Solar Panels in Bedwas, Caerphilly

A 3-4kWp system in Bedwas typically costs £5,000-£8,000 with 0% VAT included — the zero-rate VAT alone saves around £1,000 compared to the standard 20% rate. Based on Bedwas's solar yield of 865 kWh/kWp, a 4kWp system generates approximately 3,460 kWh/year, paying for itself in 6-8 years through electricity savings of £969+/yr and Smart Export Guarantee income of 4-6p/kWh. Adding a home battery (5-10 kWh) costs an additional £3,000-£6,000 and also benefits from 0% VAT. We recommend getting at least three quotes from MCS-certified installers to compare pricing and equipment.

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a UK government scheme that requires licensed energy suppliers with 150,000+ customers to offer a tariff to small-scale generators for surplus electricity exported to the grid. Typical rates are 4-6p/kWh, with some suppliers offering up to 15p/kWh on time-of-use or agile tariffs that pay more during peak demand. You need a smart meter and an MCS-certified installation to be eligible. Your energy supplier will install a smart meter for free if you do not already have one. The SEG replaced the Feed-in Tariff scheme, which closed to new applicants in 2019.

Yes. A home battery (typically 5-10 kWh capacity) stores excess solar electricity generated during the day for evening and overnight use. This increases your self-consumption from around 30-40% to 60-80%, significantly reducing your reliance on grid electricity. Batteries currently cost £3,000-£6,000 and also benefit from 0% VAT on residential installations. Most batteries are warranted for 10-12 years and can be retrofitted to an existing solar system. Popular options include the Tesla Powerwall, GivEnergy, and Fox ESS units.

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates your home's energy efficiency from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). While an EPC is not required for solar panel installation, adding solar panels typically improves your rating by 1-2 grades, which can increase your property value by up to 4%. An EPC assessment costs around £60-£120 and is valid for 10 years. If you are selling or renting your property, an up-to-date EPC is legally required, so having solar panels reflected in your rating is beneficial.

Solar panels stay with the property as a permanent fixture and transfer to the new owner upon sale. They add value to your home — up to 4% according to UK property research — and improve the EPC rating, making the property more attractive to energy-conscious buyers. Your installer can transfer monitoring app accounts and warranty documentation to the new owner. The Smart Export Guarantee registration also transfers with the property. With a 25-30 year lifespan, the next owner inherits many years of remaining electricity savings.

A smart meter is required to sell surplus electricity back to the grid under the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) and earn 4-6p/kWh for your exports. Your energy supplier will install a smart meter for free if you do not already have one — contact them before or shortly after your solar installation. You do not strictly need a smart meter for the solar panels themselves to work, but without one you cannot receive SEG payments. Your MCS-certified installer submits the G98/G99 application to your Distribution Network Operator after installation to register your system for grid export.

Based on Caerphilly regional data, a 4kWp system generates approximately 3,460 kWh per year at a yield of 865 kWh/kWp, covering 91% of average household use (3,800 kWh/year). The area receives around 1,380 sunshine hours annually. Caerphilly ranks #57 of 102 UK counties, and solar panels are still a strong investment here thanks to longer summer daylight hours and cooler temperatures that improve panel efficiency. Output peaks between May and August and is lower in winter, though annual generation figures already account for this seasonal variation. South-facing roofs at a 30-40° pitch achieve optimal yields, while east or west-facing roofs still produce 80-85% of maximum output.