Solar panels can reduce the amount of electricity a property needs to buy from the grid, but the financial result depends on the building, system design, household usage and export tariff.
A suitable installation begins with more than fitting the maximum number of panels onto a roof. The installer should consider orientation, shading, roof condition, structural loading, annual consumption, daytime electricity use, inverter capacity, battery sizing and the local electricity network's connection requirements.
London presents additional complications. Many properties are flats, conversions, listed buildings or homes within conservation areas. Roof access can require extensive scaffolding, while shared freeholds, leases and landlord arrangements may affect whether an installation can proceed.
The six companies in this guide represent several different service models. The Solar Co. and Acen Solar provide London-focused domestic and commercial installations. Sunsave offers both upfront purchase and a long-term finance-and-maintenance product. Discover Solar provides residential and commercial solar and battery packages.
Joju Solar adds extensive public-sector, community and complex-building experience. Your Energy Your Way is relevant to households considering solar alongside battery storage, EV charging or a heat pump.
Important information before choosing an installer
Solar PV is a substantial property and electrical investment. Inclusion in this guide does not guarantee that an installer, product or finance arrangement will be suitable for a particular building.
Before signing a contract:
- Check the installer's current MCS certification
- Check its consumer-code membership
- Confirm the regulated legal business name
- Obtain an itemised written quotation
- Review the estimated generation calculation
- Check product and workmanship warranties
- Understand the cancellation terms
- Confirm whether subcontractors will be used
- Establish who handles the grid application
- Check planning, freeholder and lease requirements
- Compare cash and finance costs
- Obtain more than one quotation
Savings projections are estimates rather than promises. They depend on future energy prices, export rates, system performance, weather, maintenance and how much generated electricity is used within the property.
How we selected the installers
The installers were considered according to their current London coverage, published services, accreditation information and ability to explain the design and installation process.
The guide includes companies offering:
- Domestic solar PV
- Commercial solar PV
- Battery storage
- EV charging
- Monitoring
- Grid applications
- Maintenance
- Finance
- Heat-pump integration
- Public-sector and community projects
Customer-review quotations were not used to determine inclusion. Claims about savings, installation quality or investment return have been treated cautiously unless supported by project-specific evidence.
How much do solar panels cost in London?
A straightforward residential solar installation may cost approximately £5,000 to £9,000, although larger or more complicated projects can cost substantially more.
Battery storage can add several thousand pounds. The final quotation may also be affected by:
- Number and output of panels
- Inverter type
- Battery capacity
- Optimisers or microinverters
- Scaffolding
- Flat-roof mounting
- Roof repairs
- Structural assessment
- Bird protection
- Electrical-board upgrades
- Long cable routes
- Fire-safety requirements
- Planning work
- Grid-connection requirements
- Monitoring equipment
- EV charger
- Hot-water diverter
- Access restrictions
- Warranty level
A quote for solar panels alone should not be compared directly with a quote that includes a battery, EV charger, scaffolding, structural work and an extended monitoring service.
Current residential installations of qualifying energy-saving materials can benefit from zero-rated VAT under the temporary national rules. The treatment is scheduled to change after 31 March 2027 unless government policy is amended.
Ask the installer to state clearly how VAT has been applied rather than assuming that every product or standalone service qualifies.
The Solar Co.
Editorially SelectedLegal business: The Solar & Renewables Co. Ltd
Business details
Address
21–23 Elmfield Road, Bromley, BR1 1LT
Phone: 020 3193 8888
Email: info@thesolarco.uk
The Solar Co. is a Bromley-based renewable-energy installer serving homes, businesses and new developments across London and the South East.
Its principal services include solar panels, battery storage, EV chargers and PV immersion controllers. The company works across standard pitched roofs, flat roofs and more complex systems involving split roof areas or integrated storage.
The Solar Co. publishes MCS and HIES membership and operates as a Which? Trusted Trader and TrustMark-registered business. Clients should still check the current records using the company's legal name before entering a contract.
The company provides both residential and commercial systems. Its domestic service includes initial consultation, system design, installation and support with relevant grid or incentive documentation.
Battery options include equipment from several manufacturers, while EV-charging and hot-water-diversion products can be considered as part of the wider energy system. The most suitable combination depends on how and when the household uses electricity.
The Solar Co. also offers maintenance and aftercare. This is useful because an owner may later need help with monitoring faults, inverter warnings, battery behaviour or physical inspection of the array.
The company publishes an internal average-savings figure. That should not be treated as a guaranteed result for a new property. Customers should instead review the generation estimate, self-consumption assumptions, import tariff and proposed export rate in their individual quotation.
Pros
- London-based team serving the capital and South East
- Residential, commercial and new-build installations
- Solar PV, battery storage and EV charging
- MCS and HIES credentials published
- Maintenance and aftercare available
- Experience with more complicated roof and battery configurations
- Several equipment brands supported
Best for: London homeowners and businesses wanting a local installer capable of combining solar, battery storage and EV charging.
What to confirm: Ask for the MCS number, consumer-code membership, annual-generation estimate, battery assumptions, complete warranty schedule and details of any subcontracted work.
Acen Solar & Electrical Ltd
Editorially SelectedBusiness details
Address
44 Broadway, Stratford, London, E15 1XH
Phone: 020 3005 3282
Acen Solar & Electrical is a family-run solar and electrical company serving London, Essex and Kent.
Its services include domestic and commercial solar PV, battery storage, EV charging and general electrical work. The company also publishes maintenance, repair and replacement services for existing solar and battery systems.
Acen states that it holds MCS, NICEIC and NAPIT credentials and is a member of the Renewable Energy Consumer Code. Its TrustMark registration covers solar PV and battery installation, maintenance, repair and replacement.
That combination is useful for clients who want one contractor to address both the renewable-energy installation and related electrical work.
Residential packages combine panels with string inverters, monitoring and optional batteries. Commercial work extends from smaller office installations to larger systems for warehouses, retail premises, schools and industrial sites.
Acen publishes manufacturer warranties of up to 25 years for selected panels and an insurance-backed workmanship warranty. Customers should identify which warranty applies to each individual component because panels, inverters, batteries, optimisers and installation work commonly have different terms.
The company states that it manages distribution-network applications. The applicable process depends on the proposed inverter capacity and the local network operator's requirements.
Acen also offers solar maintenance. Owners of an existing array should provide details of the inverter, panel system, installation date and fault before assuming that a repair will be economical or that replacement parts remain available.
Pros
- Solar, battery, EV-charging and wider electrical services
- Residential and commercial installations
- MCS, NICEIC and NAPIT credentials published
- RECC membership
- TrustMark coverage includes installation and maintenance
- DNO application management
- Existing-system maintenance and repair available
Best for: Homeowners and businesses wanting solar installation alongside electrical work, battery storage, EV charging or maintenance of an existing system.
What to confirm: Request an itemised quote showing equipment models, scaffolding, grid work, warranty providers, monitoring access and all exclusions.
Sunsave
Editorially SelectedBusiness details
Address
119 Wardour Street, London, W1F 0UW
Phone: 020 3868 3236
Sunsave is a London-based solar provider offering homeowners a choice between purchasing a solar-and-battery system upfront and using its Sunsave Plus finance product.
Sunsave Plus is described as a solar subscription, but its current structure includes regulated credit alongside monitoring and maintenance charges. The homeowner owns the equipment from installation rather than leasing the roof or allowing a third party to own the panels.
The product is aimed at homeowners who want solar and battery storage without paying the complete price upfront. Eligibility and finance remain subject to credit and affordability checks.
A current representative example shown by Sunsave uses 240 monthly payments and includes interest together with a monthly monitoring and maintenance charge. The total amount repaid is considerably higher than the original credit amount.
That does not necessarily make the product unsuitable, but customers should compare:
- Cash price
- Credit amount
- APR
- Interest
- Maintenance charges
- Total amount repayable
- Early-settlement amount
- Guarantee duration
- Consequences of ending the subscription
- Process when selling the home
Sunsave states that full and partial early repayments can be made without an early-repayment penalty. Full repayment ends the associated long-term Sunsave Guarantee, while partial repayment may preserve cover under the current terms.
The guarantee includes remote monitoring, specified replacement parts, system insurance and downtime cover, subject to the contract. Customers should read the exclusions, claim procedure and circumstances in which the protection can be reduced or terminated.
Sunsave also offers an upfront-purchase route. This can help customers compare the cost of the equipment and installation with the longer-term finance option using the same provider.
The company is FCA authorised and publishes MCS, Flexi-Orb, RECC, NAPIT and TrustMark credentials.
Pros
- Upfront-purchase and finance-led options
- Solar panels and battery storage supplied together
- Homeowner owns the system from installation
- Long-term monitoring and maintenance under Sunsave Plus
- FCA-authorised finance provider
- MCS and consumer-protection credentials published
- Early repayment permitted under the current terms
Best for: Eligible homeowners who want solar and battery storage without making the complete payment upfront and who value long-term monitoring and maintenance.
What to confirm: Compare the cash price, financed price, APR, total repayment, early-settlement terms, home-sale process, guarantee exclusions and ownership position in writing.
Discover Solar Ltd
Editorially SelectedRegistered office: The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road, London, N22 6XJ
Phone: 020 3633 0298
Discover Solar is a London company providing domestic and commercial solar PV and battery-storage installations.
Its published packages have included systems at several capacities, allowing households to compare different panel and battery combinations before requesting a property-specific quotation.
A package can provide an accessible starting point, but the final design should be based on a site survey and the property's actual electricity use. A standard number of panels is not automatically appropriate for every home.
The company provides onsite surveys intended to assess the roof, access, electricity supply and suitable equipment location. Customers should confirm whether the survey includes a structural assessment or whether a separate structural engineer may be required.
Discover Solar also serves commercial clients. Commercial solar design should examine half-hourly consumption data where available, operational hours, roof rights, business rates, lease conditions, fire strategy and the proposed treatment of exported electricity.
Battery storage may be included with the solar system. The correct capacity depends on surplus generation, evening demand, tariff structure and whether the owner intends to charge the battery from the grid during lower-price periods.
The company is active and appears in current installer databases for solar PV and battery storage. Customers should verify the precise MCS certification record, certification body and consumer-code membership immediately before signing.
Promotional offers should be evaluated using the complete system price. A product described as free within a combined package may still be funded through the wider quotation.
Pros
- London-based residential and commercial installer
- Solar PV and battery-storage systems
- Several indicative package sizes
- Onsite survey and system-design process
- Monitoring setup included in published installations
- Suitable for homeowners wanting package comparisons
Best for: London homeowners and smaller commercial properties wanting to compare predefined solar-and-battery configurations before receiving a tailored design.
What to confirm: Check the current MCS record, consumer-code protection, survey scope, exact equipment models, complete installed cost and warranty arrangements.
Joju Solar
Editorially SelectedLondon office: Suite 5, 128 Aldersgate Street, London, EC1A 4AE
Phone: 020 7697 1000
Email: info@joju.co.uk
Joju Solar is a long-established renewable-energy installer working with homeowners, businesses, schools, councils, housing providers and community-energy organisations.
Founded in 2006, the company has completed solar, battery and EV-charging projects across London and other parts of the UK. Its London work includes homes, blocks of flats, listed churches, schools, social housing and public buildings.
This breadth is particularly relevant in the capital. Installing solar on a detached suburban home is different from working on a multi-occupancy building, heritage property or public-sector estate.
Joju provides feasibility work, design, installation, commissioning, monitoring and maintenance. It describes itself as brand agnostic, meaning the system can be designed around the property rather than one exclusive equipment manufacturer.
Its services extend beyond new installations. The company offers solar maintenance, fault investigation, inverter replacement and support for existing arrays.
Joju publishes longstanding MCS accreditation and RECC membership. It also holds certifications relevant to commercial and public-sector procurement.
The company has experience with community-energy and social-housing schemes, where the ownership, electricity use and financial model can be more complicated than a standard homeowner installation.
For leasehold blocks, the project may require freeholder consent, consultation with residents, legal review of roof rights and decisions about whether electricity serves communal areas, individual flats or an export arrangement.
The scale of Joju's work makes it suitable for technically or organisationally complex projects, although a straightforward domestic customer should still ask which team will survey, install and maintain the system.
Pros
- Established renewable-energy installer founded in 2006
- London office
- Domestic, commercial and public-sector work
- Experience with schools, councils, housing and community-energy projects
- Solar PV, batteries and EV charging
- Maintenance and support for existing systems
- Experience with complex and listed buildings
- MCS and RECC credentials published
Best for: Complex London roofs, schools, housing providers, public bodies, community-energy projects and clients wanting an experienced maintenance provider.
What to confirm: Ask for comparable London projects, the proposed engineering approach, planning responsibilities, named installation team and long-term maintenance arrangements.
Your Energy Your Way
Editorially SelectedService area: Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire and west London
Your Energy Your Way is a renewable-energy installer serving west London and neighbouring counties.
The company installs solar PV, battery storage, EV chargers, air-source heat pumps, ground-source heat pumps and solar thermal systems. This wider capability makes it particularly relevant where a household is considering several low-carbon technologies rather than solar in isolation.
A combined project requires careful design. Solar panels may help supply an electric heat pump or EV, but annual solar generation does not necessarily occur at the same time as winter heating demand or vehicle charging.
Battery storage can shift some electricity between different times of day, but it cannot store summer generation for use throughout winter. Customers should be cautious of any proposal implying that one battery will make the property seasonally self-sufficient.
Your Energy Your Way can carry out energy assessments and consider the interaction between generation, storage, heating and electrical demand. This can help prevent individual technologies from being sized without reference to the overall property.
The business publishes MCS and TrustMark credentials and is a Which? Trusted Trader. Its MCS scope includes solar PV, solar thermal and heat-pump technologies.
The company is headquartered outside central London and serves specified parts of west London. Prospective clients should confirm postcode coverage before arranging a survey.
Its broader low-carbon approach may involve a more detailed assessment than a straightforward solar-panel quotation. This is valuable where several technologies are under consideration but may be unnecessary for customers seeking only a small standard PV installation.
Pros
- Solar PV, battery storage, EV charging and heat pumps
- Integrated whole-home energy approach
- Energy assessments available
- MCS accreditation across several renewable technologies
- TrustMark and Which? Trusted Trader credentials published
- Relevant to households electrifying heating and transport
- Serves west London and surrounding counties
Best for: West London households considering solar as part of a wider project involving a battery, EV charger or heat pump.
What to confirm: Ask whether the property is within the service area, which technologies should be installed first, how electrical demand has been modelled and whether grid or consumer-unit upgrades are required.
Quick comparison
| Installer | London base or coverage | Domestic solar | Commercial or public sector | Batteries | Maintenance | Finance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Solar Co. | Bromley and wider London | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Available |
| Acen Solar | Stratford, London, Essex and Kent | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Available |
| Sunsave | London and national coverage | Yes | Limited published commercial focus | Standard with principal solar offer | Included under selected products | Core specialism |
| Discover Solar | North London and wider London | Yes | Yes | Yes | Confirm current scope | Confirm directly |
| Joju Solar | London office and national coverage | Yes | Extensive | Yes | Yes | Project dependent |
| Your Energy Your Way | West London and neighbouring counties | Yes | Selected projects | Yes | Yes | Confirm directly |
Choosing the right system
Solar panels without a battery
A panels-only system may suit a household that:
- Uses substantial electricity during daylight
- Works from home
- Runs appliances during the day
- Charges an EV during daylight
- Wants a lower initial cost
- Has a suitable export tariff
The installer should model how much solar electricity is expected to be used onsite and how much will be exported.
Solar panels with a battery
A battery may increase self-consumption by storing surplus generation for later use.
It may also support time-of-use tariffs by charging when grid electricity is cheaper and discharging when prices are higher.
A battery is not automatically the best financial choice. Compare:
- Installed battery cost
- Usable capacity
- Maximum charge and discharge rate
- Expected cycle life
- Warranty throughput
- Tariff compatibility
- Backup capability
- Replacement assumptions
- Export restrictions
- Fire-safety requirements
Battery without new solar panels
A standalone battery can sometimes be installed for tariff management or added to an existing solar array.
Compatibility with the existing inverter, metering and export arrangements must be assessed.
Standalone battery installations in residential accommodation currently fall within the temporary zero-rating rules where the legal conditions are satisfied.
Solar with an EV charger
A compatible charger can direct surplus solar electricity to an electric vehicle.
The benefit depends on whether the vehicle is at the property during generating hours and whether the charger, inverter and energy-management system can communicate as intended.
Solar with a heat pump
Solar may contribute towards annual heat-pump electricity use, but most heating demand occurs during darker winter months.
A design should not simply compare annual solar output with annual heat-pump consumption and imply that the two cancel each other out.
MCS certification
MCS is the principal UK certification scheme for small-scale renewable-energy installations and contractors.
For a domestic customer, MCS certification can be important because it:
- Confirms that the contractor is certified for the relevant technology
- Requires work to follow applicable scheme standards
- Supports access to many export tariffs
- Provides an installation certificate
- Works alongside approved consumer-code protections
Check the exact legal business on the MCS database. A brand, trading name or lead-generation website may not be the entity holding certification.
Ask whether:
- The contracting company holds the MCS certification
- Installation will be completed under another company's certification
- Subcontractors are used
- The MCS certificate is included
- The battery installation is covered separately
- Certification is current on the contract date
MCS is a quality-assurance framework, not a guarantee that every proposal is financially optimal or that an installer cannot make a mistake.
Consumer-code protection
Domestic renewable-energy installers commonly belong to an approved consumer code such as RECC or HIES.
A code may address:
- Advertising
- Quotations
- Sales conduct
- Deposits
- Cancellation rights
- Performance estimates
- Complaints
- Alternative dispute resolution
- Insurance-backed protection
Confirm which organisation covers the contract and what protection applies if the installer ceases trading.
A manufacturer's product warranty is different from workmanship insurance and deposit protection.
Smart Export Guarantee
The Smart Export Guarantee requires participating electricity suppliers to offer eligible generators payment for electricity exported to the grid.
The installer does not set the export rate. Each supplier determines its tariff, contract terms and eligibility requirements.
A customer may need:
- An eligible generating system
- MCS certification or accepted equivalent evidence
- An export-capable meter
- A smart meter in many cases
- Grid-connection documentation
- An application to the chosen SEG supplier
The export supplier does not have to be the same company that supplies imported electricity.
Export rates and conditions can change. Some tariffs require the customer to buy electricity from the same supplier, use particular equipment or allow automated battery control.
Compare tariffs using the expected export quantity rather than the headline pence-per-kilowatt-hour figure alone.
DNO applications
The Distribution Network Operator manages the local electricity network.
The installer should determine whether the system falls under a connect-and-notify process or requires approval before connection.
The application can depend on:
- Inverter export capacity
- Number of phases
- Battery configuration
- Export limitation
- Existing generation
- Local network conditions
- Commercial demand
- Proposed EV charging or heat pump
Do not assume that the combined panel capacity alone determines the grid process. Inverter and export capacity are particularly important.
The contract should state who prepares the application and what happens if the network operator imposes an export limit or requires additional work.
Planning permission in London
Many domestic roof-mounted solar installations can proceed under permitted-development rights, provided the relevant conditions are met.
Planning permission or further consent may still be required where:
- The property is a flat
- The building is listed
- Permitted-development rights have been removed
- Panels project beyond the permitted limits
- Equipment is installed in a prominent or unusual location
- The property is subject to lease restrictions
- The installation affects common or shared areas
- The local authority requires an application
Conservation-area status does not automatically prevent solar panels, but the design and location require particular care.
Listed-building consent is separate from ordinary planning permission and may be required even where a similar installation on an unlisted house would be permitted development.
Where the position is uncertain, the owner can seek advice from the local planning authority or consider applying for a lawful-development certificate.
Flats, leases and shared roofs
A leaseholder should not assume that occupying the top-floor flat creates a right to install panels.
The roof may belong to the freeholder or form part of the common structure.
Questions include:
- Who owns the roof?
- Does the lease permit alterations?
- Is freeholder consent required?
- Must other leaseholders be consulted?
- Who receives the generated electricity?
- Who owns the equipment?
- Who pays for maintenance?
- How is roof access handled?
- What happens during roof repair?
- Who holds the export contract?
- How is building insurance affected?
Independent legal advice may be appropriate before installing equipment on a shared building.
Roof condition and structural assessment
Solar panels may remain in place for decades. Installing them on a roof that will soon need replacement can create unnecessary removal and reinstatement costs.
The survey should consider:
- Roof covering
- Rafters and structure
- Water ingress
- Remaining roof life
- Fixing method
- Wind loading
- Panel weight
- Flat-roof ballast
- Fire access
- Future maintenance
A standard installer survey is not always equivalent to a structural engineer's report.
Ask who is responsible for confirming that the structure can support the system and whether that responsibility is stated in the contract.
Generation and savings estimates
A quotation should include a property-specific estimate rather than only a national average.
Review:
- System size in kWp
- Estimated annual generation
- Orientation
- Pitch
- Shading
- Assumed degradation
- Self-consumption percentage
- Export percentage
- Import electricity price
- Export tariff
- Battery losses
- Future energy-price assumptions
- Equipment replacement
- Payback period
A projection can be mathematically correct while relying on unrealistic assumptions.
For example, assuming that most generated electricity will be used within the home may overstate savings for a household that is empty throughout the day.
The Energy Saving Trust provides an independent solar calculator that can help customers prepare for installer discussions.
Warranties
Solar systems usually involve several separate warranties.
These may include:
- Panel product warranty
- Panel performance warranty
- Inverter warranty
- Battery warranty
- Optimiser warranty
- Mounting-system warranty
- Workmanship warranty
- Insurance-backed guarantee
- Monitoring or maintenance agreement
A 25- or 30-year panel performance warranty does not mean that every part of the installation is covered for that period.
Inverters and batteries may require replacement earlier than the panels. Ask whether the financial calculation includes those possible costs.
Check:
- Warranty provider
- Labour coverage
- Call-out charges
- Transferability
- Registration requirements
- Exclusions
- Minimum retained capacity
- Maximum battery throughput
- Overseas manufacturer arrangements
- Process if the installer stops trading
Finance and subscription products
Solar finance should be assessed in the same way as any long-term regulated credit commitment.
Compare:
- Cash price
- Deposit
- Amount borrowed
- Interest rate
- APR
- Monthly service charge
- Number of payments
- Total repayable
- Early-settlement rights
- Security
- Missed-payment consequences
- Home-sale process
- Equipment ownership
- Maintenance cover
A monthly payment being lower than an estimated energy saving does not guarantee that the customer will save money every month. Electricity use, weather, tariffs and export performance can differ from the model.
Obtain the pre-contract credit information and allow time to review it without sales pressure.
Questions to ask an installer
Ask:
- What is your current MCS certification number?
- Which consumer code covers the contract?
- What legal company will receive payment?
- Will subcontractors be used?
- Who carries out the roof survey?
- Is a structural report required?
- Which panel, inverter and battery models are proposed?
- Why were those products selected?
- What annual generation is predicted?
- What self-consumption rate is assumed?
- Which export tariff is assumed?
- Who handles the DNO application?
- Is planning work included?
- Is scaffolding included?
- Is bird protection included?
- Does the battery provide backup during a power cut?
- Which warranties cover labour?
- What aftercare is included?
- What happens if the installer ceases trading?
- Is VAT included?
- What is the complete cash price?
- What is the complete financed price?
Common mistakes to avoid
Comparing only the number of panels
Panel output, orientation, inverter design and shading matter as much as the count.
Buying the largest possible battery
An oversized battery may add cost without being used effectively.
Assuming solar works during a power cut
Most ordinary grid-connected systems shut down for safety unless specifically designed with backup capability.
Ignoring roof condition
Future roof repairs may require panels to be removed and reinstalled.
Accepting savings as guaranteed
Generation and financial projections depend on assumptions.
Treating every warranty as equivalent
Performance, product, workmanship and insurance-backed warranties cover different risks.
Signing finance before comparing the cash price
Long-term interest and service fees can materially change the total cost.
Forgetting lease or freeholder consent
This is particularly important in London flats and converted houses.
Assuming the installer sets the export tariff
Export tariffs are offered by electricity suppliers and can change.
Frequently asked questions
Are solar panels worthwhile in London?
They can be, but suitability depends on the roof, shading, electricity use, installation cost and tariff arrangements.
London receives sufficient daylight for solar generation, although every property requires an individual assessment.
Do solar panels work on cloudy days?
Yes, but output is generally lower than under strong direct sunlight.
Generation also varies considerably between summer and winter.
Do I need a south-facing roof?
No.
East- and west-facing roofs can also produce useful electricity and may spread generation across the morning and afternoon. North-facing roofs usually require more careful assessment.
Is a battery essential?
No.
A battery may improve self-consumption or support time-of-use tariffs, but it adds cost and carries its own efficiency losses and replacement considerations.
Can solar panels power my home during a blackout?
Not automatically.
Most standard grid-connected systems switch off during a power cut. Backup operation requires compatible equipment and a system designed for that purpose.
Can I earn money from exported electricity?
Eligible generators can apply for a Smart Export Guarantee tariff or another qualifying export arrangement.
Rates and conditions vary between suppliers.
Do I need planning permission?
Many domestic installations fall within permitted-development rights.
Flats, listed buildings, shared roofs and unusual installations require additional checks.
How long does installation take?
Physical installation on a straightforward home may take several days.
The complete process can take longer because of surveys, scaffolding, equipment availability, planning and grid approval.
How long do solar panels last?
Modern panels commonly have long product and performance warranties, but the inverter, battery and other components may have shorter service lives.
Who owns the panels under finance?
This depends on the agreement.
Under Sunsave's current subscription product, the homeowner owns the system from installation, but customers must check the contract for their individual arrangement.
Choosing with confidence
The Solar Co. provides a London-focused service across domestic, commercial and new-build installations. Acen Solar combines solar and battery work with wider electrical services and maintenance.
Sunsave offers a distinct finance-and-maintenance model alongside upfront purchase. It is most relevant to customers prepared to compare the long-term credit cost carefully. Discover Solar provides London residential and commercial packages with onsite design and survey work.
Joju Solar adds extensive experience in technically and organisationally complex projects, including schools, councils, housing providers and community-energy schemes. Your Energy Your Way is a useful option for west London households considering solar alongside heat pumps, batteries or EV charging.
The most suitable installer is not necessarily the company offering the largest array or shortest advertised payback period. A strong proposal should be technically appropriate, financially transparent and supported by clear consumer protection.
Compare several itemised quotations, verify current certification and make sure the savings calculation reflects how electricity is actually used within the property.
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