Use more of what you generate
Electricity you generate and use can displace electricity you would otherwise buy. The value therefore depends partly on when you consume power.
Home›Are solar panels worth it?
HEY SOLAR GUIDEAre solar panels worth it?
For many properties, the right question is not “is solar good?” but “does this system work for this building, tariff and usage pattern?”
THE SHORT ANSWER
Solar can be worthwhile when a suitable system produces electricity that the property can use at valuable times over a long operating life. The answer is property-specific: generation, self-consumption, import prices, export payments, system cost and future electricity demand all affect the result.
Export can add value
Eligible installations in Great Britain can receive payment for exported electricity through the Smart Export Guarantee or other supplier export offerings.
Think in years, not weeks
Solar is a long-life building asset. Consider equipment warranties, inverter replacement, roof condition and how your electricity use may change over time.
Get a model, not a promise
A good proposal should show assumptions about generation, consumption and tariffs so you can understand how projected savings were calculated.
Use this checklist before you compare proposals.
- Expected annual generation
- Expected self-consumption
- Import tariff assumption
- Export tariff assumption
- Installed cost
- Battery assumptions
- Long-term maintenance/replacement allowance
What usually improves the case?
Good usable roof area, meaningful electricity demand and the ability to consume more generation on site can strengthen the economics.
What can weaken it?
Heavy shading, poor roof condition, low usable generation, unrealistic savings assumptions or an unnecessarily expensive system can weaken the case.
How should I compare payback claims?
Ask for the assumptions behind them. A projection is much more useful when generation, tariff, export and self-consumption assumptions are visible.
NEXT STEP
Turn research into a property-specific conversation.
Online information can narrow the options. A useful quotation needs the real property, energy use and project requirements.