We have all experienced the recent increases in our electricity bills and other energy charges. Naturally, consumers are looking at solar panels to offset this. Fitting solar panels on your home can help you generate electricity and store, use or sell it, potentially reducing your electricity bill. More than one million homes now have solar panels.
Did you know?
- Solar panel installations have two main components: the panel on your roof and an inverter in your loft, garage or outbuilding.
- Solar panels generally come with a 20- or 25-year manufacturer’s warranty.
- Inverters generally come with a 5- or 10-year manufacturer’s warranty as they have a shorter life span. This means you should budget for replacing them in the future.
- Solar panels usually generate 80% of their electricity between March and September. If you hope solar panels can provide most of your winter electricity needs, you may need an alternative solution.
- A south-facing roof maximises your solar electricity production, although southeast or southwest-facing roofs offer some possibilities.
- It would be best to have your roof surveyed for structural stability by a suitably experienced and competent person like a surveyor or a structural engineer. Overloading an old or fragile roof, mainly on one face, can cause collapse.
- You are responsible for finding out whether you need planning permission. It’s generally required if the panel protrudes more than 20cm from the external surface of the wall or roof slope when measured perpendicularly or if the highest part of the solar panel or equipment will be higher than the highest part of the roof. This excludes any chimney.
- If your house is in a Conservation Area, you would require planning permission if the panel is installed facing a highway, which includes roads, paths and public rights of way.
- If your house or flat is a listed building or within the curtilage of a listed building, you must also apply for listed building consent.
- Add as many solar panels on the roof as possible, subject to your structural survey. This will maximise your solar generation and help with future demand, such as electric vehicles and heat pumps.
- It would be best if you avoided roofs with significant shading as it will reduce the performance of the solar panels.
- Always obtain two to three quotes from accredited installers
- It would help if you looked at your electricity bill to determine how much electricity you consume currently and your electricity unit rate. The installer will need this information to calculate any potential savings.
- You should compare the quotes carefully, particularly the size of the system and how much money they estimate you could save. The savings should be within 10% of each other.
- You may be able to increase the size of your solar panel system and obtain permission from the Distribution Network Operator (DNO) to connect an extensive system. The DNO will either accept, accept with conditions or reject. The installer will typically apply to the DNO via a G99 form.
- You can’t entirely eliminate your electricity bill by having a solar panel system, but in the long term, you may save money.
- A typical home solar system could save over a tonne and a half of carbon dioxide per year, reducing your carbon footprint.
The NHIC wishes to thank WG2 | Consumer Voice members for contributing to this guide.
Please note that this guidance document produced by the NHIC was correct when created. However, information and regulations may have changed since its publication. Therefore, seeking the most up-to-date information and expert advice is always advisable before making any decisions related to solar panels.
