The False Economy of Cheap Solar
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We modelled 25-year returns for budget vs premium solar panels: BUDGET SYSTEM (£5,500): Panels: unknown brand, 17% efficiency, 380W. Degradation: 0.7%/yr. Warranty: 10yr product, 25yr at 80%. Inverter: basic string, 10yr warranty. 25yr generation: 78,500 kWh. 25yr savings: £14,200. PREMIUM SYSTEM (£8,500): Panels: REC/SunPower, 22% efficiency, 430W. Degradation: 0.25%/yr. Warranty: 25yr product, 25yr at 92%. Inverter: hybrid, 12yr warranty. 25yr generation: 91,800 kWh. 25yr savings: £17,800. DIFFERENCE: £3,000 more upfront → £3,600 more savings over 25 years. NET BENEFIT OF PREMIUM: +£600 profit AND better warranty, better monitoring, battery-ready inverter. MID-RANGE SYSTEM (£7,000): The sweet spot. LONGi/JA Solar panels (21%, 400W, 0.4% degradation). 25yr generation: 86,200 kWh. 25yr savings: £16,400. Best ROI per pound invested. Sources: Manufacturer datasheets, PVGIS generation data (re.jrc.ec.europa.eu), Ofgem pricing (ofgem.gov.uk).
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Related: Home Heating Systems
Solar panels are most powerful when combined with an efficient heating system. Heat pumps use solar-generated electricity to heat your home at 300-400% efficiency — making them the ideal partner for solar.
Heat pumps use electricity at 300-400% efficiency, making them ideal partners for solar.
A heat pump converts 1kWh of electricity into 3-4kWh of heat.
From our sister site Home Heat Pump Guide
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