Your solar & battery questions, answered

The cost of installation can depend on how many panels you need, whether you choose to have battery storage and what size of battery you require. The cost of a panel-only installation by Octopus starts from £4,999 (for 4 panels). A 10 panel installation and a 5kWh battery (our most popular system) costs £10,399. Get a quick fixed quote to find out how much it’ll cost for you, based on your home.

Our systems typically pay for themselves in 9 - 12 years.

We compared the typical installation cost and annual bill savings for our most common solar system (10 panels, 5kWh) in 5 different scenarios. The payback period varied from 9 - 12 years depending on the energy tariff.

Of course, each home is unique and this can be influenced by lots of different factors.

We’ll calculate a personalised payback period following our design consultation, to let you know what you might save for your home.

After installation, we’ll ask which tariff you’d like to join. We’ll also need to get permission from your distribution network operator before you can begin exporting your energy. When sorted, they’ll supply you with a unique ‘export MPAN’ number which will mean you’re good to go.

To monitor your energy usage and generation, you’ll be set up on the app, and you’ll also be able to see this information from your Octopus Energy account. If you decide to join an Octopus tariff, export payments will be paid directly into your Octopus account.

We have several industry-leading solar tariffs, tailored to maximise your savings and export earnings.
There’s options for if you prefer to set it and forget it, or adapt how you use energy to save every day. We also have dedicated tariffs for if you have other low-carbon tech at home, like an electric car ☀️🚗.

The tariffs

• Intelligent Octopus Flux: We pair with your battery to optimise charging and discharging, and you don't need to lift a finger. Currently boasting the UK's best export rates.
• Octopus Flux: Take control with super cheap rates between 2am-5am every day to top up your battery, plus a peak rate from 4pm-9pm when you can discharge it.
• Outgoing Octopus: Agile & Fixed options for if you’d prefer to pair your export tariff with a different import tariff. Find out more about which tariffs work together here.
• Octopus SEG: If you’d prefer to go with another supplier for your import energy, you can still join our standard Smart Export Guarantee tariff.

Still sure which tariff is right for you? Take our quiz to find out the most popular tariffs for homes like yours, and check out all the tariffs in detail.

Following installation, we’ll ask that you install the GivEnergy app to control and manage your solar usage. You can also do this from an online desktop dashboard, find a demo for this here.

With the mobile app, you’ll be able to monitor and manage your usage anytime, anywhere. It’s really simple to use, and simple to control when you need to. If you have any further questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Fill out our quick online form. We’ll send over a personalised quote within 1 working day, with a price that covers everything you’ll need for a standard solar and battery installation. We'll then take a £500 advance payment (fully refundable until the day before scaffolding installation).

Next our solar sales specialists will design the ideal system for your home, using state-of-the-art software to visualise the path of the sun and where to best position your solar panels. You’ll have the option to change the design to fit your budget, and remove the battery if you choose to.

We'll ask you to fill out a remote survey form to ensure your solar design is spot-on before installation. If you're not able to complete the remote survey, we will arrange a date for a surveyor to visit your property.

Finally we'll find a suitable date for your installation. 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.

As of January 2024, we’ve upgraded our panels to the latest Deep Blue 4.0 Pro model from JA solar. The panels have a 435W output and come with an increased 25 year product warranty & 30 year linear performance warranty. The panels are larger, meaning higher efficiency and better performance. As before, they’re also all black, and look slick on the roof.

At Octopus we choose well established brands that are likely to be here in 20+ years time to honour any product warranties.

We also install GivEnergy home batteries, GivEnergy hybrid inverters, and you’ll be able to manage your generation from the GivEnergy app, after installation. Test out the GivEnergy demo dashboard for a peek into what this looks like online. For further questions around the GivEnergy products you can also check out their FAQs page.

Standard installs can be completed within 2-3 days, and bigger installs can take between 3-4 days. If you need to be elsewhere, no problem - we just ask that you’re in the property whilst we do the wiring, which will take a few hours on one day.

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.

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 4 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 may be 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.

Finally, it's worth keeping in mind that we can't install on properties with a 3 phase electricity meter just yet, but we are working hard on a solution.

In the UK, south facing solar panels will generate the most energy as they spend the maximum time facing the sun, whereas north facing panels are not generally not recommended because they’ll see little direct sunlight. The Energy Savings Trust estimates that panels facing east or west will yield around 15-20% less energy than one facing directly south. However if you have both an eastern and western facing roof, you have the option to have panels on each side, to follow the sun’s path throughout the day.

It’s also important to avoid shady spots on your roof to generate the maximum amount of energy.

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 10-12 (4.5kW) and the minimum number we can fit is 4.

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 2 different sizes:

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

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

A roof where water is able to run off the solar panels will be suitable, but a pitched roof is best, as it can provide the best angle for a solar panel to face the sun, without having to use a stand. Unfortunately we’re not able to install solar panels on flat roofs, thatched roofs or slate roofs just now.

Unfortunately you need to be the property owner to have Solar panels installed on your roof. Additionally, if you own a top floor flat you may need to get the freeholders permission to have solar installed on the roof.

Your consumer unit is small and will be placed next to your existing consumer unit/fuse box. The inverter and the battery (if you choose to have one) will usually go in the loft but can go elsewhere if there’s no space there. The physical size of the battery will depend on how powerful it is, but to give you an idea, the smallest battery is around the size of plane carry-on luggage and the larger battery is the size of a check-in bag. The inverter is about the same size as the smallest battery.

The solar panels themselves don’t make any noise, however during the day whilst the panels are generating, your inverter may hum quietly at a maximum of 45 decibels (the sound level of a quiet library).

The only time you will need planning permission to install Solar Panels is when the property is listed or in a conservation area. In cases where your system will require a 5kWh inverter (usually around 12 panels or more), we’ll need to get in touch with your distribution network operator (DNO) to ask for permission. This process usually takes a couple of weeks but we will sort everything for you.

1. A solar panel’s photovoltaic (PV) cells convert the particles in sunlight into a direct electrical current (DC). This current travels down through the cables, into your home.
2. The inverter converts this direct current (DC) into an alternating current (AC). This electricity can then be used straight away to power lights & sockets around the home.
3. Once the house has all the power it needs, excess energy can be stored in the battery for use when the sun isn’t shining. If you don’t have a battery, this electricity travels directly to the smart meter.
4. From the electricity meter, any energy that hasn’t been used or stored can be sent back to the grid. Here the smart meter will record how much energy has been exported so that you can be paid for it later.
5. All of the clean, green energy you generated but didn’t use is distributed to other homes in the area.
   
   Find out how this works on a bigger scale here.

Yes - even when it's cloudy and grey, snowing or raining, the panels will still generate electricity if it’s light outside, although less will be generated than in bright sunshine. The only time the panels won’t generate is at nighttime, because the sun isn’t shining.

Together with your solar panels, we’ll install:

• A small consumer unit (also known as a fuse box),
• An export meter, to measure how much energy your panels generate, and how much of that is exported to the grid.
• An inverter, to convert the electricity into an alternating current, which can be used to power your home.
• (Optional) A battery, to store any excess electricity that’s generated.

As of January 2024, we’ve upgraded our panels to the latest Deep Blue 4.0 Pro model from JA solar. The panels have a 435W output and come with an increased 25 year product warranty & 30 year linear performance warranty. The panels are larger, meaning higher efficiency and better performance. As before, they’re also all black, and look slick on the roof.

At Octopus we choose well established brands that are likely to be here in 20+ years time to honour any product warranties.

We also install GivEnergy home batteries, GivEnergy hybrid inverters, and you’ll be able to manage your generation from the GivEnergy app, after installation. Test out the GivEnergy demo dashboard for a peek into what this looks like online. For further questions around the GivEnergy products you can also check out their FAQs page.

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.

As we're just getting started, we're only installing complete solar systems for now (solar panels alone or with a battery). This means that if you have solar panels fitted by another provider, unfortunately we're not able to install a battery to work with them just yet.

All of our equipment comes with a manufacturer warranty:

• Solar Panels: 25 years product warranty and 30 years linear power warranty.
• Inverters: 12 years.
• Batteries: minimum of 10 years depending on product.

Our customers are also protected by a 2 year Workmanship Warranty Insurance scheme.

One of the best things about solar is that the panels are easy to maintain. Our bird proofing ensures that pigeons aren’t able to nest and tamper with your system, and the angle of the panels ensures that rain and snow will slide right off whilst cleaning them at the same time. Over time, you’ll need to be aware of anything new shading the panels to make sure you continue to get the very best out of them.

If you’d prefer to spread the cost of your solar installation, we can connect you with DivideBuy. DivideBuy has fixed-term loans available of 3, 5, and 7 years, with a fixed interest rate of 9.9% APR.

Representative example: A loan of £10,000 over 60 months will cost you £209.14 per month at a representative 9.9% APR. The total cost after 60 months is £12,506.36*, which includes £2,506.36 interest at 9.9% fixed and a £0 fee. The total amount of credit is £10,000.
*Please note that for the purposes of this example, interest is not charged on the first instalment payment.

Octopus Energy have financing available for solar installation through the lender, Zopa Embedded Finance Limited, trading as “DivideBuy”, which is an appointed representative of Zopa Bank Limited, authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Octopus Energy Services Ltd is an appointed representative of Octopus Electric Vehicles Ltd and is a credit broker and not a lender. Octopus Electric Vehicles Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 809736.

Credit applicants must be aged over 18 and be a permanent UK resident. You also need to have an accepted debit card and a valid UK mobile telephone number. Lending is subject to your individual circumstances and satisfactory completion of Zopa Bank Limited’s credit checks. Zopa Bank Limited is committed to responsible lending. It is important that you do not take on more borrowing than you can afford. If you miss your repayments, this may impact your credit rating and make it more difficult to obtain credit in the future.

If you’re happy with your initial quote, we’ll share DivideBuy’s finance eligibility checker with you by email. Keep in mind that the eligibility checker will check your eligibility for credit, however, it cannot guarantee that you will be accepted for a loan. The eligibility checker is a voluntary step, but if you are interested in using finance to spread the cost of your solar panels, we’d recommend checking your eligibility at this stage.

If you choose to proceed, DivideBuy will be in touch to start your application and define your payment terms once your final solar design is ready, after your home survey. Your payment plan will then begin after installation.

For any queries regarding finance post-installation, we will refer you to contact DivideBuy directly.

If you are rejected for finance but you'd like to continue with your purchase, the alternative payment method we provide is full payment.

You have 14 days to withdraw from your finance agreement without giving any reason. This period starts from either the day after you make the agreement or the day you receive a signed copy of it, whichever is later. For any inquiries specifically relating to your finance, please reach out to DivideBuy directly.

If you change your mind or choose to cancel your solar installation, your £500 deposit can be returned any time before the day prior to installation.

Yes. If you complete DivideBuy’s eligibility checker, they will perform a soft credit check. This means it will show on your credit file but it will not impact your credit score, and will not be visible to other lenders.

If you choose to apply for finance, a full credit check will be completed as part of the application. This is known as a hard search and will leave a footprint on your credit file and is visible to other lenders. This could impact your credit score. We recommend that you use the eligibility checker tool before applying, to give you an indication of whether you may be eligible for credit.

Yes, if you select finance arranged by DivideBuy, we are unable to use your deposit payment towards your final installation cost. You will receive your deposit back once your final sales agreement has been signed, and typically within 5-10 working days after processing.

Interested in a solar and battery installation?

Call us: 0808 196 6842
Email: solar@octopus.energy
(our phone lines are open 9am - 5pm, Monday to Thursday, and 9am - 4pm Friday.)

Need support after installation?

Call us: 0808 175 1696
Email: aftercare@octoes.com
(Our aftercare phone line is open 8am – 8pm Monday to Saturday, 10am - 6pm Sunday. Or we answer emails 7 days a week, so we’ll be on hand to help asap.)

For the fastest response, fill out this form to raise any issues. Alternatively, you can email us on solar@octopus.energy, or call 0808 196 6842.
Our phone lines are open 9am - 5pm, Monday to Thursday, and 9am - 4pm Friday.

Check out our full complaints procedure here.