My Advice for Getting Solar and Storage for your Home
Over the last decade, I have helped dozens of friends and colleagues get solar installed on their home. This guide breaks down everything I usually tell people when they ask for advice.
Summary
In this article I outline:
The benefits of solar and batteries on your home
How to size solar and batteries
How much you should pay
Pain points and how to overcome them
And most importantly, how can the Government accelerate the industry?
Why get solar?
The main reason people get solar is to reduce bills. An average sized solar array with a battery on a typical home can reduce electricity bills by £800-£1,000 per year. Once installed, it shields you from rising electricity prices and can increase your home’s value.
The average UK household uses 3,000-4,000kWh of electricity a year. According to MCS Guidance backed by modelling by Loughborough University, 12 solar panels with a 5kWh battery will typically meet 60% of that electricity demand over a year, with more to spare to help charge EVs and make hot water - even in British weather.
It is also one of the more affordable things we can do for the planet. Solar can be installed quickly and half the carbon footprint of electricity supply.
How many panels do I need?
Get as many panels on the roof as you think is possible. Solar panels themselves are cheap (£60-£90 each), but the cost of labour and scaffolding is not. Once the installation team is on your roof, you want to use them as efficiently as possible to get as many panels installed as they can the one time they are on your roof. Every panel reduces your bills.
Should I get a battery?
Solar works well without a battery—but for most households, adding one increases savings and flexibility. Batteries automatically store solar not used in the day and keep your home powered by your solar generation overnight. They also can charge overnight on cheap electricity, and be paid to discharge when the grid is stressed. This increases savings and often makes them a good addition to the solar array. My guidance is that 5-10kWh is an appropriate size for most households and the amount you install will depend on your budget.
What are my energy storage options?
An important question is what type of battery should you get. I do not have a lithium battery with my solar panels, but I do have access to an EV and a Sunamp Heat Battery. Between these two storage devices, I have 65kWh of energy available to me, or three times my average daily electricity use. EV chargers and solar diverters can intelligently make hot water and charge up your car using solar that would otherwise get sent to the grid - making summer days a joy when the car gets filled for free.
This is not to say that lithium or sodium batteries are not worth installing - industry insiders say that around 90% of UK retrofit solar systems now include a battery.
How much should I expect to pay?
A good quality solar installation of 12-16 panels with a battery of 5kWh should cost no more than £8,500 (and I’ve seen this to be true on multiple jobs). There is an argument that complex installations with multiple roofs may cost more, but if you look up the fundamental cost to installers of solar and batteries, you realise that the days of everyday installations costing more than £10,000 should be far behind us.
The solar industry is cursed by a disconnect between perceived and actual cost. Good installers realise that pricing fairly means they get more work and happier customers that are much cheaper to sell to and to look after. Bad installers charge more by putting a false premium on the materials.
If you are being quoted £10,000+ for a standard installation, you should be asking hard questions. Ask for a quote breakdown and check the cost of panels, inverters and batteries from reputable sources such as Midsummer Energy and Segen.
What about finance options and subscription models?
I am a strong advocate for subscription models and finance options. Let me be clear, with the right finance mechanism they can reduce household outgoings by £200-£300 per year and scale solar into homes where cash is at a premium (80% of the UK market).
Between 2023 and 2025, I worked as a consultant to a solar subscription in New Zealand. This gave me some unique learning of the strengths and weaknesses of this model for solar. They showed that subscription models work as they were by far the largest solar company in New Zealand and installed solar for all demographics (rich and poor).
The fundamentals of their model work should work even stronger in the UK. All of my analysis confirmed that. More coming in a future post!
Do I need a south facing roof?
In short, no. Often homes with East/West roofs have a better outcome than those with south facing roofs. The reason is simple - you can install more panels and capture more sun over the day. This is why I have solar on the east, west and south side of my home.
If we compare homes with a south facing roof vs those with a east/west roof:
Suppose house with a south facing roof could install 12x475W solar panels. According to current UK standards, these will generate 5,500 kWh/year.
The same house with a east and facing roof could install panels on both faces so, 24x475W solar panels and generating a massive 8,720 kWh/year.
The myth of south facing roofs comes from an outdated interpretation of the Feed-in-Tariff rules.
What are the common pain points and how can I avoid them?
Delayed export payments: Households with solar panels are paid for surplus electricity that they generate but do not use in the home. These are often called “export payments” because they arise from being paid for electricity you export to the grid. Export payments are guaranteed by the “Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)” and require a solar installation to be properly registered with the network by the installer, a smart meter and registration with an energy supply (amongst other things). I have known a few customers (myself included) see a delay from installation to getting paid for export. This can happen when installers do not correctly register the system, register with the wrong network company (yes, that happens!), when energy suppliers are slow processing claims etc. The most important thing is to be on it with your installer and SEG provider to get the system registered fast.
Manufacturers going out of business: I write this article as one of the UK’s leading manufacturers (Giv Energy with over 70,000 installations) enters administration. This can happen to manufacturers of all sizes. Batteries and inverters usually still function in a limited way without internet connection and apps, but not forever. Thankfully these components can be replaced (at cost) and the Energy Storage Association is working hard with DESNZ to ensure customers are protected if their battery manufacturer goes out of business.
Bad installation: Poor installation work is rare but it can be very impactful and can cause a lot of stress. The industry is dominated by small to medium size installation firms, most of which are really high quality. However, the few bad installers damage the reputation of the industry. To avoid this, I would advocate:
Taking recommendations from friends
Finding installers who can be open on their costs
Checking quotes for MCS saving estimates, and that these estimates reflect the actual annual electricity consumption on your bills
Using installers that are MCS registered and are registered with consumer codes such as HEIS.
Will I regret it?
A good friend who works in the financial sector remarked after his and his clients' experiences that “the minute the panels start generating, any doubts about the investment go away”. This is a common experience as the tangible benefits of solar listed above are felt from the get go and seen in apps on your phone and a green light on the smart meter. Everybody that I have helped sees their solar as a “no-regrets” purchase, mostly because I recommend good installers to them.
How can we accelerate solar uptake in the UK?
Solar has been a good investment (in all senses) for many years and although installations have been at record levels recently, they are still lower than they should be. Here are just three of the things I would do to change that:
Cash outlay: Frankly, most people do not have spare income for solar and if they do, they usually prefer to spend it on a dream holiday to Disneyland or other home improvements! The best way to improve access to solar for those without disposable income for solar is via low cost finance and subscription models. These can be structured in a way that they immediately reduce outgoings (of £200-£300 per year) with no upfront capital cost. More on this is coming in a future blog.
Not being a householder: Investing in solar is difficult for people who do not own their home, especially those in social housing. Subscription and finance models can be designed in ways that reward householders and landlords, and I am looking to the Government to try to unlock these. More on this is coming in a future blog.
Stamp duty: It is hard to be able to tangibly know how much solar will increase the value of a home. We all know it does, but it is not written down anywhere. I would be a strong advocate for a one time fixed discount on stamp duty for movers who have installed solar on the home they are selling. This is an easy way for the Government to reduce bills and to reduce the burden of stamp duty.
About Me
I am an independent energy consultant and Professor in Practice who has worked across all corners of the globe delivering renewable energy projects.
I have led UK consumer protection standards, delivered $200m+ in energy projects, and now advise organisations on scaling clean energy.
If you are interested in solar, finance models, or energy policy—subscribe or connect with me here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afcrossland/
In my next post, I will break down how solar finance and subscription models can reduce bills with zero upfront cost.
If you want clear, practical advice on energy—subscribe.
Importantly, I do not have any financial gain from installing solar on homes and you must take any content in this article at your own risk.