Generate your own electric with solar panels and battery storage

Solar panels generate electricity from sunlight, reducing how much you buy from the grid. They pair well with heat pumps and electric vehicles, and adding battery storage lets you use more of what you generate.

Why consider solar panels?

Electricity prices have risen significantly in recent years, and the shift to electric heating and transport means most homes will use more electricity in the future, not less. Solar panels offset some of that demand by generating free electricity during daylight hours.

The financial case depends on your roof, your electricity usage, and whether you add battery storage. For many homeowners, solar has one of the clearest paybacks of any home improvement, particularly when paired with a heat pump or electric vehicle.

How solar panels work

Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity that powers your home directly. Any surplus is exported to the grid. How much they generate depends on your roof's orientation, pitch, and shading. A south-facing roof with minimal shading will produce the most, but east and west-facing roofs can still deliver a worthwhile return.

Adding battery storage

A battery stores excess solar electricity for later use rather than exporting it to the grid. Most households use the most electricity in the morning and evening, while panels generate the most in the middle of the day. A battery bridges that gap.

Batteries add to the upfront cost, but they mean you use more of what you generate rather than selling it cheaply and buying it back at a higher rate later.

What to be aware of

Planning permission is usually not required for domestic rooftop panels, but listed buildings and conservation areas may have restrictions worth checking before you commit.

Sequencing matters here too. If you are also planning insulation or a heat pump, it is worth designing the whole package together. A heat pump running on solar electricity costs significantly less to run than one drawing entirely from the grid, and battery storage can shift that solar generation into the evening hours when you need it most.

How Furbnow approaches solar

We look at solar as part of the whole-house picture, not in isolation. Our PAS2035-certified retrofit coordinators assess your roof alongside every other planned improvement, modelling how solar generation interacts with your heating system, your battery storage, and your overall electricity demand.

The result is a recommendation built around your specific home and how you use it, not a standard package.

Solar is part of our Home Energy Plans

A Furbnow Home Energy Plan includes solar as one option within your whole-house upgrade strategy, so you can see how it fits alongside insulation, heating, and other measures before committing to anything.