Get Solar & Battery Power

Before going ahead with your installation, we'll need to make sure of a few things first. Firstly you will need a clear space on a pitched (not flat) roof that can fit at least 5 solar panels. See our FAQ on how much space you'll need for more info.

It's important that this part of your roof sees the sun throughout the day, so a north facing roof is unsuitable. We'll also need to be able to install scaffolding below this part of the building in order to complete the installation.

Next, you'll need to decide if solar panels make money-sense. The higher your energy usage at home, the more beneficial solar panels and a battery will be (you'll be saving the money you would have otherwise spent on bills, and this will go towards paying back the cost of your solar system). If you have a low usage, it's worth keeping in mind that your payback period will be longer, but this is something we can discuss in your consultation.

First up, our solar sales specialists will work with you to plan the perfect solar panel setup for your home, using state-of-the-art software to visualise the path of the sun, and where to best position the panels on your roof.

Next we’ll book a quick home survey to take measurements and discuss where to fit the tech that will accompany your panels. Before the survey we take a £500 fully refundable deposit, and at this point you’ll receive a quote which will include the estimated investment return period.

Once you’re happy, we'll find a suitable installation date. Installation should take 2-4 days, depending on the size of your system. We will also schedule time on either side of this to put up and take down the scaffolding at your property. Once installation is complete, we’ll request the remainder of the total cost.

We’ll be here to answer any questions or concerns that you have throughout the process, and our aftercare team will be available by phone 7 days a week once your installation is complete.

We're currently installing across most of England, but we're working to extend our tentacles across the rest of the UK as quickly as possible.

We're currently installing across most of England, but we're working to extend our tentacles across the rest of the UK as quickly as possible.

A battery will allow you to store any electricity you don't use, so that instead of exporting the energy back to the grid, you can use it later when the sun isn't shining. The initial cost for a battery is higher than solar panels alone, but it's a great idea if you wish to be self-sufficient and avoid spending money on pricey electricity from the grid in the long-run. You can also guarantee that the majority of the electricity you're using is 100% clean, green and home-generated.

This depends on both how much electricity you generate and when you use it most. For example, if you tend to use a lot of energy in the evening, we’ll probably recommend a battery. This is because you won’t be there to use the energy when the sun is brightest during the day; instead you can store the electricity in the battery for use in the evening. Our lives are varied, so there are many more circumstances that might impact this decision - but this is something that our solar advisors will be able to help you with.

On your roof, the number of panels we recommend will depend on the amount of space you have and how much energy you use.

Our panels are 1.7m length 1.1m wide each, and we'll need space for a 40cm gap between the edge of the roof and the solar system. The average number of panels is around 9-10 (3.5kW) and the minimum number we can fit is 6. As an example, 9-10 panels would fit a roof of around 26m2, where the array would take up a total space of around 5.1m x 3.3m.

In general, the more panels on the roof, the more electricity you will generate, so we’d only recommend a large array if your usage is high. We’ll discuss all of these options with you.

Inside your home, you will need space for an inverter measuring: (HxDxW) 440 x 260 x 480 (mm)

If you choose to also have a battery, these come in 3 different sizes:

2.6kWh dimensions: (HxDxW) 369 x 220 x 480 (mm)

5.2kWh dimensions: (HxDxW) 515 x 220 x 480 (mm)

9.5kWh dimensions: (HxDxW) 800 x 223 x 480 (mm)

Yes! Our customers are protected by a 2 year Workmanship Warranty Insurance scheme, provided by Qualitymark, who we are fully accredited by.

Our equipment is also guaranteed by its manufacturer as follows:

• Solar Panels: 12 years product warranty and 25 years linear power warranty.
• Inverters: 10 years.
• Batteries: minimum of 10 years depending on product.
  
  Our team will run through the details with you.

On average, our installations costs are £1,000 lower than the MCS average price for solar installs in July 2023.

The cost of your installation will depend on the number of panels you need and whether you choose to have battery storage. The number of panels, size of inverter and size of battery we recommend will depend on your average energy usage and the size of your roof. The average cost for a solar panel and battery storage installation is £9,368.

This is calculated by comparing what the average household would pay on the July’23 price cap £1060
To what they would pay with 4kW solar & battery system, assuming they use 80% of their generation and export 20% on our Fixed Outgoing tariff - £194
This is a saving of £867 or 82% of their total electricity bill

If you need any help with your solar panels and battery after installation, you can contact our Aftercare team 7 days a week on 0808 175 1696. Our phone lines are open 8am - 8pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am - 6pm on Sunday.

If you have a complaint please email solar@octoes.com, or you can find our complaints procedure here.