With the climate and cost-of-living crises at the front of our minds, many of us are looking for new ways to save money and reduce our environmental impact.
Luckily, solar panels offer a great solution to both of these challenges.
More and more people are looking to the sun to provide their households with energy. In fact, according to government data, over 1.5 million homes in the UK now have solar panels – and it’s not difficult to see why, as they come with plenty of benefits, which we’ll explore below.
1. Solar panels can save you money on electricity
With energy prices soaring in recent years, a key reason that people are adding solar panels to their homes is to reduce household bills. Once your system is installed, the energy gained from it is essentially free.
While the initial installation cost is typically quite high, you can save significantly over time. How much will depend on various factors – including your electricity usage, how many solar panels you have, and the amount of sunlight your home receives.
However, according to energy installer Heatable, a typical customer with high-quality panels can save 80% on their electricity bills.
Below are some estimates of what you can expect to save…
Note: The number of solar panels needed for your home will depend on several things – including energy demand and property size. Glow Green estimates that a small house may need 4-8 panels, while a larger household may need up to 16. Check out their article on the subject to find out more.
2. Solar panels can earn you money
More good news is that under the government-run Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) scheme, you can feed any electricity you don’t use back into the grid and get paid for it.
This scheme isn’t as generous as the previous one, which stopped accepting applications in 2019. But you can still receive regular sums that add up over time.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, most households are more likely to earn between £220 and £320 annually. How much you can receive for your excess energy depends on constantly changing rates set by energy suppliers.
To take part, it’s worth remembering that you’ll need to have your solar panel system installed by an MCS-registered installer. Check out this blog post from the Energy Saving Trust to find out more.
3. Solar panels can help to reduce your carbon footprint
Here in the UK, we’re striving towards ‘net zero’ by 2050. This means that, by then, we’re aiming to cut carbon emissions so that no extra greenhouse gases (which cause global warming) are added to the atmosphere.
To achieve this, we need to use fewer fossil fuels (like gas and coal) to generate electricity, and more clean, renewable power sources, such as solar. While 2023 was the greenest year on record for the UK’s grid, we still have a long way to go, with 33% of our electricity being generated by gas and coal stations.
However, by installing solar panels, you can reduce your carbon footprint and help protect the environment from the devastating effects of climate change – giving you peace of mind that you’re contributing to a better future.
4. Solar panels are a renewable source of energy
Not only does solar power not produce any harmful pollutants or greenhouse gases, but it’s also a renewable energy source. In fact, according to the U.S. government, the amount of sunlight that hits the Earth’s surface in 90 minutes is enough to provide the world with enough energy for a whole year.
By contrast, fossil fuels are limited. As our reserves of things like gas and coal decrease – along with inflation and increased demand – energy prices could rise further. By generating and storing your own solar energy, you can help protect yourself from these trends.
Staying largely independent of the energy grid also means that you can stay powered even when there’s a local outage, offering a sense of security.
5. Solar panels are efficient year-round
A common myth about solar panels is that they’re only effective during summer. While it’s true they lose some efficiency during the colder months due to shorter days and overcast skies, this drop might not be as steep as you think.
While solar panels are most efficient during direct sunlight, they still work on wintery, overcast days because some sunlight still passes through clouds. Plus, a little rain can even clean solar panels and help them function more efficiently.
However, it’s worth considering that cheaper solar panel options (for example, ‘P-type’ or ‘PERC’ panels) need lots of direct sunlight to generate energy. Therefore, if you want to stay efficient year-round, it might be worth investing in high-efficiency models, such as half-cut modules and N-type mono panels.
For more information on how solar panels work during the winter, check out Glow Green’s blog post on the subject.
Note: Choosing a battery as part of your solar panel system means that you can store energy for use when the sun isn’t shining – for example, at night. It also means that you can keep hold of energy and sell it at more profitable times.
6. Solar panels are low-maintenance
Once installed, solar panels are relatively easy and cheap to maintain because they have minimal moving parts that can wear out over time.
Plus, most panels come with a 25-30-year guarantee. So you can be safe in the knowledge that they’re built to last for decades.
One thing solar panel owners will need to think about, though, is cleaning because, if your panels become dirty, dusty, or covered in debris like leaves, their performance will drop. Due to their precarious position on our roofs, we recommend hiring a professional cleaner.
Premium solar panels with high-quality self-cleaning glass need cleaning far less often than lower-quality panels (five to seven years, for example, as opposed to two to four years).
7. Solar panels can increase the value of your home
One benefit of installing solar panels that many people overlook is their potential to increase the value of your home. In a world where people are more thrifty and eco-focused than ever, they can make your property an attractive prospect to buyers if you ever decide to sell.
In fact, a report published by Solar Energy UK, which analysed over five million properties, found that a typical set-up could increase a property’s value by over £2,000 – making solar panels an impactful investment.
8. Solar panels can charge your electric vehicles
Your home isn’t the only thing you can power using a solar panel system. If you have one, you can also use it to charge your electric vehicle (EV), saving you more money and helping to reduce your carbon footprint further. However, for this, you’ll also need to invest in a solar car charger.
Glow Green has a list of some of the best ones in the UK here – and estimates that a domestic solar panel system can charge an EV in 30 minutes to 12 hours. If you have battery storage, you can plug your car in at night and wake up to find it ready to go.
But it’s worth bearing in mind that if you’re also using your solar panel system to power your home, not all the energy you generate can be used for your EV. That said, a solar expert can help design a system to meet your needs.
9. Installing solar panels is easier than you might think
When considering whether to install solar panels, many people assume that it’s a bit of a faff. But it’s simpler than you might think.
For starters, you don’t typically need planning permission to install solar panels on the roof of your home.
However, you do need to send an application to your Distribution Network Operator (DNO), which is the organisation responsible for managing the power supplies in your area. Luckily, many solar panel installers can take care of this for you.
Installation may also be quicker than you think, with a standard home system with battery storage usually taking around one or two days.
In most cases, you don’t even need to have a salesperson come to your house to get a quote. Instead, you can get an instant price and see your savings online. You can find out more about the solar panel installation process on Glow Green’s website here.
Final thoughts…
As this article has hopefully shown, there are plenty of reasons to consider adding solar panels to your home. From reducing your carbon footprint to slashing your energy bills, harnessing the power of the sun can bring many benefits.
While the upfront costs of solar panels can be steep, the potential rewards can make it a worthwhile investment. Plus, you might be eligible to receive funding to help you install them – for example, on the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme.
For further reading on creating a more sustainable home, head over to our home and garden section.
Are you considering adding solar panels to your home? Or have you done so already? If so, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
