Can solar panels add value to your home?

A case study: 6.4kW solar system, 3.6 kW GivEnergy hybrid inverter, 9.5 kWh battery storage, emergency power supply and Octopus Flux.

Location.: Edgware

Estimated annual solar generation: 5593 kWh

Estimated annual electricity consumption: 3700 kWh

Total cost: £13,420

Potentially a very negative electricity bill or lots of power available to add an electric car or a heat pump…we will update this case study in 1 year.

Work in progress

Planning permission was required to install solar PV on this new build estate. We used all black solar panels from Hanwha Q Cells, for their low light performance, which we think enhances the look of the roof.

Array completed

To maximise the area covered by solar panels we use 3D digital surface mapping which showed we could get an extra panel beneath the skylight if mounted in landscape. This also helps with creating unique designs (below).

The homeowner is now enjoying powering their home with their own electricity, even before Octopus Flux, no matter what happens to electricity prices, this customers usage would have been close to £0 for the year.

Solar generation Vs electricity consumption
Octopus Flux rates

Why it’s a game changer for solar and battery storage owners. Charge your battery at 21p/kWh and sell for 38p/kWh everyday…automatically. On top of all the usual solar and battery storage benefits.

The day export rate of 25p/kWh is also very good.

Buy…Sell…automatically everyday…

Decrentralised power generation is the future, this homeowner will never be held to ranson by the fossil fuel providers again, the system will pay for itself over time, they’ll add value to their house, they’ll help the nation use more renewable energy and be paid for helping the grid meet peak demand.

The homeowner’s battery has charged overnight ready to export as much as possible during the peak period of 4pm – 7pm. Taking power from Wind & Nuclear when demand is low and providing it when demand is highest.

The profit on this trade alone is 17p/kWh x 9 kWh = £1.53…every day on top of savings from solar and export payments.

Whilst helping the grid use more renewable electricity and helping the nation reduce having to use very expensive short term electricity generation.

Emgency power supply

This household also opted for an emergency power supply whereby two plug sockets will still be able to be used in the event of a powercut.

There is a (very good) rule that no grid connected circuit can be powered in the event of a powercut – ensuring the person fixing the lines does not get electrocuted. To provide emergency power in a powercut, you can either install plug sockets supplied by the EPS outlet on the inverter, fit a seperate consumer board fed by the inverters EPS outlet with your chosen sockets (E.g lighting or security) or to the back up the whole house you would need a changeover switch to physically disconnect the house from the grid in the event of a powercut.

“Alexa, ask GivEnergy how much charge is in my battery?”

“Alexa…how much is my solar currently generating?”

Great for deciding when to put the washing on or charge the car!

Our systems now work with Alexa, meaning planning your usage is even easier leading to much higher savings than normal.

6.64 kW Solar system.
6.8 kWh Q Cells battery
Cost £14,437 inc VAT.

This customer wanted the best available. We used the most efficient Jinko panels (22%) with a Q Cells inverter and battery, it uses Samsung battery cells and comes with a 15 year parts & labour warranty.

This system will pay for itself in 7 years.

5.44 kW Solar system.
5 kWh Huawei battery
Cost £10,660 inc VAT.

One of my favourite installs. A single row of 8 all black Q Cell panels, chosen for their low light performance, at the top of each roof face enhances the aesthics of the home whilst generating more electricity than they use per year.

5.74 kW Solar system.
9.5 kWh GivEnergy battery
Cost £12,960 inc VAT.

Limited for space inside. This inverter and battery was mounted to the wall outside next to their aircon unit. The smart battery and inverter is able to connect to your utility supplier and make full use of a smart tariff.

This install will pay for itself in 6-8 years.

Take control of your energy supply

Leoht will provide an honest appraisal of how much energy your home could generate and provide a competitive quotation

Faq’s about solar installation in the UK

Approximately £5500 + 5% VAT. For average usage, you can expect savings of £5-600+ per year.

To find out how much solar would cost to install on your home specifically and to estimate your savings, you would need to request a free solar design.

Approximately £6250 + 5% VAT. For average usage, you can expect savings of £600-750+ per year.

To find out how much solar would cost to install on your home specifically and to estimate your savings, you would need to request a free solar design.

Approximately £7500 + 5% VAT. For average electricity usage, you can expect savings of £750+ per year.

To find out how much solar would cost to install on your home specifically and to estimate your savings, you would need to request a free solar design.

£8500+ plus 5% VAT. Depending on your usage. You could expect savings of £900+ per year.

To find out how much solar would cost to install on your home specifically and to estimate your savings, you would need to request a free solar design.

There are a number of factors that make up the cost of a solar installation.

From the more obvious – the number and quality of the domestic solar panels, the type and quality of the inverter. To the less obvious – how complex/how much scaffolding would be needed? Do the roof tiles need added protection from potential damage? Is there a free space in the consumer unit? Will a new small dedicated circuit board have to be installed? How far/complex is the cable route from the panels to the inverter to the consumer unit and meter?

Whether a battery is added/how many batteries. Our free design will give you options with/without a solar battery so you can see the difference it would make and decide if a solar battery is worth it.

To the type of roof covering – slate roofs tend to be £400 more expensive than concrete tiles for example.

Yes.

You will pay for electricity anyway, why not generate the energy yourself instead?

You’ll be making a financial return, tax-free, which will exceed all comparable alternatives such as an annuity or fixed-term savings account. It will increase the value of your home – now proven. You’ll protect against further energy price increases.

And if that’s not enough, you’ll also offset a significant amount of your carbon emissions – playing a small part in tackling the climate crisis.

faq’s about solar panel systems

One for the zoom family quiz!

In 1921, Albert Einstein won his first and only Nobel prize for his work on describing the photoelectric effect.

In a nutshell, light (a beam of particles) knocks off electrons from the solar cell; the solar cells direct these electrons along a current – creating electricity. In theory, solar panels could last forever as there are no moving parts.

 

Find out more

Solar power panel efficiency has increased significantly over the last ten years so you might be surprised at how much electricity even a small roof could generate.

The smallest system we would recommend would be 9 x 380W panels, covering an area of 17 square meters. (4m x 4.25m).

 

How many solar panels do I need?

No. It’s a common myth. Whilst south facing is the most optimum facing position, as a rule of thumb – an identical East or West facing roof would generate 85% as much energy as the south-facing roof.

You may prefer to have an east and west facing roof than the south and north-facing roof as you could fit twice as many electric residential solar panels on the east/west roof than just south facing.

Even a North facing roof will generate approx 55% as much energy as a south-facing roof. For example, a 20 year old 10% efficient south-facing solar panel would generate approximately the same amount of energy as a modern north-facing solar panel.

 

How do solar panels generate electricity

The installation of solar panels on residential buildings are considered permitted development so you do not require planning permission if they comply with the following conditions.

There are necessary limits and conditions which must be complied with to benefit from permitted development rights.

  • Solar panels should not be installed above the highest part of the roof and should not project more than 200mm from the roof slope or wall surface.
  • Installers should not install solar panels on a building that is within the grounds of a listed building or on a site designated as a scheduled monument.
  • If your property is in a conservation area, or a World Heritage Site, you must not install solar panels on a wall that faces a highway.

Feel free to reach out to us to buy solar panels in the UK & switch to a sustainable lifestyle. Give us a call at 01273 286 627 and request for a free design and quote.

 

Planning Portal

The district network operator (DNO) is the company responsible for distributing electricity from the national grid to your home. Installers must inform the DNO of your installation within 28 days after the date of installation. Leoht will handle this for you.

You do not require permission for systems under 16 amps per phase (3.68kW single-phase or 11.04kW three-phase supply). All of the residential solar panel systems that we install fall into this category. System sizes are based on the AC inverter rating rather than the peak DC output of the solar system.

“By following bad advice regarding output limits you could be costing yourself £000’s.”

 

Find out more

Not on their own. But it is possible when combined with a time of use tariff and energy storage – depending on the time of use tariff and smart export guarantee rates.

For example, Octopus Go tariff pays 5.5p/kWh for every unit exported and charges 5p/kWh for off-peak use from 00:30 – 04:30. You could install solar panels that generate the equivalent of 100%+ of your electricity consumption and earn 5.5p/kWh for every unit exported to pay for topping up the batteries in the winter at 5p/kWh.

Your bills could even go negative if you can generate more than you use!

Time of use tariffs are why we have smart meters so expect them to become more common in future.

Yes. Solar panels are worth the cost. We believe that solar pv panels systems are an excellent investment for both you and the environment.

Our solar power panels systems cost between £5000 to £9000+ VAT, depending on the size and location of your home. This may seem expensive, but by installing a solar system we aim to reduce your electricity bill by up to 100%. Where else could you earn 9-13% per year tax-free on a low-risk investment, whilst protecting against rising energy prices and helping the environment at the same time.

Our solar panels are durable and come with a 25-30 year warranty. If well maintained, our solar panels can last for more than 30 years. Our solar panels are modern and blend well with any roof. A premium solar panel installation acting as your home’s own energy supply is likely to increase the value of your property.

Solar panels are largely maintenance-free. Over time, however, they may be affected by environmental factors – dead leaves, for example, may block sections of the panel. We recommend that solar panels are checked every few years to ensure maximum efficiency and cleaned once or twice a year.

Solar panels need sunlight to generate energy, so they do not work at night. However, you can install a battery to store excess electricity generation during the day to then be used later at night.

Negative electricity bills

Generating more energy than you use could turn your electricity bills negative.

The marginal cost of adding panels to a 4 kW solar system is negligible, you may as well use the space available and go larger.

Find out how much you could save with solar

Our cost and savings calculator can help you find the right solar specification for you and how much you could save!

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