Solar Panels in Caerphilly, Caerphilly

A 4kWp system in Caerphilly typically costs £6,600-£8,500 with 0% VAT included, the zero-rate VAT alone saves around £1,300-£1,700 compared to the standard 20% rate. Based on Caerphilly's solar yield of 868 kWh/kWp, a 4kWp system generates approximately 3,472 kWh/year, paying for itself in 11-13 years through electricity savings of £618+/yr and Smart Export Guarantee income of around 13-15p/kWh. Adding a home battery (5-10 kWh) costs an additional £3,000-£6,500 and also benefits from 0% VAT. We recommend getting at least three quotes from MCS-certified installers to compare pricing and equipment.

Most homes in Caerphilly benefit from a 3-6 kWp system. A 4kWp system (10 panels at ~400W each) generates 3,472 kWh/yr at Caerphilly's yield of 868 kWh/kWp, covering 91% of average household electricity use. The system requires approximately 18-20 m² of unshaded roof space. If you have an electric vehicle or heat pump, a larger 5-6 kWp system (12-15 panels) may be more appropriate to offset the additional demand. Your MCS-certified installer will assess your roof space, orientation, shading, and electricity consumption to recommend the optimal size during a site survey.

Standard grid-tied solar systems shut down automatically during a power cut for safety reasons, this is to protect engineers working on the grid lines. Your panels will resume generating as soon as the grid power is restored. If you need backup power during outages, you can install a hybrid inverter with battery storage that isolates your home from the grid and continues supplying electricity from the battery and panels. This emergency power supply (EPS) feature is available on most modern hybrid inverters and is worth considering if you experience frequent power interruptions.

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 40% to 60-80%, significantly reducing your reliance on grid electricity. Batteries currently cost £3,000-£6,500 for 5-10 kWh 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 3, Sigenergy, and FoxESS units.

Solar PV panels generate electricity from sunlight using photovoltaic cells, while solar thermal panels heat water directly using the sun's warmth. For most UK homes, solar PV is the better investment: it is more versatile (powering all electrical appliances), benefits from 0% VAT, and you can sell excess electricity via the Smart Export Guarantee at around 13-15p/kWh. Solar thermal only heats water and does not generate electricity or qualify for SEG income. Solar PV panels also last longer (25-30 years versus 15-20 for solar thermal) and have lower maintenance requirements.

South-facing roofs at a 30-40° pitch produce the most electricity (100% of potential yield). South-east and south-west roofs produce around 95% of optimal output. East or west-facing roofs still produce 80-85%, and many installers recommend splitting panels across east and west faces to spread generation throughout the day, which can improve self-consumption. North-facing roofs are generally not recommended for solar panels in the UK as they receive significantly less direct sunlight. Your MCS-certified installer will assess your roof orientation during the site survey.

A typical residential installation takes 1-2 days of on-site work. This includes erecting scaffolding, mounting the panels on roof brackets, wiring, inverter installation, and connecting to your consumer unit. The full process from initial survey to completed installation usually takes 2-6 weeks depending on installer availability and DNO requirements. Your MCS-certified installer handles the DNO notification (G98 for systems under 3.68 kW, G99 for larger systems) and all associated paperwork on your behalf.