According to the latest government data, as of 2024, around 1.4 million homes in the United Kingdom have had solar panels installed on their properties. By October alone, over 20,000 new installations were carried out, and the total number was a 6% increase from the previous year.
The rate of solar adoption has increased in recent years in the UK, and the south is the best-performing region for renewable energy.
Before getting in touch with anyone to carry out an installation project for you, it’s important that you ask the right questions, gather the correct information, and find a trustworthy business to ensure MCS-certified experts carry out the work for you.
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certification ensures that your installation team has been approved to complete renewable energy technologies projects to the highest industry standards. It’s a mark of quality that also assures competency and compliance.
Here are some of the most important questions everyone should ask themselves before buying solar panels.
What are your energy needs?
One of the first things you need to establish is your energy needs, so to determine the right size panels you will need, you can base it on your average household energy consumption, which can be calculated using the following simple steps:
- It’s best to start by ascertaining how many watts your household appliances and devices use in a typical day
- Now, add up the total watts used for each of these devices and appliances
- Then, convert the watts used to kilowatts. For example, 2,000 watts is equal to 1 kiloWatt
- The next step is to multiply the kilowatts by the length of time (in hours) each appliance and device uses
- Finally, to get a rough cost, you can multiply the monthly kiloWatts by your current electric rate
To get even a more accurate cost using more precise energy usage data, you can use the Spartek free quote tool.
You may also want to consider using an electricity usage monitor or smart meter, the latter of which can reveal which devices use the least or most energy and your actual energy consumption. It can also send these data sets and information directly to your energy supplier.
What type of solar panels are best for you?
The most effective solar panel products that will work best for you depend on your energy needs, including the size and type of your property, the surrounding space, and how much you can afford to spend.
The three main types are thin-film panels, polycrystalline, and monocrystalline, which differ in cost, durability, and efficiency.
Here is a quick comparison of all three, which also includes some obvious pros and cons:
Thin-film panels
- Best use: Thin-film panels are an excellent solution for typically challenging geographical areas or for portable or curved surfaces
- Durability: Thin-film panels are the least durable and degrade far quicker than polycrystalline and monocrystalline panels, meaning you will have to replace them more often
- Efficiency: Thin-film panels have a 7-18% efficiency rate, meaning they are the least efficient
- Cost: Thin-film panels are by far the cheapest type of solar panels
Monocrystalline
- Best use: Monocrystalline panels are the perfect solution for your high energy consumption needs
- Durability: Monocrystalline panels are extremely durable and should last you well over three decades
- Efficiency: Monocrystalline panels are the most efficient and have a typical 15-24% efficiency rate
- Cost: Monocrystalline panels are by far the most costly, and the main reason for this is because of what they are made of – a single silicon crystal, which has a higher manufacturing cost as it’s more challenging to make
Polycrystalline
- Best use: Polycrystalline panels are suitable for those looking for something more durable and efficient than thin-film panels but not quite as pricey as Monocrystalline (the most efficient but also the most expensive). They are ideal for much larger installation projects but aren’t as aesthetically pleasing as Monocrystalline
- Durability: Polycrystalline panels are typically expected to last 25–30 years, but if you look after them, potentially up to 35 years or longer
- Efficiency: Polycrystalline panels are more efficient than thin-film panels but less efficient than Monocrystalline panels, with a 13-16% efficiency rate
- Cost: Polycrystalline panels are more affordable than Monocrystalline panels but more costly than thin-film panels
Polycrystalline solar panels are common in residential properties because this mid-range product is regarded as the most efficient and affordable. If you are on a tight budget, you might want to consider this option, especially for larger projects.
Thin-film solar panels are also more suitable for larger projects, especially commercial projects and listed buildings because they are lightweight. They are very rarely installed on domestic properties in the UK.
However, installing solar panels with monocrystalline cells would be best for domestic properties with smaller roofs, but if you are still unsure which type of Solar panel installation project you should go for, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our experts here at Spartek.
How much roof space is required?
The amount of roof space you will need to install your new solar panels depends on the size of the solar panel system you would ideally like to have installed. In short, think of it as needing a roof space of roughly 8 square meters for a 1-kiloWatt system and for a 3-kiloWatt system, around 19 square meters, etc.
Key factors to consider when calculating the total available surface area of your roof include the following:
- Sunlight – the amount of direct sunlight your desired area receives will determine how many solar panels your project requires
- Shading – your solar panel system’s performance can be affected by things like the shading of nearby buildings, trees, and even chimneys
- Roof weight – other important factors to consider are the weight of your roof and the weight of the solar panels
- Roof size – the size of your roof will be a determining factor in how much solar panel space your project will require
- Roof orientation – although east/west-facing roofs can work, you will get maximum efficiency out of your solar panels when installed on a south-facing roof
What is the cost and return on investment (ROI)?
For a typical 3-4 kWh system in the United Kingdom, you’re looking at a cost of around £5,000 to £8,000, and according to the data, the average ROI (return on investment) for solar panels is around 10% to 25%.
The average time it takes before you start seeing a return on your project is approximately 10-15 years. If you include exporting excess energy to the grid, the ROI will be even greater. The total cost for your project also includes annual maintenance and inverter replacement.
More importantly, fully functioning solar panels on your property can help you save anywhere from £440 up to £1,000 or more each year on your electricity bills. The other benefits are that the value of your solar panels can increase by 4% to 14%, and you will dramatically reduce your carbon footprint.
The UK government offers a range of schemes and grants to assist people with their domestic solar panel installation projects.
Examples of schemes and grants you may be eligible for are Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4), Smart Export Guarantee, Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2), ECO Flex, 0% VATT, and green home rewards. Others include social housing PPA schemes, Local Authority Flexibility (LA Flex), and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, to name a few.
What warranties are available?
Having a warranty for your solar panels protects your investment. Warranties will save you money on replacements and repairs by covering basic performance issues and defects. They give you peace of mind and act as a reminder that your product should last many years. They also show you that the manufacturer has every confidence in its products.
There are three main types of warranties.
The workmanship warranty guarantees your solar panel system will work properly. In contrast, the power warranty shows how much output your panels are expected to put out over X amount of time, and the product warranty, as mentioned, covers workmanship and materials defects.
When inspecting warranties, key things to consider are the length of the warranty, who is responsible for each solar panel component, whether it’s insurance-backed, and whether performance issues and defects are covered. In the UK, solar panel warranties typically last for around 10 to 25 years.
How will the weather impact efficiency?
Solar panels can work effectively all year round. However, adverse weather conditions can reduce their efficiency. Conditions such as extreme heat and cold, cloud cover, air quality, and snow can reduce the amount of energy your solar panels produce.
They are designed to work all year round but will work slightly better during summer when there’s more sunshine and less cloud cover. In other words, today’s highly sophisticated solar panels work in the winter to produce your energy needs even when it’s cloudy. They are typically slightly less efficient than during the summer, but not by much.
What certifications should you look for?
It’s important that you use solar panel installers who are MCS-certified and approved to carry out renewable energy technologies projects to the highest IEC industry standards. International Electrotechnical Commission (developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission) certified ensures electrical safety, testing methods, performance, and labelling.
The technologies covered by MCS certification are:
- Battery storage
- Heat pumps
- Air source heat pumps
- Ground source heat pumps
- Wind
- Biomass
- Heat products
- Solar PV
Being MCS-certified demonstrates that installation specialists like Spartek’s current team are competent in installing your solar panel project from start to finish and that the products and work carried out will meet high industry standards.
It also means that any systems installed by Spartek will perform safely and efficiently.
What financing options are available?
Many financing options are available for solar panel installations, including purchasing them outright in a single payment. Other options include loans, leases, and PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements).
Solar loans allow you to pay in instalments over a certain period, and personal loans can also help finance part of your project or your entire project. If you are on a tight spending budget and don’t think you will be able to afford one huge payment, you may want to consider solar leasing or power purchase agreement options.
Solar panels enable companies or individuals to lease them instead of purchasing, and power purchase agreements are when third parties finance and install solar panels on a roof, and the customer leases the roof.
As mentioned, the UK government offers a range of schemes and grants to help people invest in solar technology for their homes, some of which include Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4), Smart Export Guarantee, Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2), ECO Flex, 0% VATT, the Green Deal, social housing PPA schemes, Local Authority Flexibility (LA Flex), and Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.
How will solar panels affect your property value?
The good news for homeowners is that, according to statistics, solar panels installed in your property can increase its value, not just save you money on your energy bills. The exact amount that solar panels can increase your property’s value by can vary based on the size of your home and solar panel installation project, location, current value, and other factors.
These days, prospective property buyers are looking to buy more energy-efficient homes due to many factors, such as rising energy bills. There’s also the government’s roll-out of new-build properties that must meet specific energy-efficient requirements.
Energy-efficient homes with various features like solar panels and air/ground source heat pumps are becoming increasingly common in the UK, with buyers willing to spend more money to own these types of properties.
The main reason for this emerging trend is to become more energy efficient and reduce costs.
Homeowners are spending more on going green, with key spending on solar panels, and green mortgages offer a range of benefits for homes in the top EPC bands, such as cashback incentives and lower interest rates. New builds also receive the top-grade Energy Performance Certificate (EPC A grade).
Which installer should you choose?
When deciding which solar installation company might be best to help with your project, you should always conduct your own due diligence and choose the best for you this could be how reliable and trustworthy they are based on a few simple background checks. Key things to consider are customer reviews, company credentials, and after-sales support.
To find a reputable installer, always compare prices and financing options and look at their reputation in the local area, as well as the efficiency of the solar panels that the company uses.
If the company doesn’t have the necessary certificates and accreditation, avoid using them and find a company that is MCS-certified. Don’t forget to check the reviews, testimonials, and ratings on reputable sites like Trustpilot before making any decisions.
Depending on the size of your project, the installation process can take anywhere from one to three days from start to finish.
The main steps typically involved are planning and design, scaffolding, mounting, wiring, inverters, integration, testing, and monitoring. Finally, consider getting at least three or four when applying for company quotes.
Investing in solar panels is a worthwhile project that brings with it many benefits, and the safest thing you can do to ensure everything runs smoothly and on time and that the prices don’t keep increasing is to purchase your solar panels and book your installation services from MCS-certified companies like Spartek.
This UK-renowned company has been trading for over two decades and has completed many successful solar panel installations both locally and further afield, giving their installation experts the correct knowledge and experience required to carry out such important projects in an ever-changing industry.
Should you decide to go ahead with your solar panel project and want further information, don’t hesitate to contact Spartek for expert advice and more detailed information about installation services.
They can give you a free, tailored, no-obligation solar panel installation quote for any projects you are considering for your property.
