Let the sun power your home
Rooftop solar panels reduce your energy bills and carbon footprint by generating clean and affordable electricity for your home.
Installation costs are cheaper than ever and solar panels work well with other smart tech like batteries and heat pumps too.
Over 1.4 million homes in the UK already use solar panels, and more people are choosing them every year.
What are solar panels?
Solar panels are roof-mounted systems that capture the sun’s energy, converting it into electricity for your home.
Check out the benefits:
Lower your bills
Save on average over £500 per year
Sell extra electricity
Get paid for any extra electricity you don’t use by selling it back to the grid
Boost your home’s value
Make your home more desirable with an improved EPC rating
Boost self-sufficiency
Control your electricity use easily with smart apps, timers, and tariffs
Cut your carbon
Use renewable power from the sun to reduce your carbon footprint
Power other tech
Extra bill savings are likely when you pair with batteries, heat pumps, and electric vehicles
Why solar really matters
Ed Crossland, the deputy CTO for Oxford Photovoltaic, tells us how solar energy works, why it really matters, and some of the big opportunities and challenges involved with harnessing this abundant, clean source of energy.
Financial help for your home
You might be eligible for financial help for solar panels through government schemes. You can also ask your bank about green loans.
Energy Company Obligation (ECO4)
Contact your energy supplier directly to see if you might be eligible for energy efficiency and heating improvements. You can find contact details of suppliers who are taking part in the scheme on the Ofgem website.
Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund
This scheme supports social housing landlords to upgrade tenants’ homes with measures including solar panels. Anyone living in social housing can contact their landlord to check eligibility or visit GOV.UK for more information.
Warm Homes: Local Grants
Funding eligible local authorities to deliver energy performance upgrades for low-income households living in privately owned homes. Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant to improve a home on GOV.UK.
Are solar panels right for me?
Solar panels work particularly well on roof areas that face south and are not shaded by trees or other buildings. East or west facing systems also work, and some solar systems can use ‘optimisers’ to reduce the impact of shading.
Check if it’s a match
Try the Government’s Home Energy Assessment to see if solar panels or other energy-saving options are right for your home.
More information
The Energy Saving Trust and solar calculator also offers helpful information about solar panels.
Solar panels: What do I need to know?
Planning permission
You won’t generally require planning permission to install solar panels, but you should still consult your local planning office.
Registering your solar panel system
Your solar panel system needs to be registered with your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO). In most cases, your installer will handle this for you. If you live in Northern Ireland, your installer should register the system with NIE Networks.
See solar power in action:
Nadder Community Energy’s story
Meet Nadder Community Energy, a group of local residents in the Wiltshire countryside working together to bring the benefits of solar power to their community. In this short video, discover how their projects are cutting carbon, supporting local schools, and inspiring the next generation to think green.
Additional help for people living in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland
If you’re in Wales, you could access an interest-free loan alongside the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant. Explore options at Green Homes Wales and get personalised advice through the Nest Warm Homes Programme.
If you’re in Scotland, you may be eligible for an interest-free loan or grant to improve your home’s energy efficiency, including support for installing a heat pump. Find out more from Home Energy Scotland.
If you’re in Northern Ireland, you may qualify for financial support towards the cost of loft and cavity wall insulation. Find out more about energy advice from the government services website.
Curious about what else you can do to save energy?
Click below to learn more.
