Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of solar?

Not only is solar energy great for the planet, but it’s also the cheapest source of electricity today. With increasing energy bills and market volatility, choosing clean, green, solar energy is a win-win for the environment and your back pocket.

How do solar panels work?

A solar photovoltaic (PV) panel is made from many cells made from layers of semi-conducting material, most commonly silicon. When light shines on this material, a flow of electricity is created.

The cells don’t need direct sunlight to work and even work on cloudy days. However, the stronger the sunshine, the more electricity generated. Yes, solar panels work in winter!

What are the benefits of installing a battery with solar panels?

Solar panels generate electricity during the day but what about at night? Batteries solve this by storing the power generated during the day ready for you to use at night. Solar panels on their own will cover about 35% of your annual electricity requirements but add a battery and this increases to 70%+!

For those months of the year where there is less sun and your panels won’t generate as much, you’ll need to buy some electricity from the grid. A home battery allows you to buy and store cheap night-time grid electricity to use later in the day when electricity would normally be much more expensive. And with our subscription model, the saving potential is even greater, because we optimise all of this for you. We make sure we maximise your solar savings day and night - so all you need to do is sit back and soak up the savings.

Can I sell my excess solar energy to the grid?

The short answer is yes! Whenever you generate more electricity than you can use or want to store in your battery; your energy company will pay you for it. This is called the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), it’s government backed and ensures energy suppliers pay you appropriately for the energy you export.

It’s worth knowing that - depending on your tariff - energy companies can choose to pay you more or less for your energy, depending on what time of day you export. One of the benefits of our brilliant, soon to launch, subscription service, is that it's designed to put you back in control, but with us taking all the hassle out of the set up and monitoring. Our subscription service aims to ensure your panels, inverter and battery are constantly working in perfect harmony to optimise your usage and maximise the money you can save on all fronts - including exporting back to the grid.

How much money will I save using solar?

Exactly how much you can save depends on your roof’s position, pitch and placement, so it’s very difficult to answer this question without knowing a few things about your property. However, our quick and easy online calculator makes this as easy as possible, so why not click here to see how much you could save.

How does the loan purchase work?

We have two options for loans:

1. You could secure a loan yourself:

- Many high street banks offer home improvement loans at competitive rates which can be used for solar systems.

2. Alternatively, we are a credit broker and can introduce you to our finance provider Humm to see if they are able to offer you a finance plan:

- Once we’ve designed your system and confirmed your quote, it takes just a few minutes to get a quote from Humm. You’ll need to give them some basic information and they’ll run some eligibility checks. Please note these may be recorded in your credit history. Once approved, you can sign the Sunsave contract and schedule your installation.

- Usually around 2 weeks before installation, we’ll ask you to sign the Humm’s finance contract and ‘activate’ your agreement. You’ll need to schedule the date for first repayment. This can be up to a month after your finance activation date. The reason we do this later than the Sunsave contract is because we think it’s fairer for you to plan your repayments after your installation date has been confirmed.

How does upfront purchase work?

You can pay us via bank transfer or card. We typically take a 15% deposit upon contract signature, and the remainder after we’ve installed your system. If you like, you could use a loan from another provider to pay for this. Many high street banks offer home improvement loans at competitive rates which can be used for solar systems.

Energy shouldn’t cost the Earth

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Copyright © 2023 Sunsave

Sunsave Group Limited (company number: 13741813) and its affliates, Sunsave UK Limited (company number: 13941186) and Sunsave Energy Limited (company number: 13952135), together trading as “Sunsave”, is a residential solar and battery storage company registered at 23 Ansdell Terrace, London, W8 5BY. Some of the products listed on Sunsave's website are financial in nature. In relation to these products, Sunsave UK Limited is an appointed representative of Product Partnerships Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Product Partnerships Limited's FCA registration number is 626349 and its address is Suite D2 Josephs Well, Hanover Walk, Leeds, LS3 1AB. Product Partnerships Limited's permitted business is to act as a principal for a network of Appointed Representatives who arrange regulated credit facilities for customers who are purchasing goods from them. Sunsave UK Limited acts as a credit broker and not a lender for any financial products listed on this website. If you choose to purchase financial products, we can only introduce you to Humm Group Limited (FRN: 954478) who may be able to offer you finance facilities for your purchase. We do not receive a commission for introducing customers to a finance provider. You may be able to obtain finance for your purchase from other lenders and you are encouraged to seek alternative quotations.