Solar Today vs 5 Years Ago
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Get Free QuotesHow has solar improved in 5 years?
Solar 2026 vs 2021: PANELS: 400-425W (was 300-350W) — 30% more power per panel. EFFICIENCY: 20-22% (was 17-19%). BATTERIES: £4,000-£6,000 for 10kWh (was £8,000-£10,000) — 40% cheaper. VAT: 0% (was 5%) — saving £1,000-£1,600 more. ELECTRICITY: 24.5p/kWh (was 18p) — savings per kWh up 36%. PAYBACK: 8-12 years (was 12-18) — halved. SMART TARIFFS: Octopus Flux/Go now available (didn't exist in 2021). MARKET: 1.3M installations (was 900K). Every metric has improved. 2026 is objectively the best time to install solar in UK history.
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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.
Heat pump installation typically takes 2-3 days and is best planned alongside solar.
From our sister site Home Heat Pump Guide
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