The pros and cons of solar panels

Considering the increasing popularity of solar panels, you might be wondering if they are actually worth the investment. Well, whilst solar panels come with a series of pros and cons, fortunately there are far more advantages than there are drawbacks. Read on for our rundown. 

If you’re wondering how much a solar & battery system could save you, just answer a few quick questions below and we'll immediately generate an estimate for you.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar panels?

Solar panels have become increasingly popular in recent years, with 2023 set to be the best year ever for renewable energy installations in the UK, according to MCS data. This is unsurprising, given that more and more of us are becoming aware of our carbon footprint, plus saving money on energy bills is high on many people’s lists (given the current economic climate).

So what do solar panels have going for them, and what do they have going against them?

The seven pros of solar panels

Here are the seven benefits of installing solar panels on your home:

1. You'll have lower energy bills

2. You can earn money through grid export tariffs

3. They're environmentally friendly

4. You'll have increased energy independence

5. They could increase your home's value

6. They are low maintenance

7. You could benefit from government incentives

1. You’ll have lower energy bills

One of the most significant advantages of solar panels is that they can help you save money on your energy bills. By generating your own electricity, you can reduce your reliance on the grid, decrease the amount you pay on bills each month, and gradually pay back the initial cost of the solar panels. In fact, you could slash your energy bills by around 89% each year*.

2. You can earn money through grid export tariffs

If you generate more electricity than you use, you can earn money by selling the excess back to the grid. For many properties with a solar & battery system, export income could be worth over £600 each year*.

A bit of government legislation back in 2019 called the Smart Export Guarantee (which replaced the Feed-in Tariff) allowed households to sell renewably generated electricity back to the grid. The scheme ensures that all large energy suppliers (i.e. those with more than 150,000 customers) have to offer households a price per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

To do this you would need to sign up to an SEG tariff, but there is a lot of choice, and fortunately the tariff provider does not have to be the same as your energy supplier. 

However, many energy suppliers now offer multiple export tariffs, not just an SEG tariff. What’s the key difference? Well, some export tariffs allow you to import electricity from the grid when it’s cheap, store it in your battery, and then sell it back to the grid for a profit. In fact, a household could install a storage battery without solar panels, and still make use of certain export tariffs.

Rates regularly change, and they also vary widely; some export tariffs pay as low as 2p per kWh, whilst others exceed 30p per kWh. 

3. They are environmentally friendly

Solar panels are a clean and renewable source of energy, meaning they don't produce any harmful emissions. By using solar power, you can reduce your carbon footprint and help protect the environment. According to the IPCC, the carbon footprint of rooftop solar panels is roughly 12 times less than natural gas and 20 times less than coal. 

With a solar & battery system, your household carbon footprint could drop by almost 1,100kg per year, equivalent to a return flight from London to New York*. Over your solar panels’ lifespan, this adds up to 30 flights. So you’re not just saving money — you’re helping the planet, too.

If you're interested, you can check out our full rundown of solar panel facts.

4. You'll have increased energy independence

By generating your own electricity, you can become more self-sufficient and less reliant on the grid. This can be particularly beneficial during power outages or other emergencies.

It’s important to note that not all solar batteries are set up to keep working during a power cut, but it is possible to have some models of solar battery installed in this way. If you're not sure about whether to get a battery, check out our full guide to whether solar batteries are worth it.

5. They could increase your home’s value

Installing solar panels could increase the value of your home if you come to sell. Potential buyers are often willing to pay more for a property with solar panels, as they know they will save money on energy bills, and modern black solar panels look much better on rooftops than older blue panels did.

If you have a property with a D-rated EPC, adding solar panels can increase your EPC score by around 15-20 points, which in most cases will raise it to a C. And a study by Rightmove suggests that increasing a property’s EPC from D to C will also increase its value by 3%, or £11,157.

If you'd like to find out more solar energy statistics that could help you make your mind up, read our guide.

6. They are self-cleaning

Modern solar panels are manufactured with a hydrophobic coating, which means rainwater just rolls right off them. In British weather you can imagine this happens fairly often, and it means that dust and dirt never really has time to build up on the surface of a solar panel.

Obviously if you take the rainy weather away, solar panels are not quite as 'self-cleaning', but this is a problem for solar panels in dusty, arid places - not the UK. This perennial cleanliness is useful because dust and dirt can reduce a solar panel's efficiency, and consequently its output.

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

7. You could benefit from government incentives

There are various government incentives available for those looking to install solar panels to make them a more affordable option. These include:

•  The Home Upgrade Grant. This is available to 45 local authorities in England (until 31 March 2025) where you could get up to £10,000 funding if you are low income, are off the gas grid, or your home has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) between D and G
• The Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4). Available until 31 March 2026, this scheme aims to improve the country’s least energy-efficient homes and also targets low-income families and other vulnerable households receiving government benefits  
•  Zero VAT (until 31 March 2027). This applies to the supply and installation of solar panels and solar batteries on residential properties in the UK. However, this zero rate does not apply to standalone solar battery installations.

*Our source: these figures are based on an average of 32 different solar & battery system designs from Sunsave’s database, comprising properties from all over England and Wales. Each system in this sample uses 430W solar panels and a 5.8kWh battery, and is signed up to the Octopus Flux export tariff.

The three cons of solar panels 

While solar panels have many benefits, like anything, there are also some drawbacks to consider before investing in them. Here are the three main cons of solar panels:

1. There's a fairly high upfront cost

2. They work less well in the winter

3. There are certain installation requirements

1. There's a fairly high upfront cost

The initial cost of installing solar panels can be quite high. This includes the cost of the panels, installation, and any additional equipment such as batteries or inverters. For instance, a typical 3kWp solar panel system plus 5kWh battery costs around £11,000 (including scaffolding and labour costs).

However, this is where Sunsave comes in – we offer the UK’s first solar subscription, so you can have panels installed at no upfront cost, and start saving on your electricity bills from day one. 

It's also worth noting that solar panel costs used to be much, much higher, as the chart below illustrates (based on data from the International Renewable Energy Agency, 2023).

Falling solar panel costs over time

2. They work less well in the winter

Solar panels only produce electricity when there is daylight, which means they are not producing any during the night. However, by adding a solar battery to a solar panel system, you can store up any electricity that you weren’t there to use in the daytime, and then make use of it in the evenings.

Solar panels also produce less electricity in the winter months due to shorter days, lower sun, and cloudier weather. This means you will still need to draw electricity from the grid at certain times of the year. Despite their lower production in wintry weather, in most cases solar panels still provide a hefty reduction in annual electricity bills due to their strong summer output (and the ability to sell excess to the grid).

3. There are firm installation requirements

The number one requirement for solar panels is that you must be a homeowner. If you’re renting accommodation, you’ll be extremely unlikely to have the authority to set up solar panels on your roof. And given the main benefits of solar panels are enjoyed by a property’s residents, it’s rare that landlords are interested in switching to solar.

Fortunately, solar panels are classed as a ‘permitted development’ in the UK (meaning you usually don’t need planning approval before going ahead with an installation), but there are still a few requirements to think about. 

Firstly, solar panels require a significant amount of space to be installed (typically at least 2m² per panel), which can be a challenge for homeowners with limited roof space. Solar panels are also pretty heavy (usually around 15-30kg per panel), meaning flat roofs and shed roofs are often not tough enough to withstand them. 

It’s also a bit trickier to get solar panels if you live in a conservation area or a listed building. Approval is certainly still possible in most cases, but there’s more bureaucracy to navigate.

Summary

In conclusion, the pros tend to outweigh the cons when it comes to getting solar panels. As we navigate the challenges posed by climate change and dwindling fossil fuel resources, embracing solar energy is a responsible and forward-thinking choice.

Alongside the environmental benefits are the economic advantages, with solar panels helping to lower energy bills and enabling you to make money via the Smart Export Guarantee.

The only challenges posed by solar panels are whether your roof is suitable for installation in the first place, and if it is, whether you can ultimately afford the high upfront costs.

To find out how much money a solar & battery system could save you, click the button below and answer a few quick questions.

Solar panel pros & cons: FAQs