⚡ A 4.4kWp solar panel system typically generates 3,740kWh per year in the UK

☀️ Solar panel output varies according to multiple factors

✂️ A solar & battery system can cut your electricity bill by 103%, on average

🏖️ Solar panels produce much more energy in summer

📈 You can help to maximise your system's output

It’s widely known that solar panels generate electricity and reduce people’s reliance on the national grid, but how much electricity do they actually produce? Is it reasonable to expect solar panels to completely cover your electricity needs? 

In this article, we'll explore roughly how much electricity a solar panel system can produce, and explore the various factors that can influence solar output. 

If you’re interested in switching to solar, you can find out how much a solar & battery system could save you by answering a few quick questions below.

What’s the typical output of a solar panel system?

A solar panel system in the UK will typically generate around 85% of its peak output.

This is based on the level of solar irradiance at Dunsop Bridge, a village in Lancashire which the Ordnance Survey has declared the geographic centre of Britain.

If you live south of this location, you can expect more solar irradiance, while places to the north will usually receive less, though this isn't always the case, and there are other important factors that we discuss further down.

If a system has a peak rating of 4.4 kilowatts-peak (kWp), it would produce 4,400 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year in standard test conditions (STC), which is a set of environmental factors used across the industry to measure a panel's capabilities.

But since the average conditions in the UK are around 85% as good as STC, these panels will produce around 3,740kWh per year.

This is more than enough for the average household, which typically uses 3,400kWh of electricity per year, according to government data.

Typical solar panel output by system size, UK

As well as the average irradiance mentioned above, this chart also assumes you have a south-facing roof with no shading.

As you can see, the main factor behind how much energy your panels generate is the size of the system, which makes sense – the bigger and better your system, the more electricity it'll produce.

But even with identically sized systems, you can see massively different output levels. Check out a few examples here:

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  <tr style="background: #4EE5D3; text-align: left; border-radius: 4px;">
    <th style="padding: 12px;">Location</th>
    <th style="padding: 12px;">System size (kWp)</th>
    <th style="padding: 12px;">Annual output (kWh)</th>
    <th style="padding: 12px;">Annual consumption (kWh)</th>
  </tr>
  <tr style="border-bottom: 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) solid;">
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Exeter</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">4.3</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">4,665</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">4,750</td>
  </tr>
  <tr style="border-bottom: 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) solid;">
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Norwich</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">4.3</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">3,767</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">2,401</td>
  </tr>
  <tr style="border-bottom: 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) solid;">
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Peterborough</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">4.3</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">3,668</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">3,654</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Wigan</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">4.3</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">3,629</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">3,500</td>
  </tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>

Despite all of these systems being in different places in the UK, location is not the only variable at play here.

Your system's output will also be affected by differences in roof orientation, angle, shading, and what type of inverter the system has.

🤔 Thinking of going solar? Here's why a larger system makes sense ⬇️

How much will this save you on your energy bills?

A solar & battery system will typically reduce your annual electricity bills by 103% – meaning across a year, you'll actually earn more than you spend.

This figure is based on a household experiencing average UK irradiance with a 4.4 kilowatt-peak (kWp) solar panel system and a 5.2 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery, using 3,500kWh of electricity each year and signed up to the Intelligent Octopus Flux export tariff.

It might sound too good to be true, but technological and tariff developments have made it a reality. Households can now turn to high-performing modern solar panels and storage batteries, as well as solar export tariffs that turn your excess solar electricity into significant profits.

So your panels will dramatically reduce the amount of electricity you need to buy from the grid, and you’ll earn money by selling your excess electricity to the grid.

How much energy do solar panels produce per day?

A 4.3kWp solar panel system will produce 10kWh per day in the UK, on average.  

However, you shouldn't take this as a hard-and-fast rule, because your system's daily generation levels will vary massively, due to a host of factors.

As well as the variables listed above – like orientation, angle, shading, and inverter type – generation will also be affected by each panel's peak output, their location, the weather, and what time of year it is, as this will determine how many hours of daylight there are.

So on average, a 4.3kWp solar panel system in London will produce 8.8kWh per day, while the same system in Exeter will typically generate 12.8kWh per day.

If it's in the ideal situation though, on a south-facing roof with an orientation of 40°, it'll produce even more solar electricity.

And wherever you are, your output will likely be around 55% below the average in winter, and 52% higher than average in summer.

As a result, you'll usually have to buy grid electricity during the colder months to make up the shortfall, but you can then sell your solar energy to the grid when summer comes round again.

At Sunsave, we have a gold membership with the Energy Performance Validation Scheme (EPVS), which means all of our savings estimates follow a methodology that has been validated by an independent third party. Whichever installer you choose, make sure their estimates are EPVS-approved.

How much energy do solar panels produce per hour?

Solar panels produce 0.8kWh per daylight hour, on average.

Your daily solar output will be higher than this average in summer, when there are more daylight hours, and lower than average in winter. We'll go into more detail below.

Your solar panel system will be most productive at solar noon, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky. Due to the nature of the Earth's orbit, this time is almost never exactly 12pm, but instead occurs between 11:40am and 1:10pm, depending on the time of year.

You should therefore concentrate as much of your electricity consumption as possible during this time and the couple of hours either side, to take advantage of your increased solar output. Run the dishwasher, do the laundry, cook dinner – whatever makes sense for you.

Though of course, if you have a solar battery, you can simply store the extra electricity and use it later.

The UK's first solar subscription

The average solar panel output per m² is 186kWh per year.

Solar panels are usually around 2m², which means the typical 430-watt model will produce 372kWh across a year.

A solar panel system will need space on either side, so finding out your roof's area is only one part of working out how much solar electricity you can generate, but it's a great first step.

<center><em>If you have a big roof, you can profit by exporting even more electricity to the grid</em></center>

A solar panel system does not consistently produce the same quantity of electricity throughout the year. In the summer months when the sun is high in the sky (and the days are long), solar panels are at their most productive.

And conversely, in the winter months when the sun is low in the sky (and the days are short), solar panel output drops quite significantly. 

For example, consider the below output chart, which is based on a four-bedroom home in Essex with a 6kWp solar panel system and 5kWh battery.

The system generates almost 25kWh of electricity each day in May and July, but produces just 4.9kWh per day in December. 

Broadly speaking, a solar panel system in the UK will produce about 70% of its total output in spring and summer (March to August), with the remaining 30% coming in autumn and winter (September to February). 

The chart below should give you a rough idea of how productive your solar panel system will be across the four seasons (ranging from around 11% in winter to almost 38% in summer). 

What factors affect how much energy solar panels can produce?

There are 10 key factors which affect solar panel power output:

Let’s explore these factors in more detail.

When it comes to solar panels, 'power' refers to the maximum amount of electricity a panel can generate (in watts). The panel's 'efficiency' is all about how effectively it can convert daylight into electricity.

Higher power and efficiency mean greater electricity production. This means that, in the exact same conditions, a 430W solar panel with 22% efficiency could generate more electricity than a 350W solar panel with 20% efficiency.

Like all electrical systems, solar panels degrade over time, which means they'll generate slightly less electricity as the years go by.

The average solar panel system in the UK loses between 1% and 3% in its first year, then around 0.5% with each subsequent year.

That means after 25 years, the average system will produce 14% less energy than it did on its first day.

Degradation is more of an issue for solar panel systems in hotter climates, where the heat can negatively affect electrical networks.

Typical solar panel degradation over 30 years

Solar panel systems are complex networks of electrical equipment that can underperform or malfunction if installed incorrectly.

If your installer doesn't secure the connections between the solar panels and inverter and the inverter and fuse box, your system may not convert DC electricity to AC electricity – which is the type your home runs on – or send all of the converted electricity to your home's devices.

And if they don't connect the diodes properly, your system could produce less solar electricity or be damaged by the battery discharging to the panels at night.

At best, bad connections will mean you get less solar electricity. At worst, a faulty connection can start a fire.

Shade can have a pretty significant impact on solar panel output, which is why it’s important to make sure there are no trees towering over your solar panel system. 

When solar panels are installed using a traditional string inverter, they’re connected in ‘strings’ (usually around 8-14 panels per string). If something is casting shade on one panel and reducing its output, this will have a detrimental effect on the electricity generation of the entire string.

This is where microinverters come in handy (more on that below).

Solar panels are built to withstand extremely hot weather, which is why there are very productive solar farms located in some of the hottest places in the world. 

However, solar panels still see a very slight drop in output once they get particularly hot - in fact, every solar panel loses a tiny sliver of generation for every degree above 25°C. On a solar panel's datasheet, this is called its temperature coefficient. 

To clarify, this coefficient refers to the temperature of the solar panel, not the temperature of the air around it.

The average temperature coefficient for a solar panel is -0.32%/°C, which means for every degree above 25°C, a solar panel's output falls by a miniscule 0.32%. 

However, even if your solar panels were to reach the dizzying heights of 50°C, they would still be operating at roughly 92% of their original capacity - not a very significant loss at all.

Typical solar panel output loss in high temperatures

Solar panels all have a hydrophobic coating, meaning they are essentially self-cleaning. When rainwater lands on a solar panel it rolls right off it, in theory taking any dust or dirt with it. 

However, in certain areas, solar panels can accumulate enough grime that it limits the amount of daylight that can hit the panels.

This phenomenon, which is known as solar panel soiling, can be brought about by detritus as diverse as dust, exhaust fumes, agricultural emissions, and organic material like bird droppings, lichen, and pollen.

In the UK, solar panel soiling can cut your system's output by more than 5%, according to Loughborough University, but it's a far more serious issue in hot, arid areas like China, India, and the Middle East, where losses can reach 70%.

Keep an eye on your solar panels, and get them cleaned every time they get noticeably dirty.

To learn more, check out our guide to solar panel cleaning. 

Never climb up on your roof to clean your solar panels (for obvious reasons)! Instead, you should get a soft, extendable brush that you can use from ground level - this will probably cost about £100. Alternatively, you can sit back and pay professionals to do it, who typically charge about £10 per panel.

As mentioned above, if one panel in a string inverter setup goes south, it'll mess up the whole string's output. With microinverters, each panel gets its own dedicated inverter and operates independently, so any malfunctions won't affect the entire system.

It’s also possible to stick to a normal string inverter and add optimisers, which are designed to improve the performance of the weakest panels in a system. 

Your system's output could also be affected by solar inverter clipping, which is when your panels produce more electricity than your inverter's peak rating. As your inverter can't process the extra energy, it'll turn into heat and be lost to you.

 Correctly sizing your inverters will avoid this happening too often, but don't spend too much in an effort to eradicate all clipping. In many cases, a small amount of clipping over the sunniest months is worth avoiding spending hundreds of pounds on more powerful inverters.

However, buying an efficient inverter is a good investment. Solar inverters are usually between 93% and 98% efficient at turning DC electricity into AC electricity, which is a large enough range to make a significant difference to your output.

The angle and direction of solar panels has a big impact on their output. Aim for the sweet spot: facing south and tilted at an angle matching your latitude. The best angle for solar panels in the UK is around 39 degrees, according to a 2019 study from York University.

Solar panels can still be very effective if they’re east-facing or west-facing though – it’s just that south-facing is the optimum scenario. Any solar installer worth their salt will design a solar panel system for your property that makes the best use of your available roof space.

Whatever direction your solar panels face, some sunlight will reflect off them instead of being absorbed, reducing their output by around 2% to 4% – or it would, except more than 90% of commercial modules now come with anti-reflective coating.

The coating eliminates the great majority of this loss, so make sure it's included with any panels you buy.

The impact of angle on solar panel output

This chart shows the average of 26 solar panel systems in Yorkshire, all with a peak power rating of 4kWp.

The best angle is clearly 39 degrees – and though this varies a little as you move around the country, the difference is always minimal.

You won’t be surprised to read that sunshine makes a difference to solar panel output, and the UK sees a pretty wide range of solar irradiance. In the south of England there is an average of 128.4 watts per square metre (m²), whilst in the northwest of Scotland it’s just 71.8m².  

But despite the south coast of England seeing more sunshine than anywhere else in the UK, you can still have a productive solar panel system in any part of the country. Plentiful sunshine is a bonus, but not a key ingredient – and you can see from this list just how many other factors determine how well a solar panel system works. 

Your inverter will usually contain a transformer, which performs a vital function that does unfortunately result in some energy loss.

The transformer converts incoming DC electricity to AC electricity you can use in your home, and also changes the voltage of that energy to match that of the appliances your solar energy will then power.

Unfortunately, like all electrical products, it does produce a small loss in energy – about 1%, usually – because it involves multiple complicated processes. 

Some inverters now come without transformers, which avoids this loss – but they're not common just yet.

How to ensure your solar panels produce more energy

If you’re considering having a solar panel system installed, there are a few things you do in order to maximize its output. For example: 

Your household deserves to benefit from some of the best solar panels on the market, with high efficiency rates, hefty peak power ratings, and long lifespans.

Making this choice will maximise your electricity bill savings, cut your carbon footprint by as much as possible, and help increase the value of your home.

You should only go with an installer that uses top-tier panels, both to take advantage of these benefits and because you want an installer with the good judgment and high standards to pick superior models.

This is the most important step. It doesn't matter how good your panels, battery, or inverter are if they're not properly fitted by a certified installer.

Choosing one of the best solar installers around will ensure that your installation produces as much electricity as possible, has a long lifespan, and doesn't require as much maintenance. This will maximise your savings, and also give you peace of mind.

It's worth paying a little more for a reputable, responsive, competent company that'll stick around for the aftercare, instead of leaving you to it once the panels are on your roof.

The more solar panels you get installed, the more electricity your system will produce, everything else being equal – so instead of trying to calculate how many solar panels you need, consider how many panels will fit on your roof.

Even if your system generates far more energy than your household uses, some export tariffs will pay you a high rate for all the excess electricity you send to the grid. Your profits will climb, and the national supply of electricity will get a bit greener.

It'll also future-proof your household. The UK is in the process of electrifying its transport and heating sectors, meaning electric vehicles and heat pumps are becoming commonplace.

This will result in a 50% increase in demand for electricity by 2035, according to the independent Climate Change Committee. 

If you get an EV or heat pump at any point in the coming years, you can use your 'oversized' solar panel system to run them. A heat pump will typically increase the average household's annual consumption from 3,400kWh to 6,600kWh, while an EV charger usually adds another 1,500kWh.

And even if you don't add either of these products, the rapidly rising need for electricity across the nation means the price for your exported electricity should stay high.

Microinverters can potentially increase your system's output, but they aren't always necessary – which is fortunate, since they're more expensive than standard string inverters.

If your roof comes with a significant level of unavoidable shading, you may want to use microinverters, since they allow every panel to operate independently of the others.

This avoids the major issue of using string inverters, which allow shade on one part of the system to affect every panel.

Because of the price difference though, a trustworthy installer will only recommend microinverters if it's absolutely essential.

For more information, check out our guide to inverters.

And to read more about the price of going solar, check out our guide to solar panel costs. 

Keeping an eye on your solar panel app is the best way to make sure your system's output stays high.

This is time-consuming though, and if your system's generation does fall, most solar panel owners aren't able to identify and fix the problem – and hiring an engineer can be expensive.

Fortunately, we have a solution. The UK’s first solar subscription, Sunsave Plus, comes with 20 years of remote 24/7 monitoring, meaning our solar experts will always keep an eye on your system for you.

You'll also have 20 years of maintenance support, which means we'll alert you if something isn’t working, troubleshoot any issues, and make sure your output gets back to the level it should be at.

Next steps

A solar panel's output depends on multiple factors like your location, your roof, and the quality of the system itself.

Going solar usually means covering a large chunk of your annual electricity needs and massively cutting your energy bills, but to maximise your returns, it's crucial that you choose the right installer.

Solar panel output: FAQs

How much electricity can one solar panel produce?

How much electricity will my solar panels generate?

How many solar panels do I need to produce 1,000kWh per month?

Can I run my house on solar power only in the UK?

How many kWh of electricity does a four-bedroom house use?

How much electricity do solar panels produce? [UK, 2024]

What's in this guide?

How much energy do solar panels produce?

🛡️ The Sunsave Guarantee will protect your solar panel system for 20 years

🔍 You'll get 24/7 monitoring of your solar & battery system

🔋 You get a free replacement battery and inverter

📃 Standard product and workmanship warranties are insufficient

🛠️ Most companies don’t offer an ongoing maintenance package

As well as launching the UK’s very first solar subscription, Sunsave Plus, we’re also launching the first 20-year aftercare and support package, the Sunsave Guarantee.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Sunsave Guarantee, including what it covers, why it matters, and the headaches it could save you in the long term. 

Why did we create the Sunsave Guarantee?

The energy crisis triggered a huge spike in demand for solar, and the number of solar panel installers in the UK has grown to a record high, totalling more than 3,300. If someone in the UK wants solar, they have a staggering amount of choice when it comes to picking an installer. 

However, despite the high number of businesses willing to put solar panels on people’s roofs, few of them offer any kind of maintenance, support or aftercare. This is a mismatch, given the high cost of a solar & battery system, and the importance of it lasting a long time. 

What’s more, 73% of solar PV installations in the UK now include a battery (according to Flexi-Orb), which typically stops working effectively during the system’s expected lifetime. And as with solar panels, there is a severe lack of businesses out there who will help homeowners with a malfunctioning battery.

In fact, some technical experts in the industry estimate that a solar & battery system in the UK will need three maintenance call-outs across a 20-year period - one for the panels, one for the battery, and one for the inverter. This adds not only cost, but also the hassle of finding a reliable installer to help each time.

It’s also a case of reassurance and peace of mind. A 2021 study by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), found that 55% of people in the UK who don’t want (or aren’t sure about) solar panels reported maintenance concerns as a key reason, and 40% said that a guarantee scheme would allay these concerns. 

A solar system is a big investment, so it’s fair to expect it to work. So we created the Sunsave Guarantee to give UK households certainty they will get the best out of their solar system for at least 20 years.

What is the Sunsave Guarantee?

The Sunsave Guarantee ensures that your solar & battery system will remain in superb condition throughout the 20-year subscription term of Sunsave Plus. This means that once installed, you can rest assured that you’ll have a consistent supply of clean, green electricity.

All of our installations are performed to the highest standards using best-in-class kit, but the Sunsave Guarantee is there as a backup for total peace of mind. If anything stops working or drops below an acceptable level of performance, we’ll be there to fix it. 

Part of your fixed monthly fee for Sunsave Plus pays for the Sunsave Guarantee.

30-year performance warranty on the solar panels

A free battery replacement once it performs at less than 70% of its original capacity – which typically happens after 10-12 years

A free inverter replacement whenever required (usually after 10-12 years)

24/7 monitoring of the solar & battery system, including alerting you if something isn’t working

Insurance – your system will be insured by Aviva against damage, fire, and theft

Downtime protection – we’ll compensate you for any extended period of time that your system isn’t working as it should

There are three key parts to the Sunsave Guarantee: monitoring, maintenance & replacement parts, and insurance & downtime protection.

Here’s a bit more detail on each of them:

It’s important to keep an eye on your system to ensure that it’s always working properly. However, sometimes you might be too busy to do this, and it can be tricky to know the signs of an underperforming system unless you are an expert. 

That’s why we keep track of your panels & battery for you 24/7 using our remote monitoring platform. This means we’ll be able to spot any issues, let you know, and take the necessary actions to fix them. If you’re interested, you’ll also be able to see how much clean energy your panels are generating - and how much you’re saving. 

If something doesn’t look right (whether that’s been caught by us or raised by you) then we may need a bit of extra information, such as photos and documents. 

If we’re not able to fix it remotely, a Sunsave engineer will visit your property within two weeks (and often much sooner).  

The Sunsave Guarantee is a promise that your system will keep working properly throughout the 20-year subscription period, which means that if something goes wrong, we’ll sort it - whether that means fixing the system, or completely replacing a part of it. 

The process is a bit different depending on whether the underperforming part of your system is still within warranty. 

If your panels, battery or inverter stop working before the end of their warranty, we’ll take care of submitting any claims to the manufacturer, and we’ll install any replacement hardware needed. 

Once your battery is out of warranty (normally after 10 or 12 years), if it’s performing at less than 70% of its original capacity, we’ll replace it with a brand new battery for free. Likewise, if your inverter is out of warranty and needs to be replaced, we’ll replace it with a new one for free.

After installation, if your system isn’t working and we need to send an engineer, there’s a call-out fee of £100, up to a maximum of £200 each year, plus VAT. That means even if you need multiple call-outs in one year, your costs will be capped.

Your Sunsave Plus system will be insured by Aviva against damage from theft, vandalism, natural catastrophe and fire. For instance, if a storm blew your panels off the roof, you’d be fully covered.

Alongside the insurance, we also provide downtime cover - so if your system is not working correctly, we’ll credit your monthly payments while we work to get it back to full health. 

Every Sunsave Plus subscription is covered by the Sunsave Guarantee, which lasts for the full subscription term of 20 years.

You can fully repay your loan early and without any penalties or fees, but doing so will mean you’re no longer protected by the Sunsave Guarantee.

Sign up for Sunsave Plus

The Sunsave Guarantee vs standard warranties

The workmanship and product warranties you’ll receive with a standard solar installation are insufficient when it comes to protecting your system over the long term.

As you can see below, the Sunsave Guarantee covers your entire system for 20 years, and includes remote monitoring, insurance, and downtime cover – which standard warranties don’t.

You will also get free replacement parts with the Sunsave Guarantee, even if your battery or inverter aren’t under warranty.

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<table style="background: rgba(0,0,0,0.02);">
  <tr style="background: #4EE5D3; text-align: left; border-radius: 4px;">
    <th style="padding: 12px;"></th>
    <th style="padding: 12px;">Workmanship warranty</th>
    <th style="padding: 12px;">Manufacturer’s warranty</th>
    <th style="padding: 12px;">Sunsave Guarantee</th>
  </tr>
  <tr style="border-bottom: 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) solid;">
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Term length</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">2-5 years</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;"><p>Panels: varies</p>
<p>Battery: typically 10 years</p></td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">20 years</td>
  </tr>
<tr style="border-bottom: 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) solid;">
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Replacement parts (e.g. battery & inverter)</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">No</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Yes if under warranty, but doesn’t cover labour or scaffolding</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Yes, including if parts are no longer under warranty</td>
  </tr>
  <tr style="border-bottom: 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) solid;">
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Labour & scaffolding</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Yes, for workmanship issues only</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">No</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Yes</td>
  </tr>
  <tr style="border-bottom: 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) solid;">
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Remote monitoring</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">No</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">No</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Yes, 24/7</td>
  </tr>
  <tr style="border-bottom: 1px rgba(0,0,0,0.1) solid;">
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Insurance</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">No</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">No</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Yes, damage and theft</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Downtime cover</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">No</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">No</td>
    <td style="padding: 12px;">Yes</td>
  </tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>

How often does a solar & battery system need maintenance?

As mentioned previously, some technical experts in the industry estimate that a solar & battery system in the UK will require three maintenance call-outs across a 20-year period - one for the panels, one for the battery, and one for the inverter.

Here’s a bit more detail about each of the three components.

Solar panels are sturdy objects with no moving parts, which means in an ideal world you can have them installed and never think about them again (known as ‘fit and forget’). 

However, this doesn’t mean there are never any problems. 

In a survey of solar panel owners conducted by Which? in October 2022, people reported the following issues with their systems: electrical problems, generation meters breaking, panels producing less electricity, panels producing no electricity, weak electrical connections, cracked/broken glass on panels, and isolator problems. 

Some of the things that can cause a solar panel system to malfunction include:

Improper installation - dodgy connections will lead to problems further down the line 

Low quality hardware - if the kit isn’t up to scratch, it can deteriorate pretty quickly

Thinking of getting solar panels? Here's a detailed breakdown of what the Sunsave Guarantee includes, from monitoring & maintenance to insurance.

Charlie Clissitt

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