min read batteries, sizing, beginners
What size solar battery do I need? (UK sizing guide)
How to size a solar battery for a UK home, from evening usage to EV charging and heat pumps. Honest ranges, not a single "right" number, and why bigger isn't automatically better.
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- 8 min read cooling, heating, ukmarket
Air conditioning vs heat pump for UK homes — which do you need?
Air conditioning vs heat pump in the UK — they solve different jobs. An honest guide to air-to-air cooling, air-to-water heating, the £7,500 grant, and solar pairing.
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- 8 min read batteries, cooling, ukmarket
The best solar battery setup for running air conditioning
How to size and choose a solar battery for air conditioning in the UK. Honest sizing logic, buying criteria, and time-of-use tips for evening and overnight cooling.
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- 7 min read cooling, summer, ukmarket
Do solar panels keep your house cooler in summer?
Do solar panels reduce roof heat and keep your house cooler? An honest look at the shading effect research has found, and how big it really is for UK homes.
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- 7 min read cooling, summer, ukmarket
Do solar panels work in a heatwave? What UK heat does to output
Do solar panels work in hot weather? Yes — but not because of the heat. An honest UK guide to what a heatwave really does to your solar output, and why summer still wins.
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- 8 min read batteries, tariffs, cooling, ukmarket
Solar panels and air conditioning — can you run AC off solar in the UK?
UK summers are heating up. Can solar panels run home air conditioning? An honest guide to daytime cooling, night-time batteries, and when the maths actually works.
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- 7 min read cooling, summer, seasonal, ukmarket
Solar panels in summer — what to expect from your UK system
Honest guide to UK solar in summer — peak output, long days, midday surplus, hot-weather efficiency, and how to use the generation you can't consume.
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- 7 min read seg, tariffs, battery, ukmarket
Will SEG export rates fall? What more UK solar means for what you get paid
As UK solar capacity climbs, homeowners are asking whether today's 10–15p export rates can last. An honest look at the forces pulling rates down, the ones pushing back, and how to design a system that survives either way.
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- 7 min read roof, how-to, beginners
How to check your roof for solar yourself (a DIY walkthrough)
A practical, do-it-yourself way to size up your own roof for solar before you speak to anyone. Check the direction with a compass or phone, watch the shading across the day, rough-measure the usable area, and know when to stop and get a survey.
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- 5 min read ukmarket, suitability, data
Where Britain's solar panels actually are — and why Scotland leads
Ordnance Survey mapped solar panels across 40 million British buildings for the first time. Scotland leads adoption — not the sunny south. Here's what that means for your roof.
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- 5 min read accreditation, installers, consumer-rights
MCS certified solar installers — what it means and how to check
MCS certification is required to claim the Smart Export Guarantee. Learn what it means, how to check any installer's certificate, and find MCS-verified installers near you.
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- 5 min read plug-in, ukmarket, renters, prices
Lidl to sell £400 plug-in solar panels — what you need to know
Lidl, Amazon and EcoFlow are preparing to sell plug-in solar panels on the UK high street for around £400, after a government regulatory change. Here's how the kit works, what the government says you'll save, and who it's actually for.
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- 5 min read tariffs, prices, ukmarket
Rising UK energy costs and solar — does the case actually change?
With renewed pressure on global energy markets in 2026, UK homeowners are asking whether to bring solar plans forward. An honest look at what changes, what doesn't, and why volatility is the better reason to act.
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- 4 min read ev, batteries, tariffs, ukmarket
Solar and EV charging in the UK — a 2026 guide
Honest UK guide to pairing solar with EV charging in 2026. When daytime solar charging makes sense, smart EV chargers (Zappi, Ohme), and how this changes battery sizing.
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- 4 min read tariffs, batteries, ukmarket
Solar with Octopus Go and time-of-use tariffs in 2026
How time-of-use tariffs (Octopus Go, Cosy, Agile) interact with solar and a battery, and when stacking them is genuinely worth the complexity.
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- 3 min read seg, tariffs, ukmarket
Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) — how UK solar exports actually pay
Plain-English UK SEG explainer. What it is, which suppliers pay what per kWh, how the payment works, and whether chasing the highest rate is worth the switching effort.
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- 4 min read process, installers, beginners
How long does a UK solar installation actually take?
Honest timeline for UK solar — from first quote to handover. Survey, DNO approval, scaffolding, install day, certification, and what happens after.
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- 3 min read guide, beginners, ukmarket
A homeowner's guide to going solar in the UK (2026)
Plain-English guide to UK solar in 2026 — suitability, costs, batteries, grants, payback, and how to choose an installer. With links to the tools to run your own numbers.
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- 4 min read inverters, technical, installers
Solar inverter types — string, optimisers, microinverters explained
Plain-English UK guide to solar inverter choices in 2026. When a single string inverter is fine, when optimisers or microinverters are worth the extra cost, and what changes for monitoring.
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- 4 min read seasonal, ukmarket, beginners
Solar in winter — what UK homeowners should actually expect
Honest guide to UK solar performance from November to February. Output drops, snow, frost, monitoring, and why the financial case still works.
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- 4 min read risk, installers, consumer-rights
What if my solar installer goes bust?
Honest UK guide to what protection you actually have if your solar installer ceases trading. MCS, insurance-backed warranties, manufacturer routes, and what to check before signing.
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- 4 min read installers, beginners, guide
Eight questions to ask before you sign a solar quote
Practical pre-signing checklist for UK solar buyers. MCS, what's actually in the price, warranties, scaffolding, monitoring, and what often gets dropped.
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- 4 min read accreditation, installers, consumer-rights
MCS, RECC, HIES — UK solar accreditations decoded
Plain-English guide to the three main UK solar accreditations. What each one actually is, what it protects you from, and what's optional but worth having.
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For installers
If you fit solar for a living.
Trade guides on MCS certification: what it costs, how long it takes, and which accreditations you actually need in 2026.
What MCS certification actually costs a solar installer in 2026
There is no published price for MCS certification. Here are the five cost buckets that make up the real number, the one fee MCS does publish, the five certification bodies that cover solar PV, and the new financial protection cost most guides leave out.
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Getting MCS certified as a small installer: the realistic timeline
The paperwork is not what slows MCS certification down. You need one fully compliant installation before your assessment, and MCS now runs business checks including your online presence. A stage-by-stage timeline for sole traders and small firms.
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MCS vs NICEIC vs RECC: what a UK solar installer actually needs in 2026
They are not competing options. MCS certifies your business, NICEIC does two different jobs depending on context, and RECC membership stopped being mandatory under MCS's redeveloped scheme. Here is what you actually need, and what replaced the consumer code requirement.
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Tools
Run the numbers for your home.
See an example report
A real, worked Solarable Report — score, savings and installers.
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Check your roof yourself, free
A two-minute walkthrough — direction, sun, and suitability from your postcode.
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How much sun does my roof get?
How sunlight falls on a UK roof, month by month.
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Solar savings calculator
Annual benefit and payback in honest UK ranges.
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Browse installers by city
Every UK city with listed solar installers.
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