Solar Panels - are there actually any legit schemes to get help with the cost?

Posted by ANuggetEnthusiast@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 23 comments

At my previous address, back when we had a landline phone, we got calls about once a month about various schemes to put solar panels on the house. We never followed up as we always assumed anyone phoning up to sell you a product was probably dodgy. I now live in a property where one side of the roof sees full sunshine all day (when it’s sunny, obv) and in light of rising energy bills I’d like to explore solar panels. There are two things stopping me - firstly that I can’t afford a big up front payment to buy them, and secondly that I have no idea which companies I could trust to give me sound advice and do a good job. Are there still any legitimate schemes that exist to help with the cost of solar panels for domestic properties?

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23 Comments

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pottemike@reddit

If you are about to remortgage then this would be ideal - get monthly payment to be lower than savings - and make money over long run

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Legitimate_Finger_69@reddit

Check your local council. We're about to have 7kW of solar panels installed free as part of a scheme by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero’s Alternative Energy Market programme (copy and pasted). [Hundreds of Oxfordshire homes to get solar panels fitted | Oxford Mail](https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24832354.hundreds-oxfordshire-homes-get-solar-panels-fitted/) You do also have to pay £40/month for five years for a battery but hey, £2,400 over five years for free solar panels and I expect them leaving the worthless five year old battery or offering a buyback scheme is good. There are loads of random government schemes which heavily subsidise green technology (we also have had free cavity wall insulation and a heat pump to replace our 34 year old gas boiler for £500). You just need to keep an eye on schemes, especially as many only have a certain number of places. If your council runs an energy saving app often people who download that get first dibs.

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Trifusi0n@reddit

Why do you think the battery would be worthless after only 5 years? If it’s anything like the batteries in my cars it’ll be well over 95% state of health still.

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Legitimate_Finger_69@reddit

Because the cost of removing it is likely to be more than what they can get selling it, what with the pace of development. Not saying it's not valuable to me, just that they could easily write it off with 20% depreciation per year.

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Trifusi0n@reddit

Maybe I misunderstood your comment, so you’re only renting the battery? You don’t get to keep it after the 5 years are up?

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Legitimate_Finger_69@reddit

The solar panels are "gifted" as long as you rent a battery for five years at £40/month. There's no promise to keep the battery, just as I said I don't think they would get money back after paying for a sparky to remove it. But if they did we'd still have the hybrid inverter so could put a new battery on cheaply.

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knightsbridge-@reddit

The easiest way is to just to get a loan. Like a regular bank loan. The reason why so many people call up about it is because you can get gov assistance with costs via [Green Deal](https://www.gov.uk/green-deal-energy-saving-measures), and these companies want to pocket the Green Deal money. They aren't fussed about doing a substandard job, because you aren't the one paying for it, so you're less likely to be grumpy if they do a bad job, since you weren't out of pocket. If you don't want a loan or Green Deal support, you can try one of the energy provider schemes for reduced solar installs. [Tomato](https://www.tomato.energy/) was the most famous one, but I understand they're not in great shape as a company right now. [Octopus have one](https://octopus.energy/order/solar/). Check if your energy provider do, they're all legit as far as I know.

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spiralphenomena@reddit

You can get a green mortgage from nationwide too to cover solar panel installation or heat pump.

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madatter1@reddit

Thats the way I went, they've never been to check and the money was sat in my bank for 3 months getting interest, I wish I had as for 1 million. LOL

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Trifusi0n@reddit

This is interesting. Do you have to have your existing mortgage with nationwide or can this be a separate one?

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spiralphenomena@reddit

It can be a separate one :) better rate than a personal loan too.

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Trifusi0n@reddit

Fantastic, I’ll be looking into this. Thanks.

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denjin@reddit

Octopus energy currently offering up to 3 years 0% finance on panels + battery installation.

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zebrahorse159@reddit

Grants are available if you’re on a low income and home has an EPC D-G. If self-funding then there’s plenty of 0% finance deals on solar panels through Octopus, E.ON Next, Hive, EDF and more. Just do some research.

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nuisance_squirrel@reddit

lookup `warm homes:local grants` in your area, if you're eligible you may get able to get up to 30k in measures to improve energy efficiency of your house (up to 15k for one set of things and upto 15k for another). I did get free solar install as part of previous HUG2 scheme (battery would of been great but wasnt possible on that grant, potentially is on this new one). If not eligible then as others have said 0% interest loan/credit card

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NGBoy1990@reddit

You can get 0% Finance from most of the large companies

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Milam1996@reddit

Solar panels are well worth it and get paid off much faster than many people think as only around 5-10 years ago the payback period was about 15 years, now it’s about 7. If you get a battery you can do fun stuff with Octopus as your supplier/exporter and you can often get paid a premium to sell energy at certain times, get paid to TAKE energy etc etc.

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ZBD1949@reddit

The people putting panels on your roof are effectively renting it from you. Yes you get free electricity but you don't get any payments for what you export. Also if you ever want to sell, the contracts for the roof complicate matters so much so that you may have to sell at a reduced price. Much better to own your own panels.

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daniluvsuall@reddit

Worth adding it’s a massive headache when you come to sell.

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Milam1996@reddit

These also rent that part of your roof and you need permission from them to do anything that involves that part of your roof. It’s a clusterfuck and I wouldn’t be too surprised if some court case brings about new regulations.

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GetNooted@reddit

Some banks do a green grant if you have a mortgage with them. I got £1000 from Barclays. Otherwise, as others have said, get a standard loan to cover the cost.

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flaninacupboard2@reddit

I’ve always assumed they are all not exactly scams, but the least efficient way of doing stuff. For starters, the biggest savings come when you combine batteries and panels. For me, I got a bank loan for mine, and the repayments over 5 years pretty much matched the savings. Now they’re all paid off I get to feel the benefit for hopefully another 20 years

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