The Average Cost of Solar Panels in the UK

· The cost of solar panels varies between £5000 – £10,000 with an average price of £7500

· Save up to 50% off your monthly electricity bill with solar panels

· Buying a solar battery will allow you to save all of your unused energy

As the cost of fossil fuels continues to rise, the demand for solar powered energy will only increase.

Investing your money into roof solar panels could save you approximately £415 a year.

There's never been a better time to buy roof solar panels than now. According to the UK government's own statistics, solar panel costs are about 50% lower than in 2011.

If you want to join the 971,000 UK households currently benefiting from solar energy, you're in the right place.

Pop your details into our quote form, and we'll arrange for one of our solar panel specialists to visit your home and give you a free, no-obligation quote.

How Much Do Solar Panels Cost per kW System?

You can buy individual solar panels for around £360-£500. The cost of buying solar panels will depend on what type of system you need. One of the most popular types of solar panel systems for a family of four is the 4 kW system. The average cost for a 4kW solar panel system for a domestic property is approximately £6000.

*The statistics shown in the table above are based on the average sized family's electricity consumption using 250W solar panels. The statistics are not accurate, and yours will vary depending on what type of panels you choose your location and export tariffs.

The cost of installing solar pv panels will depend on the size of the system you choose. An easy way to calculate the cost of having solar panels installed is to go off how much energy your system generates. The more electricity the system generates, the more it will cost to have it installed. Keep in mind that the more you invest now, the more you will save on your electricity bills in the long run. A 3 kW solar panel system would not cost as much to install as a 6 kW system. Yet, a 3 kW system cannot generate as much energy as a 6 kW solar panel system over the next 2 ½ decades.

Solar Panel Installation Cost Calculator

The cost of installing solar panels depends on the following factors:

· How much electricity you need to generate for your household

· Whether you're going to buy a solar battery or not

· Whether you live in a south facing property

· Your choice of panels

· The quality of the components in your chosen panels

· The accessibility of your roof

Consider the bullet points above when trying to calculate the cost of solar panel installation.

Solar Panel Electricity Calculator

At first glance, the cost of installing solar panels on a roof can seem pretty expensive. You have to keep in mind that solar electricity will help to reduce your energy bill. The money you save will pay toward the cost of the panels. As of March 2022, it is estimated that a 4kWp solar panel will save you anywhere between £95 – £250 a year off your energy bill.

Not only can you reduce your electricity bill with solar panels, but you can also sell surplus electricity back to the grid. The National Grid will buy your excess energy. You could put that extra money towards paying for your equipment.

The amount of money you receive for your unused electricity will depend upon which energy supplier you choose. You can expect to receive anywhere from 1p to 5.5p per kWh.

How Much Money Do You Save with Solar Panels?

Solar panels provide you with free electricity. The money you save will help to reduce your monthly energy bill. The amount of money you save will depend on how many people live in your household. You can expect to save somewhere around £95 – £250 per year off your annual energy bill.

The following points will determine how much money you can save with solar panels:

· The efficiency of your particular type of panels

· The combined consumption of electricity in your household

· If electrical appliances are in use throughout the day

· Whether you sell unused electricity back to the National Grid

The easiest way to reduce your monthly electricity bill is to use your appliances during the day. The washing machine, dryer, and dishwasher will be powered directly from the sun. 

Solar panel efficiency is another important factor. Polycrystalline panels are the cheapest type of solar panels; they're also less efficient. Monocrystalline panels produce more electricity than polycrystalline panels, but they also cost more. The more money you can afford to invest in your panels, the more electricity you will be able to generate. 

How much Energy do Solar Panels Generate?

The power rating of the solar panels will determine how much energy can be generated by the sun. Most domestic solar panels can generate 0.25kWp each when the sun is at its highest peak.

Most UK households with solar panels on the roof will have 12 panels (3kWp). Larger properties may have 16 panels (4kWp).

Here's a good example of how much electricity your home appliances use. Every time you boil the kettle, it uses approximately 3Kw of electricity. The amount of electricity you can expect to generate on a sunny day is about 19kWh (12 panels) or 25kWh (16 panels).

It's estimated that 50% of the generated electricity goes unused. The national grid will happily buy unused energy. It's estimated that a 3kW solar panel system would produce about 2,600 kWh per year. Solar panels generate the most electricity when you need it the least, and no wonder half of it goes unused.

OFGEM calculated that the typical UK household uses about 3,200 and 4,100kWh of electricity over a year. If you want to produce enough electricity to power your home for 12 months, a 4kW solar panel system might be the best place to spend your money. As energy prices continue to rise, investing in solar energy might be the best way to combat it.

How many Solar Panels do I need for my House?

Average costs of solar panels for a three bedroom house.

According to OFGEM, the average family uses about 3,000 kWh of electricity per year. A 3-4kWp solar panel system should be enough to produce enough electricity for a family of 3 to 5 people. You will need at least 10 m² of roof space.

solar panel prices for the roof of a small house

If you live in a one or two bedroomed house, you won't need as many panels as a three bedroomed house. A 3-6 solar panel system can generate up to 1800 kWh of electricity per year. A small roof solar pv system like this would need about 10 m² of space on the roof.

What are the different types of solar panels available?

Monocrystalline solar panels are the best at converting sunlight into electricity, but they cost more than other types of panels. Monocrystalline is more efficient and can generate electricity in lower levels of light. These panels take up less space on a roof because they are more efficient.

Polycrystalline solar panels are made up of many silicone crystals, and the crystals are fused together and placed into cells. Polycrystalline is not as efficient or durable as other types of panels. Although they cost less to produce, they are much more affordable. 

Solar PV panels have a tough layer of glass on the surface. The toughened glass is to protect the many semi-conducting silicone-based cells below. There are slight variations of solar PV panels, and the variations consist of different types of glass and the quality of the silicon.

Solar tiles are the next big thing in renewable energy. If you don't like the idea of having large solar panels on a roof, then solar tiles could be exactly what you're looking for. Solar tiles are the same size and look the same as roof slate. Although solar tiles will blend in with your existing slate roof, they are not as efficient as panels. 

Glass types: there are generally two types of glass to choose from. Your solar panel installer might ask you if you would like strengthened glass or plate glass. Toughened glass may improve the panels' efficiency and offer more protection against weather damage. Plate glass provides less protection than strengthened glass but costs less.

How long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves?

The average time it takes to pay off your solar panels is approximately 15 to 25 years. However, there are a lot of factors that need to be considered. The size and type of solar system you have and whether you are selling your excess electricity to the National Grid.

The average time for a 3kW solar panel system to pay for itself is between 21 to 25 years, and a 5kW solar panel system can pay for itself in approximately 15 to 20 years.

What are the Pros and Cons of Solar Panels?

Pros:

Helps to combat the ever-increasing costs of energy

A tax free, guaranteed income

Requires little maintenance

Cons:

Solar panels make the most electricity during the afternoon when it's least required

The financial benefits of installing solar panels on a roof are becoming increasingly marginal

Does little to enhance the curb appeal of a house

Should I get a Solar Battery?

The majority of houses with a solar system only use 50% of the electricity they generate. The other 50% of electricity goes to waste.

Solar panels generate the most energy during the afternoon when its least used. Most people use electrical appliances in the morning and the evening.

As you can see, solar panels don't sync with most people's day-to-day activities until now. Solar panel manufacturers have long been aware of this problem. Manufacturers come up with a solar battery to combat it.

Buying a solar battery will allow you to store all the unused energy and stop it from going to waste. Battery storage will allow you to use the stored energy in the mornings and the evenings when the panels generate the least energy.

Combining a battery with solar panels will allow you to power your home for free all year round.

If you're serious about reducing the cost of your energy bills, solar batteries are one of the best ways to go about it. Over 10,000 homes in the UK enjoy the financial benefits of having a powerful battery connected to their panels.

How much does a Solar Battery Cost?

The cost of solar batteries varies between £1250 and £6000, with an average cost of £4500. The price you pay for a solar battery will depend on the battery's capacity, quality, and lifespan.

A good rule of thumb is the more money you pay for a battery, the higher the electricity storage capacity. The more energy you can store in a battery, the more you can reduce your energy bills with solar power.

How Much Does Labour Cost?

The labor cost for installing solar panels is usually factored into your original quote. Solar panel companies will use one of two ways to calculate labour costs.

Most solar power installation companies will charge a flat fee for each installer. If it takes two people one full day to carry out an installation and each installer earns £300 per day, the total cost would be £600.

If you were to have a larger solar pv system installed, the installation cost would double each day.

Some green energy companies prefer to calculate their installation costs by each watt. The average installation cost per watt is 20p. It might not sound like a lot, but when you multiply it by 4000 watts, the final cost would be £800.

Factors that will affect the Cost of Solar Panels in the UK

The type of solar panels you choose will determine the final cost. It isn't easy to estimate solar panel costs without taking in the following considerations:

Types of Solar Panels

Polycrystalline, monocrystalline and thin film solar panels are the three types of solar panels that you will likely find on domestic properties. If you're on a budget, then polycrystalline panels are the most affordable. Although polycrystalline are not as efficient as monocrystalline, they still produce a good amount of electricity.

If you are able to buy the best types of solar panels, then monocrystalline solar panels are exactly what you're looking for. Monocrystalline generate the most electricity, but they also cost more.

The Cost of Labour and your Location

The cost of installing a solar panel system will depend on where you live. The cost of installing solar panels in London is about 20% higher than the rest of the UK. Average labour costs for solar panel installers varies between £300 – £500 per day. 

Ease of Access

People who live in a detached house probably won't find roof access a problem. However, people who live in a semi-detached or terraced house may have some difficulty. The more difficult it is to gain access to the roof, the more installation costs will increase. A professional solar panel installer will be able to offer you the best advice. 

System Size

The size of a system will determine how much a solar panel installation will cost.

Unfortunately, there is no way around reducing the labour costs. The type of system you need depends on how many people live within your home. Getting a free quote for a solar panel installation is the easiest way to find out how many panels you need. The quote will include installation costs and equipment costs.

Additional Extras

If you are aware of the benefits of having a solar battery, having one installed at the same time as the panels will save you money in the long run. 

The cost of installing a solar battery at the same time as a solar system would be much lower than if you were to do it separately.

Pigeons can be problematic for solar panels. The pigeon droppings land on the panels and reduce their efficiency. The easiest way to prevent pigeons from pooing on your solar panels is to have them pigeon proofed.

Here's six things you need to think about before you buy solar panels

Before you spend any money on solar panels, make sure you have taken the following into account:

· The current condition of your roof tiles. The average lifespan of concrete roof tiles is approximately 50 years. If your tiled roof is already 40 years old, it might be good to have it replaced. The last thing you want is to have to replace the roof after the panels are in place.

· You've considered installing a solar battery. Up to 50% of all the electricity generated by solar panels goes to waste. Installing a solar battery while installing roof solar panels will save money on installation costs and save electricity for when you need it most. Installing solar batteries at a later date is much more difficult than installing it at the same time as the panels.

· You have taken the size of your family into account before choosing a solar power system. The more people you have in your household, the more electricity you will need to generate. You don't want to spend more than necessary, but you don't want to underspend. You need to be able to generate enough electricity for the entire family. Take a look at your latest electricity bills to find out how much electricity your family uses. Calculate your monthly energy costs and use that information to help you make the right purchase.

· The position of your property. A south facing property is ideal for a solar system, but properties facing East or West are still suitable. Your home's roof needs to be clear from trees casting a shade over the panels.

· You have compared different types of solar panels. You've taken the time to compare different types of solar energy systems and what benefits each system offers. Some types of panels are more efficient than others but also cost more. Make sure you get at least three quotes from different installers to make sure you're getting the best deal.

· You have had a roof inspection to make sure there is no structural damage. A professional roofing company will be able to carry out a roof survey and report their findings. Wood rot or water damage in the roof's structure could hinder your solar panel installation. You want to make sure that your roof is in good condition before you spend your money on a solar pv system.

FAQs

Do you have to clean solar panels?

If you want to maintain the maximum efficiency of your solar panels, then regular solar panel cleaning is essential. Homes surrounded by trees often have problems with bird droppings landing on their panels and reducing their efficiency. The sun bakes the bird droppings onto the panel's surface, making it impossible for the rain to wash it off. The easiest way to remove bird droppings of solar panels is to hire a professional solar panel cleaner.

Hiring a professional solar panel cleaning company to clean your solar panels regularly will stop the build up of dust, twigs, and bird muck. You can buy self cleaning solar panels, but they don't really live up to their name.

Another good tip about solar panel maintenance is being aware of tree branches casting a shadow over the panels. A good local tree surgeon will be able to cut back the branches to a safe distance.

Do I need to apply for planning permission to install solar panels on my roof?

You don't need to apply for planning permission to install solar panels on a roof because it falls under your permitted development rights. However, if you live in a listed building or a conservation area, there are exceptions. If you live in a listed building, it's highly unlikely that solar pv systems will be allowed. If you live in a conservation area, you might have to compromise with the local authorities. The local authorities might ask you only to install the panels on one side of the property.

Whether you want to install solar panels on a flat roof or a pitched roof you won't need planning permission. Make sure the panels do not exceed the highest point of a pitched roof and you'll be fine.

Get a Free no Obligation Quote for Solar Panel Installation

If you would like to find out exactly how much do solar panels cost, the only accurate way of knowing is to get a quote. The solar panel costs in this article are based on estimates. If you're serious about reducing your energy bills and helping the earth at the same time, click here.