FAQs

As part of every system we install, you have an app which allows you to see how the system is performing. This shows how much you are generating at that moment as well as a host of historical data including a graphic display of the days production, production over the last months, days and years, and a guide to C02 savings you’ve made.

You can expect to pay £6,000-£8,000 for a small size domestic system without batteries (no VAT charged). This will of course vary depending on factors like overall system size, access to your roof, location etc. We only use quality solar panels and inverters and each system is designed around your specific needs.

In recent years, prices have decreased steadily and continue to stay at an attractive rate, meaning that the return on your investment and payback times have remained attractive.  Get in touch to discuss your needs for an accurate quotation.

The government has created several grants and schemes to assist low-income homeowners and tenants of private and social housing to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Depending on your household income and the type of benefits you receive, you could be eligible for funding.

One such scheme is ECO4, open to low-income, fuel-poor, and vulnerable households receiving benefits so they can reduce upfront solar panel costs. To be eligible for solar PV panels, your household needs to meet specific requirements:

• Have an income of less than £31,000.
• Currently have an inefficient heating system within the D-G energy efficiency band.
• Either be own AND be resident in the premises concerned or live in private rented accommodation (in which case installation requires permission from the landlord).
• Receiving government benefits (e.g. child benefits or income support).

This grant runs to March 2026. Find out more on the Eco4Hub  

If you’re not at home during the day and not able to use the power generated from the solar then it may makes sense to have a battery. It also depends on your power consumption; if you use more electricity than the solar can provide, you can make use of off-peak tariffs to import power when the price of electricity is at its lowest and store it in the battery for use later. Finally, do you want back-up in a power cut? It’s important to design a system that’s right for you – we’re here to help so come and talk to us.

Buying solar panels should be viewed as a long-term investment that will help to reduce your electricity bills. Break-even time depends on your individual circumstances; generally, a solar PV system will pay-back in 6-8 years for the average household with no battery. We will advise and give you a forecast of when you are likely to break-even once we’ve determined the following:

• The location, size, angle, orientation, and shading of your roof
• Your electricity consumption
• How much of the electricity generated you are able to use – e.g. are you at home during the day?
• How much you can earn from selling any excess power.

Solar panels are designed to last a lifetime though they will lose some power over time. What’s important is choosing ones that loose less. The Meyer Burger panels we supply are warranted for 25 years with output reduction per annum of 0.25%. Over 25 years, the output will have dropped by 6.25%. This is significantly less than the 15% for most other panels, meaning that over the lifetime of the system, the panels will produce more power for longer.

As a REC Professional Installer, we extend the 20 year product warranty for the REC TwinPeak 5 modules by 5 years, giving you a warranty of 25 years in total. This is also much longer than the standard 10-12 years.

Roof mounted solar panels don’t usually require planning permission as they come under ‘permitted development rights’. These rights don’t always apply though if your building(s) is listed, in a conservation area or AONB. Planning permission will almost always be required for ground mounted systems. If you are in doubt about planning requirements please just give us a call on 01432 861047.

Once the installation is done, we will email your MCS certificate, approval letter from your Distribution Network Operator (National Grid in our area) and the invoice.  With these two documents, you can then sign up with your energy supplier for the SEG. 

There are many reasons, of which we feel the overriding one is superior customer service.  We take time to understand your needs, carrying out an in-person survey of your site and from this designing a solar PV system that’s specific to you. We’re here to answer any questions, quickly and expertly – just call or visit our offices in Hereford.

 Unlike a national business such as electricity providers Octopus and E.ON or the retailer IKEA where solar is a small part of their main business, we’re focused on solar PV systems. All our installers work for us and are not subcontractors.

The Distribution Network Operator or DNO for short is a company licensed to distribute electricity in the UK, bringing electricity to our homes and businesses. In our area this is National Grid or SP Energy Networks with independent DNOs such as GTC, popping up in some places

When a solar PV system is connected to the grid the local DNO needs to be informed.  This applies even if you plan to consume all the electricity yourself. When we install a solar PV system using an inverter with a capacity of 3.68 kW or less (11kW on three-phase), we simply have to notify the DNO post commissioning.

For large solar PV systems where the inverter is larger than 3.68kW on single phase or 11kW on three-phase, G99 approval is needed and we will seek permission from the DNO ahead of installing the system. Find out why DNO approval is required…

In the UK, we generally have enough rain in the UK to wash off any excess dirt on the panels. The panels have a special coating which prevents water droplets sticking to the surface, taking dirt and debris with it.  Occasionally it might be necessary to clean your panels, if for example there’s a build-up of dirt such as bird droppings on your panels.