Solar panels are one of the most misunderstood technologies in the home improvement market. Despite being commercially available in the UK for over 20 years and installed on more than 1.5 million UK homes, a surprisingly persistent set of myths continues to put people off a technology that, for the right property, makes clear financial Read more »
Octopus Flux is a time-of-use electricity tariff designed specifically for households with solar panels and battery storage. It pays 28.60p/kWh for electricity you export during peak demand hours (4pm–7pm) and charges just 9.80p/kWh for electricity you import during off-peak hours (2am–5am) — a spread of 18.80p/kWh that creates meaningful arbitrage income for battery-equipped solar households. Read more »
The Warm Homes Local Grant is a council-administered government scheme providing free or heavily subsidised energy efficiency improvements — including solar panels — to eligible low-income and fuel-poor households in England. It’s the most significant route to a free solar panel installation currently available in , with grants of up to £15,000 for owner-occupiers and Read more »
Second-hand solar panels are available in the UK — through solar farm decommissioning projects, installer stock clearances, and private sales — and they can appear attractively priced compared to new panels. But used solar panels come with significant practical complications that make them unsuitable for most residential installations, and understanding those complications before you buy Read more »
Octopus Energy launched its own solar panel installation service in England and Wales, offering a streamlined end-to-end experience that combines JA Solar TOPCon panels with the company’s market-leading export tariffs. As one of the UK’s largest and most innovative energy suppliers, Octopus brings genuine advantages to the solar market — but independent installers remain competitive Read more »
The Warm Homes Plan is the UK government’s flagship policy for improving the energy efficiency of homes across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Announced in 2024 and running through to 2030, the plan commits £13.2 billion of investment towards insulation, low-carbon heating, and — crucially for homeowners considering solar — renewable energy measures including Read more »
Victorian and Edwardian houses make up a huge proportion of UK housing stock, particularly in cities and larger towns. If you own one, you have probably wondered whether the original slate roof, the chimney stacks, the conservation area designation, or the shared party walls with neighbours make solar panels difficult or even impossible. The good Read more »
Detached houses offer the greatest flexibility of any residential property type for solar panels. With four roof slopes, a detached garage that often adds further usable area, and no shared walls to consider, a detached home can typically support a solar system large enough to power the majority of a family’s electricity needs, including an Read more »
Bungalows are one of the best property types in the UK for solar panels. A single-storey home with a large, unobstructed roof, no upper-floor windows to work around, and often a generous south-facing slope gives solar installers plenty of room to create a genuinely powerful system. If you own a bungalow and are weighing up Read more »
Semi-detached houses are the second most common property type in England, and they represent something close to an ideal candidate for solar panels. More roof area than a terraced house, a shared wall on only one side, and typically a good mix of south and north-facing slopes depending on how the street runs. If you Read more »
