Solar Panel Costs 2024
While solar panels can cost as little as £100 each (without installation), an entire solar PV panel system including installation, inverter, scaffolding, and all the other bits and pieces typically costs around £7,000 (equivalent to ~£700+ per panel for a typical, complete system). The NimbleFins experts explain the many factors that go into a solar panel quote, as well as how the cost of solar panels is affected by the make and model, the power output of each panel, the number of panels in the system and more. You will also read information on getting free solar panels and saving money with solar panel grants, plus research on the best solar panels available in the UK. By the end of this article you should understand how much you may need to pay to get 'free electricity' for your home with solar panels.
- Average solar panels cost
- Solar Panel Quotes
- Free Solar Panels
- Best Solar Panels UK
- Solar Panel Grants
- Various costs in a solar panel system
- How many solar panels do I need?
- FAQs
Average solar panels cost
A fully-installed and MCS-certified solar panel system with 4kWh of solar power costs around £7,000 in 2024. That's without a battery—add a home battery to your system and your cost will increase by roughly £2,500 for a 5kWh battery, bringing the total cost to around £9,500.
A system this size could produce around 3,000 kWh of electricity a year, which can suit a typical household, as median electricity consumption in the UK is 2,900 kWh per year.
These figures reflect a dozen actual, real-live quotes we received from three national installers for a home in 2024, reflecting a range of solar panel and battery manufacturers:
| Quoted costs of solar panels + battery | Number of panels | Total solar power | Battery capacity | Quoted price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar panel PV system without a battery | ||||
| System 1 | 10 | 3.95kW | n/a | £6,835 |
| System 2 | 10 | 4.1kW | n/a | £7,478 |
| System 3 | 10 | 4.3kW | n/a | £7,974 |
| System 4 | 9 | 3.9kW | n/a | £6,491 |
| Average without a battery | 4kW | £7,195 | ||
| Solar panel PV system with a battery | ||||
| System 5 | 5 | 2.25kW | 5.3kWh | £8,925 |
| System 6 | 5 | 2.15kW | 5.3kWh | £8,675 |
| System 7 | 9 | 3.9kW | 5.8kWh | £9,307 |
| System 8 | 9 | 3.9kW | 9.7kWh | £11,866 |
| System 9 | 10 | 3.95kW | 4.8kWh | £8,735 |
| System 10 | 10 | 4.1kW | 5.2kWh | £9,628 |
| System 11 | 10 | 4.3kW | 5kWh | £10,124 |
| Average with a battery | 3.5kW | 5.8kW | £9,609 | |
Individual solar panels cost roughly £250 apiece, but can range from under £100 when bought direct online, up to £500 for a high-end panel from an installer.
Solar panel cost trends
From 2013 to 2020, solar panel pricing steadily dropped, making systems more affordable for homeowners—but since 2020, and in particular since the energy crisis starting in 2022, solar panel costs have risen steeply. Now, solar panel systems cost even more than they did 10 years ago, on a per kW basis. Luckily, there's a touch of softening in costs for typical domestic sizing as you can see in the chart below (light teal line); hopefully this means the upwards trend is coming to and end (and the real-life pricing we received in 2024 points to lowering costs).
The latest government data from March 2023 shows that solar panel systems cost £2,578 per kW on average for systems up to 4kW. Prices dropped to £2,300 per kW for systems between 4 - 10 kW.
| Mean solar panel system costs, per kW | 0-4 kW | 4-10 kW | 10-50 kW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013/14 | £2,080 | £1,640 | £1,390 |
| 2014/15 | £2,070 | £1,610 | £1,385 |
| 2015/16 | £1,833 | £1,460 | £1,265 |
| 2016/17 | £1,866 | £1,505 | £1,230 |
| 2017/18 | £1,840 | £1,509 | £1,153 |
| 2018/19 | £1,816 | £1,498 | £1,139 |
| 2019/20 | £1,562 | £1,704 | £1,077 |
| 2020/21 | £1,628 | £1,685 | £1,088 |
| 2021/22 | £1,876 | £1,605 | £1,132 |
| 2022/23 | £2,365 | £2,100 | £1,351 |
| March 2023 (latest data) | £2,578 | £2,313 | £1,490 |
Given the average quotes we received in 2024 (see the previous section), we think that prices may have softened since these 'latest' official figures from a year ago. Many of the companies we contacted offered us discounts, from £500 off up to 15% off of the total.
Note, these costs reflect installations on the MCS scheme and include the cost of the solar PV generation equipment, cost of installing and connecting to the electricity supply and VAT. They do not include the cost for any additional device installed with the solar panels, such as battery storage.
Solar panel cost, by power (kW)
The NimbleFins team estimates that the cost of a solar panel system is around £1,800 per kW of power.
Below are our estimates for solar panel pricing based on the power (kW) of the system, based on the average of dozens of real-life quotes received in 2024. These are ballpark figures, as your actual pricing will depend on the exact equipment chosen, the company, discounts offered, market trends and other factors.
Interestingly, but perhaps not surprisingly, the best value appears to be for systems around the 4kW of power mark. Why? If we had to guess, we'd say because 4kW is a very popular solar panel system size, so installers try to be competitive here. A 4kW size is common because it could generate enough electricity to power the average home, which uses 2,900 kWh of electricity per year.
| Total Solar Power (kW) | Estimated Cost per kW | Estimated Total Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | £2,597 | £5,194 |
| 2.5 | £1,862 | £4,655 |
3 | £1,873 | £5,620 |
| 3.5 | £1,873 | £6,557 |
| 4 | £1,668 | £6,674 |
| 4.5 | £1,860 | £8,372 |
| 5 | £1,859 | £9,293 |
| 5.5 | £1,840 | £10,120 |
| 6 | £1,840 | £11,040 |
| 6.5 | £1,840 | £11,960 |
| 7 | £1,840 | £12,881 |
| 7.5 | £1,840 | £13,801 |
| 8 | £1,840 | £14,721 |
In reality, the larger the system, the more efficient the pricing should get. This is because there are fixed costs associated with any installation, such as the inverter (to change solar DC energy into AC energy for home use), electrical and roofing work, scaffolding, certification/registration, etc.—according to recent quotes we've received, these can easily account for £3,000 to £3,500 or more of the total cost. For this reason, pricing for really small systems can seem unusually high.
Solar panel cost, by number of panels
We've also run some numbers estimating the cost of a solar panel system by the number of panels used. The more panels, the more expensive the system—but pricing should get more efficient when there are more panels. This is because a PV panel system has a base price which includes the electrical wiring for a new AC circuit, the DC circuits, an inverter and other associated components that are fixed regardless of the number of panels. Due to this, it's most cost effective to go for a larger system if you'll use it (taking into account budget and household electricity needs, of course).
Below we have estimated costs of a PV system based on the number of panels. Here we have assumed each panel is 430 Watts, and can produce roughly 345kWh of energy per year.
Basing our analysis of real-life pricing in 2024, we found that a system with 12 PV panels would cost around £6,900, and prices go up and down from there depending on the panel count.
| Number of Solar Panels | Estimated Solar Power (kW) | Estimated Median Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 2.1 | £5,360 |
| 7 | 2.4 | £4,484 |
| 8 | 2.8 | £5,156 |
| 9 | 3.1 | £5,800 |
| 10 | 3.4 | £6,445 |
| 11 | 3.8 | £6,701 |
| 12 | 4.1 | £6,887 |
| 13 | 4.5 | £8,320 |
| 14 | 4.8 | £8,951 |
| 15 | 5.2 | £9,495 |
Solar Panel Quotes
Getting solar panel quotes can be quite exciting! Whether you love the idea of green energy or just getting 'free electricity' when the sun is out (after you've paid the panels back, of course), getting a solar panel quote is your first step on the road to solar-generated power for your home.
Here are some quick tips, but you can read more in our in-depth piece on solar panel quotes:
- Get multiple quotes to compare and find the best for you in terms of price, power, equipment, and other factors
- Check how long your quotes are valid for (e.g. some are valid for only 30 days)
- Play the installers off of each other and ask for discounts
Also, as your installer about their workmanship warranty and what happens if you change your mind and want to cancel your contract before installation (e.g. during your Cooling Off Period).
Free Solar Panels
There are a few ways to save money on solar panels—or even qualify for free solar panels.
- Smart Export Guarantee (SEG): The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) enables homes or businesses with renewable energy (primarily solar PV panels) to earn money for exporting excess renewable electricity back to the grid. Rates are frequently in the 3-4p/kWh range.
- Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4): A government energy-efficiency scheme in Great Britain designed to improve the least energy efficient homes and households in fuel poverty.
- No VAT incentive: e.g. buy a solar panel system before 31 March 2027 and don't pay VAT; the government estimates this will save households £1,000 on installation.
- Promotional discounts: Large, national installers may have sales, often in the winter when fewer people are ringing up to get a quote—e.g. this year Egg extended their 15% off December sale through January and into the first two weeks of February.
Besides discounts and subsidies, it may be possible to get financing for your solar panels. You might be able to get a high street bank loan for ~6.5% APR, or some of the large installers are starting to offer financing in the range of 7-9% APR. Getting financing is definitely NOT a discount, because it means you pay more in the end (by paying back the loan amount + interest payments), but we wanted to mention solar panel financing in this section. There's no debating that solar PV installations require a large upfront investment—and those who aren't comfortable handing over the cash all at once might find that financing their panels is better for them, because it spreads the cost out over years.
Best Solar Panels UK
The NimbleFins team has analysed many of the more popular solar panels in the UK, especially those installed by the larger, national installers. Here is a quite recap of the results—for more information, read our in-depth piece on the Best Solar Panels:
| Overall Rank | Manufacturer | Model | Average price (excl installation) | Max Degradation, at 25 years | Max Power Output | Max Efficiency | Panel Warranty | Performance Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SunPower | Maxeon 6 AC | £522 | 92.0% | 445W | 23% | 25 or 40 years | 25 or 40 years |
| 2 | Aiko | N-Type Black Hole A MAH54Mb | £112 | 90.6% | 450W | 23% | 15 years | 30 years |
| 3 | Jinko | Tiger Neo N-Type 54 | £94 | 89.4% | 445W | 22% | 25 years | 30 years |
| 4 | REC | Alpha Pure-R | £168 | 92.0% | 430W | 22% | 25 years | 25 years |
| 5 | Longi Solar | Hi-MO 6 LR5-54HTB-430M | £83 | 88.9% | 435W | 22% | 15 years | 25 years |
| 6 | JA Solar | JAM54D41 LB | £91 | 89.4% | 435W | 22% | 12 years | 30 years |
| 7 | Perlight | NTA 430W N-Type Mono Black Module | £162 | 89.4% | 430W | 22% | 30 years | 30 years |
| 8 | Suntech | Ultra V | £170 | 92.0% | 560W | 22% | 12 years | 25 years |
| 9 | Suntech | Ultra V Mini 405Wp | £160 | 92.0% | 415W | 21% | 12 years | 25 years |
| 10 | Sharp | 425w NU-JC425B | £299 | 89.5% | 425W | 22% | 25 years | 30 years |
| 11 | JA Solar | JAM78S30 Mono Half-Cell MBB | £161 | 84.8% | 605W | 22% | 12 years | 25 years |
| 12 | Trina Solar | Vertex S 410w All Black Panel | £169 | 92.0% | 410W | 21% | 15 years | 25 years |
| 13 | JA Solar | JAM54S31 Mono Half-Cell MBB Short Frame | £75 | 84.8% | 395W | 20% | 12 years | 25 years |
Solar Panel Grants
Solar panel grants are government schemes to help British households save money on solar PV installations. The largest grants are worth thousands of £ and can potentially pay for an entire solar panel system installation—these are only available to vulnerable households, such as those with low incomes, living in homes that currently demonstrate poor energy efficiency (i.e. a low EPC rating).
But there are some solar grants that nearly any household with solar panels can benefit from, such as SEG tariffs (earning money by selling extra solar-generated power back to the National Grid) and paying 0% VAT on solar PV system installations (representing a savings of 5% of the total cost).
Here is a summary of the available solar panel tariffs that might help you save money on your installation or even afterwards.
| Solar Power Grants | Eligibility | Geographic Cover | Expires | Potential Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECO4 | Vulnerable households as determined by local authorities | England, Scotland, and Wales | March 2026 | Chance of free or discounted solar panel systems |
| SEG Tariffs | Requires Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certificate, export meter and max capacity of 5MW | England, Scotland, and Wales | Ongoing | Variable ~3-4p/kWh (e.g. £40/year on 1,000 kWh of exported electricity) |
| VAT 0% | Applies to equipment purchase and installation of solar panels, home batteries, etc. | England, Scotland, and Wales | March 2027 | Save 5% on solar panel systems (equipment and installation), e.g. £500 on a £10,000 system |
| Solar Together | If you live in a council with an active scheme | Variable by council | Variable by council | Variable (up to 10–25% off has been achieved) |
| Home Upgrade Scheme (HUG2) | Household income e.g. < £31k, off the gas grid, EPC between D and G, and live in eligible local authority | Variable by council, England | March 2025 | £7,400 average government contribution |
| Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Schemes | All households in Scotland installing/completing an entire energy storage system with heat pump/biomass boiler, solar PV and energy storage/battery | Scotland | Ongoing | £6,000 (£1,250 grant plus £4,750 optional loan) for solar PV panels |
| Welsh Government Warm Homes Nest Scheme | Vulnerable customers with no heating or hot water | Wales | March 2024 (new scheme beginning April 2024) | Change of free solar panels |
Various costs in a solar panel system
As we mentioned above, a solar panel proposal should include lots of projections and financial information. But it will obviously also include the list of tech to be installed. In fact, a solar panel system includes much more than the solar panels themselves—a lot more. Here's what you might pay for with a solar panel system installation, and a rough idea of the various costs in a solar panel quote:
| Estimated costs in a solar panel system | Note | Rough quote |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panels | The heart of the system! | £200 - £400 per panel |
| Inverter | To convert the DC solar power into AC power for the home | £900 - £1,200 |
| Power optimizer | To help a system under partial shade work better | £60 per panel |
| Scaffolding | A good quote will include scaffolding, so technicians can safely work on the roof | £300 - £1,000 |
| Labour costs | Installation can take 2-3 days | 10-20% of the total costs |
| Official requirements | An electrical installation test certificate (EIC) and full registration, certification, and notification (MCS/DNO/Building Control) | embedded |
| Battery | optional: Including one can enable the system to store solar energy for use later in the day | £2,500 - £10,000 |
| Profit | The installer will add some profit margin |
But note that many installers will not break out these costs in a detailed fashion. They might break out items like scaffolding and electricians and roofer labour but they'll likely lump all of the equipment together under one price. You can often easily tease out the cost of the battery because they'll probably provide a quote with a battery and a quote without a battery.
To learn about the individual costs of other items of equipment like the panels themselves and the inverter, you may need to specifically ask. For example, it can help to ask, if I could add one more solar panel, how much would that add to the overall cost?
How many solar panels do I need?
1) When determining how many solar panels you need to buy, the first piece of data you need is your current annual electricity consumption. Check an energy bill—it should list your estimated annual consumption in kWh.
Let's say your current annual electricity consumption is 2,900 kWh.
2) Next, check the power of one of the solar panels you're considering (e.g., a Longi 430 Watt panel). Solar panels are not totally efficient, so to determine how much energy you'll get from each panel, estimate by multiplying by 80%. For example, each Longi 430 Watt panel can produce around 344 kWh per year.
3) Now, divide your annual electricity consumption by the power capability of one solar panel. In our example, 2,900 kWh of annual electricity consumption divided by 344 equals 8.4 solar panels. Since you can only buy solar panels in whole numbers, you could round up or down here to determine what you might need.
This is a very rough guide for a sample median-consumption property, so you can see how the calculations are done—get a proper quote from an installer and they'll be able to give you a more accurate assessment.
| How many solar panels do I need? | Example |
|---|---|
| Annual household electricity consumption | 2,900 kWh |
| Power of one solar panel | 430 W |
| Output of one solar panel, efficiency adjusted (80%) | 344 W |
| Number of solar panels | 8.4 |
Why you might round down: If you don't install a home battery with the solar panel system, it can be difficult to use all of the solar power as and when it's produced. You can sell extra energy back to the grid, but you only get 3-4p/kWh for this. Without a battery, it might therefore be better financially to round down on the number of panels being installed in order to save money on the installation (rather than have an extra panel you don't really benefit from).
Why you might round up: If you install a home battery with the solar panel system, it can make sense to round up on the number of panels. That's because any solar energy that isn't used as it's produced can be stored for later use in the evening. And if you might buy an electric car in the future and charge it from solar that's even another reason to round up on the number of solar panels—future proofing.
All this said, a home is naturally limited in the number of solar panels that can be installed by the roof. How big is it? What is its angle? Which direction(s) does it face? Are there obstacles like chimneys, Velux windows and heavy shading to work around? All of these factors will determine the maximum number of solar panels for a home.
Would you like to calculate how many solar panels you might need and how much it might cost? Try out our solar panel calculator below.