Solar panels for UK homes

A residential solar photovoltaic (PV) system is a set of panels fixed to your roof, an inverter that converts the direct current they produce into the alternating current your home uses, mounting and cabling, and usually some form of generation monitoring. Many homes add battery storage, which is a separate decision from the panels themselves.

System size is described in kilowatt-peak (kWp), the output under standard test conditions. UK domestic systems are commonly in the region of 3 to 6 kWp, though the right size for a specific home depends on roof area, shading and how much electricity the household actually uses.

Orientation. South-facing roofs typically generate the most across a year in the UK. East and west roofs still generate usefully, with output spread towards morning and evening rather than concentrated at midday. North-facing pitches are rarely worth covering.

Pitch and usable area. The angle of the roof, the clear unobstructed area, and obstructions such as chimneys, dormers and vents all limit how many panels can physically be fitted.

Shading. Trees, neighbouring buildings and chimneys reduce output, sometimes disproportionately. Optimisers or microinverters can reduce the impact, at extra cost.

Season and weather. Solar PV generates from daylight rather than direct sun, so it produces on overcast days too, but a UK system generates far more between April and September than in midwinter. Any sensible estimate is an annual one.

The honest answer depends on three things: how much roof you can use, how much electricity you buy, and how much of your generation you can consume at home rather than export. A household that is in during the day, runs an EV or heat pump, or can shift laundry and hot water into daylight hours will usually get more out of the same array than a household that is out all day and uses most of its electricity after dark.

Ownership matters too. Panels are a permanent alteration, so an installer needs the homeowner involved. If you rent, this would need to go through your landlord.

Energy Lead Hub is a UK service that gives homeowners an indicative picture of system size and annual saving based on the details they provide, then, only if they ask, introduces them to one checked installer covering their postcode area. The figures we show are estimates, not quotations, and a survey is always needed before anything is confirmed.