The price of solar panels has dropped significantly. On average, a 4.5kWp* system of panels with battery (more than enough for an average household) costs around £5,000. The exact price will depend on the size of your roof, the number of panels you install, and scaffolding charges.

*kWp is ‘kilowatt peak’, which is a measure of how much electricity an array of solar panels can produce at its best, like on a bright, sunny day.

The payback time is the period of time it takes for you to save as much as you spent installing your solar panels. It can vary widely.

It depends on how much energy you use (the more you use, the shorter the payback time) and also on whether you are at home during the day when the panels are generating electricity (in which case the payback time will be shorter). If your home is entirely powered by electricity 9with no gas or oil or heat pump) then the pay-back time will be shorter.

For someone at home all day, the average saving is around £750 a year, meaning the panels would typically pay for themselves in about 7 years. But this average conceals some much shorter pay-back times and some longer pay-back periods.

A research report by Solar Energy UK analysed the sales of 5 million homes and found that solar panels increased the sale price of a house by 2%

Some householders are able to pay for their solar system from savings. Others choose to get a home-improvement loan from their bank or mortgage lender. There are also options for funding solar without paying any upfront cost:

Grant funding is available for people on low incomes or with health conditions.

Interest free payment plans are often available from solar installers.

Solar subscription schemes involve you paying your solar installer or a local community energy organisation a monthly fee instead of an upfront cost. This monthly fee is funded by the savings you will make on your electricity bills.

For full details on funding options, please download our leaflet

You can get paid by your energy company for the electricity you export back to the grid, via a Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) Tariff. (The original Feed-In-Tariff arrangement no longer exists).

It’s worth shopping around, as current rates vary from 1p to 15p per kWh. You do not have to choose your current electricity provider for this tariff.

However, remember that you get the best value from using the electricity you generate yourself, rather than exporting it to the grid and getting paid for it.

If your property is not listed or in a conservation area, then solar panels are permitted development, meaning that they do not require planning permission.

You can put solar panels on roof(s) and on the walls of any building¹, or you can install solar in the grounds of your property².

Shading can reduce your output so avoid chimneys, trees etc if possible!

Batteries are safest separated from your living spaces, for example on an outside wall or in a garage, in a suitable fire-proof compartment.

Solar is suitable for most older properties. The important factor is the strength of the roof (and the wall construction doesn’t matter).

Your solar company will advise on this and may recommend a structural engineer’s report. If your roof may not be strong enough to support conventional solar panels, light-weight panels could be an option.

If you live in a conservation area, you may not install solar panels which would be visible from the road. In this case, you might consider solar tiles or solar slates (available in both red and grey) which will not change the appearance of your property. Or it may be possible to install solar panels on a garage, outbuilding, or nearby land.

If you live in a listed building you will need planning permission and listed building consent.

For more information, read our document on Planning Considerations.

If you have land suitable for a solar farm, or for siting of a large storage battery (about the size of a shipping container), please contact Energise Sussex Coast. Your land could help to power Battle!

ESC promotes a community energy model, which ensures all profits benefit the local community and that restoring nature and biodiversity is part of every solar farm development.

Some Battle residents with solar panels are hosting Open Days so that neighbours can learn more and ask questions. Watch out for news of our Solar Open Days.

This is a great way to see a solar system in action and get advice directly from householders who are not trying to sell you anything.

If you’re interested in hosting a Solar Home Open Day, please get in touch with Battle Solar Town.

Solar panels generate electricity without producing pollution and help reduce reliance on fossil fuels, making them a vital part of tackling the climate crisis.

While some carbon is emitted during manufacturing, it typically takes only about 1.5 years for a panel to ‘pay back’ this carbon footprint making them ultimately carbon negative.

Solar panels are durable, with average guarantees of 25 years, and often continue to work efficiently for 10 years or more after that.

Yes, solar panels are made from recyclable materials. All installers must be part of a scheme to collect and recycle panels.

Contact your installer when your panels reach the end of their life. Although most panels come with a 25-year guarantee, they often last much longer.

The main ethical concern with solar panels is the use of forced labour in the Uyghur region of China to produce refined silicon, which is used in around 45% of UK panels. It can be difficult to ensure panels are free from this silicon, as materials from different sources are often blended.

The industry is aware of the issue, and efforts are being made to address it. Please ask your installer how they ensure forced labour is not part of their supply chain. For more information, read this article by Ethical Consumer.