Guides
Solar, made simple.
How much do solar panels cost in 2026?
What you'll actually pay for solar PV and battery storage — what drives the price, what's included and 0% VAT.
Read the guide → CostsAre solar panels worth it in 2026?
The honest answer, using real installed prices — when solar pays, when it doesn't, and how to work it out for your home.
Read the guide → CostsWhat does battery storage cost?
Real 2026 battery prices from our own quotes — package prices by size, which brands we fit and why, and how a battery changes the savings.
Read the guide → Heat pumpsAre air source heat pumps worth it?
Which homes suit one, which do not yet, and what moves the price — including the four cases where we say wait.
Read the guide → Getting startedHow to choose a solar installer
Seven checks that separate a good installer from a bad one — including the ones we would want you to run on us.
Read the guide → Getting startedIs my roof suitable for solar panels?
Direction, shade, pitch, condition and space — how to check each one yourself, including the roofs we turn down.
Read the guide → How it worksHow many solar panels do I need?
Size your system from your bill and roof in two minutes — with real examples from our recent designs.
Read the guide → BatteriesPowerwall 3 vs Sigenergy vs Fox ESS
We install all three battery systems. An honest side-by-side of who each one actually suits — with real installed prices.
Read the guide → SavingsThe Smart Export Guarantee, explained
Get paid for the solar you export to the grid — how the SEG works, how to qualify, and how a battery helps you keep more.
Read the guide → SavingsIs there VAT on solar panels and batteries?
No — 0% when they're fitted, until 31 March 2027, then 5%. What counts, what doesn't, and why EV chargers aren't included.
Read the guide → How it worksDo solar panels work in winter?
The honest seasonal picture — what UK panels really generate in winter, and how a battery plus smart tariffs fill the gap.
Read the guide → Heat pumpsSolar panels and heat pumps together
Why solar PV, battery storage and an air source heat pump pair so well — heating your home on electricity you generated yourself.
Read the guide → How it worksMaintenance & power cuts, honestly
How much looking-after panels really need, how long inverters last — and the truth about what happens when the power goes off.
Read the guide → How it worksDNO approval, explained simply
G98 vs G99, export limits and timescales — the grid paperwork behind every legal solar install, and why we handle all of it.
Read the guide → How it worksInstallation day: what to expect
From scaffold to switch-on — the timeline, the brief power-off window, testing, and the paperwork a good handover includes.
Read the guide → How it worksCan you put solar panels on a flat roof?
Yes — on angled frames. How it works on a flat roof or garage, the 0.6 m planning limit, and a real job of ours in Romford.
Read the guide → How it worksHow long do solar panels last?
25–30+ years for the panels — but not the inverter. The honest lifespan of every part, and what the warranties should promise.
Read the guide → SavingsCharging an electric car with solar
Your options in plain English — and the one we recommend for most homes: solar for the house, the car charged overnight.
Read the guide → KitAiko vs LONGi vs DMEGC panels
We fit all three, so no horse in the race — which panel brand actually suits your roof, and the rule of thumb we design by.
Read the guide → BatteriesFox ESS EP6 vs EP12 — which do you need?
5.76 or 11.52 kWh? The honest answer for a typical home, what each costs fitted, and the one choice that cannot be undone.
Read the guide → BatteriesSigenergy vs Fox ESS — which battery?
We install both. Fox for the most storage per pound; Sigenergy for one app across battery, EV charger and heat pump.
Read the guide → BatteriesFox ESS EP12 — installer's review
The battery we fit more than any other: ~11.5 kWh, stackable to 34.5 kWh — where it wins and when we'd point you elsewhere.
Read the guide → BatteriesTesla Powerwall 3 — certified installer's review
13.5 kWh with its own solar inverter and whole-house power. What it costs fitted, the honest drawbacks, and who it suits.
Read the guide → BatteriesFox ESS battery review: EP12 and EP6
The two Fox batteries we fit, side by side — what each stores, who it suits, and what it costs fitted.
Read the guide → BatteriesSigenergy SigenStor review
One app for battery, solar, EV charger and heat pump. Who it suits, who should pick Fox ESS instead, and fitted prices.
Read the guide → BatteriesWhat size battery do I need?
For most homes, between 5.76 and 11.52 kWh. Find your size in three taps, with fitted prices.
Read the guide → BatteriesWhere can a home battery go?
Not in the loft. Room by room — outside, garage or a suitable room — under the UK battery safety guide.
Read the guide → BatteriesHome battery installation: what happens on the day
One visit, usually one day — where the battery goes, how it's connected and tested, and what you get after.
Read the guide → BatteriesDo solar batteries work in a power cut?
Not automatically — most switch off for safety. Which set-ups keep your lights on, and the backup gateway we fit.
Read the guide → BatteriesCan you have a home battery without solar panels?
Yes. It charges on a cheap overnight tariff and runs your evenings — and stores your solar if you add panels later.
Read the guide → BatteriesHow long do solar batteries last?
Built to keep working after the warranty. What wears a battery, what the warranty covers, and three brands compared.
Read the guide → KitIn-roof vs on-roof solar panels
Flush with the tiles or on rails above them — looks, cost, output and when each makes sense. Our standard is on-roof.
Read the guide → How it worksSolar panel bird proofing
How mesh round the array stops pigeons nesting under your panels, without drilling them — included with every new install.
Read the guide → BatteriesAlready have solar? Add a battery or fix your inverter
We work on systems other firms fitted — a battery added, a failed inverter replaced, GivEnergy owners looked after.
Read the guide → KitAre DMEGC solar panels any good?
The DMEGC 470W N-type panel we fit, its warranty, and a real install of ours in Bedford.
Read the guide → Getting startedDo I need planning permission for solar panels?
Usually no for a house in England. The size limits for sloping roofs, flat roofs and gardens — and when to ask first.
Read the guide → EV chargersDo I need planning permission for a home EV charger?
Usually no in England from 21 October 2026 — the four rules a wall charger has to follow.
Read the guide →Get started
Ready for your free roof design and fixed price?
Worked out for your exact address, no obligation — usually within 24 hours.
0% VAT on solar & battery until March 2027