How Many Solar Panels Do I Need UK?
In the UK, solar panels are becoming more popular in households year after year as the public is slowly discovering the great benefits of solar power. However, one common question that we are asked at ESOLAR is “How many solar panels do I need?”
Throughout this blog post, we are going to be helping you learn more about solar panels, what they can do for you and the size of the arrangement that you may need for your home so that you can weigh up the costs.
The Basics of Solar Panels
Simply put, solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. They are made up of numerous solar cells made from silicon, which generate direct current (DC) electricity when exposed to sunlight.
This DC electricity is then converted into alternating current (AC) by an inverter, making it usable for household appliances. The main components include the solar cells, the inverter, and, of course, sunlight as the energy source.
How Many Panels Will I Need?
The number of solar panels that your home will require entirely depends on the size of your house and the average amount of energy you consume in a year – as this will change the type of solar panel you may need and the amount of energy they will need to generate.
Here is a guide to how many solar panels each size home will need based on their energy consumption, based on data from Green Match.
| Size of Household | Average Energy Consumption (yearly) | Rough Number of Solar Panels Needed |
| 1-2 Bedroom | 1,800 kWh | 4-8 |
| 2-3 Bedroom | 2,700 kWh | 8-13 |
| 4-5 Bedroom | 4,100 kWh | 13-16 |
Solar panels will normally need to take over most of your roof – however, this also depends on the information we have given above. The amount of space that your solar panels will take up simply depends on how many panels you need to install.
The Size of a Typical Solar Panel Arrangement
In the UK, a regular solar panel setup for a house usually ranges from 1kW to 4kW. A 1kW system typically has about 4 panels and needs around 8 square meters of roof space.
For a 2kW system, you’ll need roughly 8 panels and 14 square meters. Meanwhile, a 3kW system uses around 12 panels and 21 square meters. A 4kW system, which is pretty common, consists of 16 panels and requires about 28 square meters of roof space.
Each panel is typically around 1.6m x 1m in size and can produce between 250-400 watts, depending on how efficient and advanced the technology is. The specifics of this can vary slightly based on panel wattage, roof orientation, and other factors.
Are Solar Panels Worth It?
Solar panels can be a worthwhile investment thanks to several benefits. They offer significant cost savings by reducing your electricity bills, and they have a positive environmental impact by lowering your carbon footprint.
There are also potential government incentives, such as grants and subsidies, which can help with the initial costs. Additionally, solar panels provide energy independence, making you less reliant on the grid. Although the initial cost can be daunting, the long-term savings and environmental benefits often outweigh the price.
The average lifespan of a solar panel system is around 20-25 years with regular maintenance and checkups, meaning that you will eventually have saved enough on your energy bills to pay back the initial investment of your solar panels.
What Solar Panels Are Best For Me?
Choosing the right solar panels can be a difficult task as there are many things you have to consider such as their efficiency, the cost, any grants you may qualify for and much more.
Panels with higher efficiency ratings will create more electricity for you however these can be much more expensive upfront. It is very important that you weigh up the investment of how much the panels will cost and how much they will save you over time.
You should look for a panel arrangement that comes with a warranty to make sure that you have many years of security regarding the condition of your solar panels.
Solar Panel Installations With ESOLAR
At ESOLAR, we pride ourselves on being a premier provider of solar panel installations, bringing our award-winning services to homes and businesses across the UK.
When choosing ESOLAR for your solar panel installations, you can rest assured that our team will be able to handle everything from the moment you get in contact with us. Below is a list of information about our team and accreditations!
- Voted National Solar PV Contractor / Installer of the Year 2023 at the Energy Efficiency Awards
- Voted North West Installer of the Year 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024
- Nationwide installation within 14 days of survey
- Price match – we will beat any genuine quote
- Choose your own survey date
- Instant Online Quote
- Thousands of happy customers
- Outstanding customer service
- FCA approved
- Accredited by the MCS, NAPIT, NICEIC, Trustmark and RECC
- Installer of some most aesthetically pleasing panels on the market
To Summarise…
Overall, the number of solar panels you need can be flexible, so let’s recap on some of the key talking points from this blog post:
- The number of panels required depends on house size and annual energy consumption.
- UK systems range from 1kW to 4kW, requiring 4 to 16 panels and 8 to 28 square meters of roof space.
- Solar panels offer cost savings, environmental benefits, government incentives, and energy independence, with a lifespan of 20-25 years.
- Consider efficiency, cost, grants, and warranties for long-term security and savings.
These key points are vital to take into account if you are considering investing in a solar panel arrangement. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you are interested in solar panel installations and we will be happy to answer any questions or queries.