Take Control of Your Energy at Home
With more than 15,500 installations and 24 industry awards, SolarSense is the leading solar panel and battery storage installer for homes in the South West of England and Wales.
With solar energy costing up to five times less than grid electricity, there has never been a better time to generate, store and manage your own power.
Book your free home energy assessment to discover how much you could save with solar PV, battery storage and EV charging.
RENEWABLE ENERGY for homes
Save Money and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint with Solar and Battery Storage
SolarSense has been designing, installing and maintaining award-winning renewable energy systems for homeowners in the South West of England and Wales since 1995.
From reducing your energy bills to lowering your carbon footprint, our expert team designs systems that help you generate, store and manage your own clean energy with confidence.
Gain Energy Independence
Your solar and battery storage system will help you store the energy you generate and take control of your power supply.
Take Control of Your Energy
By generating your own renewable electricity, you’ll reduce your dependence on the grid and your exposure to energy price rises – providing you with more stable, predictable energy costs year after year.
Lower Your Bills for Life
Cut your energy costs from day one by generating and storing your own clean energy, with long-term warranties designed to deliver savings for decades.
Maximise Your Energy Efficiency
Monitor and manage your energy in real time with intelligent controls, store surplus generation for later use, and seamlessly power your home and electric vehicle with low-cost solar energy.
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Power your home and electric vehicle with clean energy, lowering your environmental impact and reducing reliance on fossil fuels such as gas, petrol and diesel.
Power Your Home with Cleaner and Cheaper Energy
Solar panels and battery storage systems allow homeowners to generate and store electricity at a fraction of the cost of grid energy. Typical electricity costs today:
⚡️ Grid electricity: 25-30p per kWh ☀️ Solar electricity: 4-7p per kWh
That means every unit of solar electricity you generate could cost up to five times less than energy purchased from the grid. Over the 25+ year lifetime of your solar panels, this can represent tens of thousands of pounds in energy savings.
Book your free home energy assessment to discover how much you could save with solar PV, battery storage and EV charging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thinking about solar and battery storage for your home? Here are answers to some of the most common questions homeowners ask.
What is the first step to installing solar panels?
The first step is to arrange a your free home energy assessment. Our team will review your property, roof suitability, and electricity usage to design a system tailored to your home. You will receive clear guidance on system size, expected performance, and potential savings.
How do solar panels generate energy for my home?
Solar PV systems harness free energy from the power of the sun. When sunlight hits the PV cells, it creates an electrical reaction that generates direct current (DC) electricity. This is then passed through an inverter, which converts it into alternating current (AC) to power your home, store in a battery for later use, or supply energy to charge your electric vehicle.
How much money can you save with solar panels and battery storage?
Savings will vary depending on your property, energy usage and system design, but the principle is simple: with grid electricity typically costing 25-30p per kWh and solar energy as low as 4-7p per kWh, generating your own electricity can significantly reduce your energy bills and provide long-term protection against rising energy prices.
Adding battery storage allows you to maximise the use of your solar energy, while charging an electric vehicle with solar power can further increase savings by reducing reliance on grid electricity and petrol or diesel.
Our expert design team uses industry-leading software to accurately forecast how much energy your home can generate, your expected energy bill savings, system payback and overall return on investment.
Book your free home energy assessment to discover how much you could save with solar panels, battery storage and EV charging.
Can you sell solar energy back to the grid?
Yes. Through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), you can receive payments for any surplus electricity your system exports to the grid.
However, export tariffs are typically lower than the cost of purchasing electricity, meaning the greatest value comes from using your solar energy within your home. Battery storage plays a key role in this. By storing excess energy generated during the day, you can use it later when demand is higher, such as in the evening. This increases self-consumption, reduces reliance on the grid and enhances overall system performance.
At SolarSense, we design systems to maximise the use of your on-site generation, helping you achieve the best possible return from your renewable energy system.
What is the Smart Export Guarantee?
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a UK government-backed scheme that allows homeowners with solar panels to earn money by exporting excess electricity back to the grid.
When your solar PV system generates more energy than your home needs, the surplus can be exported, and your energy supplier will pay you for each unit (kWh) of electricity you send back. This is tracked using a smart meter.
Export tariffs vary between suppliers, but the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) provides an additional financial benefit alongside the savings you make by using your own solar energy.
At SolarSense, we design systems to maximise your on-site energy use first, helping you achieve the greatest savings by reducing reliance on grid electricity. When paired with battery storage, you can store excess energy for use in the evening or during peak times, and export any remaining surplus to further improve your return on investment.
What is a home battery system?
A home battery storage system allows you to capture your solar energy during the day and use it to power your home and electric vehicle in the evening, overnight, or during peak prices.
With intelligent battery design and installation you can:
- Maximise the use of your solar energy
- Reduce exposure to rising grid prices
- Store energy to charge your EV
- Power your home during a power cut
- Monitor and control your home’s energy through a smart app
- Make use of off-peak energy tariffs
- Increase your return on investment
Do I need to install a battery with solar panels?
No, a battery is not essential. Your solar panels will still generate electricity and reduce your energy bills on their own.
However, adding battery storage can significantly increase the value of your system. Without a battery, any surplus energy your system generates during the day is typically exported to the grid via the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), usually at lower rates than the cost of purchasing electricity.
A home battery allows you to store this excess energy and use it later, such as in the evening when your household demand is higher. This increases self-consumption, reduces reliance on the grid and helps maximise your energy savings.
Battery storage also gives you greater control over how and when you use your energy, including the ability to make use of off-peak tariffs, power your home outside of daylight hours and provide backup during power outages.
All SolarSense systems are designed with future flexibility in mind, so you can install solar panels now and add battery storage or EV charging at a later stage as your energy needs evolve.
Can I charge my electric vehicle with solar energy?
Yes. Solar panels can be used to charge your electric vehicle either directly during the day or by using stored energy from a battery.
This allows you to power your vehicle with low-cost, self-generated electricity, reducing reliance on grid energy and significantly lowering the cost of charging.
Typical charging costs:
Charging from the grid: around 7p – 9p per mile
Charging with solar electricity: around 1p – 3p per mile
Over the lifetime of an electric vehicle, this difference can represent thousands of pounds in savings, while also reducing your carbon footprint.
At SolarSense, we design integrated systems that combine solar panels, battery storage and EV charging to maximise your energy savings and return on investment.
Do I need planning permission for solar panels and EV charge points?
In most cases, no you do not need planning permission to install solar panels or EV charge points. Solar panels are typically installed under permitted development rights, and EV chargers usually do not require planning permission. Additional permissions may be required for listed buildings or properties in conservation areas. Our team can offer expert advice if you are unsure of your rights.
Do solar panels and household batteries require maintenance after they are installed?
Domestic solar panels require very little routine maintenance. In most cases, an inspection is recommended every few years to ensure the system is operating safely and efficiently, although rainfall is usually sufficient to keep solar panels clean.
Battery systems are designed for low-maintenance operation, with built-in monitoring to track performance. These typically require periodic checks, often aligned with an annual system service.
For optimal performance and long-term reliability, many homeowners choose a planned maintenance schedule, ensuring any issues are identified early and system performance is maintained over time.
How long do solar panels and batteries last?
Solar panels are built for long-term performance, typically lasting 25-30 years or more, while battery storage systems generally last 10-15 years and can be replaced or upgraded as technology evolves. Both are supported by robust product warranties, with solar panels also benefiting from long-term performance guarantees, ensuring reliability and peace of mind.
Contact Us
Speak to our team about renewable energy and find out how much you could save with solar PV, battery storage and EV Charging.
SolarSense,
Unit 1A,
Tweed Road Industrial Estate,
Bristol,
BS21 6RR
SolarSense,
Sophia House,
33-35 Cathedral Rd,
Cardiff,
CF11 9HB