Solar Panels In Wales
Renewable energy expert Effective Home installs solar panels in Wales that promote sustainable living by increasing energy efficiency and independence. Generating your own electricity from the sun saves money, reduces carbon emissions, and increases property value.
Welcome to Sunny Wales!
Contrary to common assumptions, Wales gets a fair amount of sun, so solar panels do actually work well here. Cardiff, for example, sees on average 1,573 hours of sunshine a year, while Tenby in Pembrokeshire sees over 1,700 hours of sun annually – more than the national average for England.
In comparison to other parts of the UK, the relatively sunny location in large parts of the country makes Wales a suitable place for solar panel systems, and more than 90,000 of them were installed throughout the country from 2009 to 2023.
Solar panels are particularly popular on the Isle of Anglesey, where 8.4% of homes now have them – the highest percentage across the UK.
Benefits of Solar Panels
More than 100,000 homes in Wales have so far installed solar PV (photovoltaic) panels, and demand is growing as costs come down. These households cut electricity bills by an average of 74% and typically break even on solar panel installation costs in around 13 years.
Solar panels generate electricity from a free and abundant resource – the sun. Besides big savings on energy bills, solar panels also reduce carbon emissions significantly and increase home value. Furthermore, you can earn money by selling surplus electricity to the national grid.
Benefits For You
Cost Savings
How much money solar panels can save on energy bills depends largely on the output of your system, the amount of energy you use, and how much you’re currently paying for electricity.
Solar panels can save 50 to 70% or more on energy costs as you use less electricity from the grid. Combined with battery storage, solar energy can cut electricity bills by up to 90%.
This means your solar installation can usually pay for itself in 12 to 16 years. After that, you’ll continue to see substantial savings on your electricity bills – hundreds of pounds a year over many future years.
Carbon Savings
Energy from the sun is an unlimited source of renewable energy, with no greenhouse gas emissions.This provides an effective alternative to burning fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and oil, which pollutes the air and releases toxic emissions that drive climate change.
Residential solar panels in Wales can save up to one tonne of carbon a year – the equivalent of driving 3,600 miles. A further problem with fossil fuels is that they’re running out fast and are likely to become even more expensive as reserves become scarcer.
Selling Electricity
At times, your solar panels will likely generate more electricity than you can use. You can sell this excess energy back to the grid under the government-backed Smart Export Guarantee (SEG).
SEG-licensed electricity providers set their own tariffs for buying surplus low-carbon electricity. Based on January 2024 fuel prices, SEG payments typically save households more than £100 a year on energy costs.
Increased Home Value
In the move towards net zero, houses with poor Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings are becoming increasingly unattractive to homebuyers.Solar panels improve a property’s green credentials, which can pay off if you decide to sell your home.
Estate agents report that some buyers are willing to pay a 20% premium on homes with high energy efficiency. In 2023 houses with solar panels were selling for almost £1,900 to £2,722 more on average.
What Solar Packages Can I Get?
JA Solar 190W MBB Half-Cell Black Panels
- Higher output power
- Lower LCOE
- Less shading and lower resistive loss
- 25 year linear power warranty
Longi Hi-MO 5m LR5-54HIB Panels
- Gallium-doped Technology
- Optimised Electrical Parameters
- Smart Module Packaging and Logistics
- 25 year linear power warranty
AIKO 450 Black Panels
- High efficiency
- All black design
- N-Type Cells
- 30 year performance warranty
Solar Panels & Battery
- Best overall savings
- Most reliable
- Sell power back to the grid
Commercial
Government Grants
Why Choose Effective Home for Solar Panels in Wales?
As a leading UK renewable energy specialist, Effective Home works with major energy suppliers to help households in Wales on the journey to net zero. From Cardiff to Bangor, we’ve been providing solar panels across the country for 16 years. The clean energy they produce cuts electricity bills, reduces carbon footprint, and increases home value. If you want to make your home more sustainable while saving money, we can install a high-quality solar panel system tailored to your specific needs and energy requirements. We can also arrange financing to spread the cost of your solar panels, and they come with a 25-year warranty for your peace of mind. Contact us for a free home survey and free quote for your solar panels.
With over 15 years of experience and thousands of installs under our belt, we’ve recently been voted the Best National Solar Installer by The Independent Advisor.
Let us reduce your energy bills the effective way
Solar Panels with Batteries
Solar battery storage is a cost-effective long-term investment that maximises the benefits of solar panels by further reducing reliance on mains electricity. Being able to power your home long after the sun has set can cut electricity bills by up to 90%. Solar batteries also reduce environmental impact, and they can last up to 20 years.
Whether you’re looking to install solar panels with or without a battery, or add a battery to an existing solar installation, Effective Home can provide you with a long-lasting, quality system. Contact us now.
Cut electricity bills
Solar panels can help you cut your electricity by up to 70%.
Generate income with Solar
Sell excess energy back to the grid from your solar panels helping you save even more on your bills.
Improve your EPC rating
Solar panels can improve your property's Energy Performance Certificate rating.
Reduce carbon footprint
Reduce your carbon footprint by generating your own energy using the sun, relying less on the grid.
25 Year Warranty
Our solar panel installs come with a 25 year warranty, giving you peace of mind.
Fully Monitored System
Using a Sunsynk battery, you can keep a check on the perfomance of your solar system.
Solar Panel Costs and Savings
Solar panel costs are mainly determined by the power output of the system, measured in kilowatts (kW).
Installing a typical 10-panel 3.5kW solar panel system for a three-bedroom home in Wales costs around £7,000 and saves more than £500 a year on energy bills.
Solar panels for smaller homes cost about £4,280, saving £320 a year. Solar panel installations for larger properties – with four or more bedrooms – cost around £9,990 and cut electricity bills by £765 a year.
How much does a solar PV system cost?
10 solar panels
- 4kw JA Solar DeepBlue 4.0 PV
- N-type PV Technology
- 25 year warranty
- Finance options available
from £8,495 £7,050
Estimated annual electricity bill
Before
£2,343
After
£1,644
- 30%
Solar Financing
Effective Home offers a range of finance plans that make solar panels more affordable by spreading the cost.
You can pay a low deposit or even no deposit and pay for your solar panels with instalments over five,10 or 15 years to suit your budget.
In some cases, savings you make on your electricity bills could cover the cost of these monthly payments.
Solar Panel Grants
Like households in England, homeowners and private tenants in Wales may be eligible for a solar panel grant through the Energy Company Obligation. In addition, solar panel funding is available from the Welsh government’s Nest scheme.
Energy Company Obligation
Under the Energy Company Obligation, energy providers are required to help households struggling with fuel bills in homes with a low Energy Performance Certificate evaluation. ECO4 – the fourth and final phase of the scheme – has £4 billion available to pay up to 100% of the cost of solar panels to power electric heating (provided a biomass boiler or a heat pump isn’t a practical option). The scheme is open to households getting a means-tested benefit and is scheduled to run until the end of March 2026.
ECO Flex
ECO Flex – also known as LA Flex (Local Authority Flexible Eligibility) – makes solar panel funding available to more people. It widens the scope of the Energy Company Obligation by offering funding to individuals and families struggling to heat their home but not getting a means-tested benefit. Local councils set their own funding eligibility requirements.
Warm Homes Nest
Low-income households can apply for free solar panels in Wales under the Nest initiative.Part of the Welsh government Warm Homes programme, Nest funds solar panel installations for homeowners and private tenants who live in an energy-inefficient home and receive a means-tested benefit. You may also be able to get a Nest grant if you or someone you live with has a chronic medical condition and household income is below a certain threshold.
Zero VAT on Solar Panels
VAT on solar panels in Wales and the rest of the UK is currently zero-rated if they’re supplied and installed by the same company. This cuts costs by several hundred pounds. For instance, if your solar panels are priced at £10,000, that’s the amount you currently pay. If the full rate of value added tax was applied, the same solar panels would cost £12,000. VAT on solar panels is expected to revert to its original reduced rate of 5% from April 2027.
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Solar Panels Wales FAQs
Are solar panels a good investment in Wales?
Solar panels are a sound investment for householders in Wales because the country gets more sun and less cloud than many other areas of the UK.
This means a better return on your money. A typical 3.5kW system, for example, generates 2,800kWh (kilowatt hours) of electricity, which is above average.
Do I need planning permission for solar panels in Wales?
Planning officers usually regard rooftop solar panels as a permitted development, so in most cases you don’t need to apply for planning permission.
There are certain exceptions, though, such as solar panel installations in a conservation area or for a listed building.
It’s also a good idea to get advice from your local planning authority if you live in a flat and want to install solar panels.
Do solar panels work when there’s no sun?
Solar panels need only daylight to generate power. They perform best when the sun is shining but still work without direct sunlight. This is why they continue to generate electricity on cloudy days and during winter.
In some cases, less direct sunlight can be better for solar panels. Excessive heat can reduce power output by up to 25%.
What maintenance do solar panels need?
Solar panels require little maintenance. They largely clean themselves when it rains, though any remaining dirt can usually be washed off with a hose a couple of times a year. An annual service will ensure the performance of your solar panel system remains at optimal levels.
