How do solar panels work?

There are two main types of solar panel. Solar electricity panels capture the sun’s energy and turn it into electricity for your home. They’re commonly known as solar PV panels (photovoltaics). These panels generate roughly 355W of energy in strong sunlight.

On the other hand, solar thermal panels capture the sun’s energy, but convert it into energy that heats up water for your home instead. These panels are made of either flat plate collectors or evacuated tubes (glass tubes).

How are solar panels installed?

An installer that’s accredited with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is best placed to complete the installation. MCS is a quality assurance scheme for tradespeople installing low-carbon energy technology. Through MCS, you can be sure that your solar panel installer is working to high standards.

You can opt for:

In-roof

In-roof (or integrated) solar panels are installed by removing some of your roof tiles and fitting the panels in their place. The panels sit flatter against your roof than on-roof ones do. But, they are often more expensive to install.

On-roof

On-roof solar panels are installed by fitting anchors onto the roof. The panels are then mounted onto the anchors. This is the most common type of solar panel installation.

Solar PV panels on rows of homes

Can solar panels be installed on all types of roof?

To generate the most power, solar panels should be installed on true south facing roofs. If your roof faces west or east, it might still be eligible (though solar panel systems installed in these directions tend to generate 15-20% less energy than on roofs facing south). We don’t recommend you install a solar panel system on a north facing roof.

Solar panels can be installed on many types of roof, including concrete tile, clay tile, metal and flat roofs.

Concrete tile roof

If you have an older roof, some of the tiles may break during the installation process and you’ll need to pay to replace them.

Clay tile roof

Some installers won’t fit solar panels on clay roofs because the tiles are often very fragile, but it’s worth speaking to a couple tradespeople to see if they’re willing to do the work.

Metal roof

One benefit of fitting them on a metal roof is that they’ll help to keep your home cool during hot weather.

Flat roof

They can also be fitted on flat roofs. However, it’s important to make sure that the panels are tilted high enough to capture the most sunlight.

Do I have to install solar panels on my roof?

An alternative to on or in roof mounting is to mount your solar panels on the ground in your garden or on a wall. This is a good alternative if you can’t have them fitted on your roof or need a larger surface area to capture more sunlight than your roof can.