Should you buy a solar PV system for your home?

Well-chosen solar panels can provide a reliable source of renewable electricity for decades, helping to slash your electricity bills and cut your carbon footprint. But buying an inappropriate solar PV system for your home could leave you out of pocket.

How do I choose a solar panel?

Find out more about types of solar panels and other buying advice for solar panels. To help decide which type of solar cells to go for, look at cost per watt (£/W) of power output. You can do this by dividing the total cost of the solar system you are being quoted for by the total power output of the system.

Should you invest in solar panels?

More than a million homes in the UK now have solar panels. They're a guaranteed way to use truly renewable electricity, but many people are not sure about whether to invest. Some are put off by uncertainty about costs, others believe the installation will be disruptive and many worry that solar panels will be tricky to maintain.

Are solar panels too expensive?

Read more: Find out how much solar panels cost. We've worked with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and surveyed more than 1,000 solar panel owners to give you costs by system size, house type and electricity production. Whether you feel that solar panels are 'too expensive' also depends on what you get in return.

Should you consider solar panels as a home improvement?

It’s also worth considering solar panels' value as a home improvement. Solar panels are attractive to potential new homeowners when you next sell your home, which can increase your property value as a result.

Are solar panels worth it?

The investment in solar panels is worth it for the average UK home. For example, the typical 3-bedroom house in the UK is equipped with a 4kW solar panel system, enabling homeowners to potentially save around £600 annually on electricity expenses.