File 07: Solar panels and storage
Generating at home: panels, inverters, storage, self-consumption and what the roof and the wiring must support.
The file guide
Working guides on this file
Solar panels and storage Battery Storage Basics How home batteries store solar electricity, what capacity and power mean, and how cycling, location and backup options affect the choice. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Export and Self-Consumption, Explained What self-consumption and export mean, why using solar electricity at home is usually worth more than exporting it, and how tariffs change the balance. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Planning and Permission Questions, in General The planning, permitted development, conservation and grid permission questions that can affect rooftop solar, in general terms. Educational only, not advice for a particular property. Solar panels and storage Roof Suitability for Solar What makes a roof suitable for solar: direction, pitch, shading, structure, covering and access, and when a roof needs work first. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Solar and a Heat Pump Together How rooftop solar and a heat pump interact: daytime running, self-consumption, controls and why the combination needs joint sizing. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Solar Battery Sizing How to size a home battery to evening demand, solar surplus and tariff structure, rather than to roof size or a round number. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Solar for Flats and Shared Roofs The extra questions for flats and shared roofs: ownership, consent, shared wiring, metering and how benefits are divided fairly. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Solar for North-Facing Roofs When solar can still work on a north-facing roof, what output to expect, and when another roof, a shared array or no solar is the honest answer. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Solar Maintenance and Monitoring How to look after rooftop solar: monitoring output, cleaning, inverter checks, bird and vegetation issues, and when to call a professional. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Solar Panel Orientation and Shading How roof direction, pitch and shading shape solar output, and how layout and inverter choice respond to a real roof. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Solar Panel Output, Explained Why solar output varies by season, weather, temperature and shading, and how to read a production estimate without mistaking a peak figure for a year. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Solar PV Basics How photovoltaic panels convert light into electricity, what cells, modules and strings mean, and why daylight matters more than direct sun alone. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage Solar Thermal Water Heating How solar thermal collectors heat water directly, how they differ from solar PV, and where they still make sense alongside other systems. Educational only, not advice for a particular home. Solar panels and storage The Solar Inverter, Explained What a solar inverter does, how string inverters, optimisers and microinverters differ, and why inverter choice affects shading and replacement. Educational only, not advice for a particular home.