Do solar panels work on a north-facing roof?

They generate, but yields drop far enough that we would usually recommend using only the south, east or west pitches.

Can I add a battery to an existing solar system?

Yes. AC-coupled batteries retrofit to almost any existing array without replacing the inverter.

Will solar power my house in a power cut?

Only with a battery specified for backup and the correct changeover arrangement. Standard grid-tied systems shut down for safety.

Are Solar Panels Worth It? Home Counties Guide

Southern England gets roughly 1,000 kWh per installed kWp of solar each year. That number, your roof and how much electricity you use in daylight decide whether solar pays — everything else is detail.

Roof orientation matters less than people think

A due-south roof is the best case, but east–west arrays lose only around 15% of annual yield and spread generation across the morning and evening, which often suits a working household better.

Shading is the real problem. A single chimney or tree across one panel can drag a whole string down unless the system uses optimisers or microinverters — which is why we design most Chilterns roofs around per-panel electronics.

Sizing the battery honestly

Batteries do not make solar cheaper; they make more of it useful. The right size is roughly your evening and overnight consumption, not the biggest unit on the price list.

For most four-bedroom homes we specify 5–10 kWh. Bigger only makes sense if you charge an EV at home, run a heat pump, or want to arbitrage a cheap overnight tariff.

Typical 4kWp array: around 4,000 kWh a year
Self-consumption without a battery: roughly 35–50%
With a right-sized battery: often 75%+
Export tariffs currently pay meaningfully less than you save by using your own power

What a system costs

A typical solar and battery installation starts at £6,500 including panels, inverter, mounting, protective devices, commissioning and DNO notification. Solar is currently zero-rated for VAT on domestic installs.

Payback in this region generally lands between eight and twelve years, shortening considerably if you charge an EV at home.

Questions to ask any installer

Ask for the projected annual yield with the shading survey attached, the inverter and battery warranty terms, and who handles the export application. Vague answers to any of those are a warning.

Common questions

Do solar panels work on a north-facing roof?: They generate, but yields drop far enough that we would usually recommend using only the south, east or west pitches.
Can I add a battery to an existing solar system?: Yes. AC-coupled batteries retrofit to almost any existing array without replacing the inverter.
Will solar power my house in a power cut?: Only with a battery specified for backup and the correct changeover arrangement. Standard grid-tied systems shut down for safety.