Solar Panels Cardiff: Local Installers

PVGIS, the Joint Research Centre's free tool, models 4,167 kWh a year for a 4 kWp array in Cardiff. The model assumes a south-facing roof, a 35 degree tilt and 14% losses. However, it is an estimate for the city centre, so your own roof will differ.

Your installer sizes the array from your roof area and your use. A battery then stores the surplus, because evening demand is when panels make nothing. Therefore, size both together.

The 2021 Census shows semi-detached homes at 29.7% of Cardiff households and terraces at 29.6%. Flats make up 26.5% and detached homes 14.1%. Therefore, terraced and semi roofs are the common starting point for quotes.

Cardiff Council lists 27 conservation areas. They include Llandaff, Roath Park, Rhiwbina Garden Village and Cathedral Road. In Wales, panels on a wall facing the highway in a conservation area need consent.

Wales permits panels on many house roofs without planning permission, provided they sit below the ridgeline and project no more than 200mm. Flats, listed buildings and conservation areas need checking with the council. Therefore, ask your installer to confirm your address.

National Grid Electricity Distribution covers South Wales, and most Cardiff homes sit in that licence area. The postcode checker on the operator's site confirms yours. Your installer handles the G98 or G99 notification.

The Smart Export Guarantee applies across Great Britain, including Wales. Each supplier sets its own rate, which must be above zero, so compare tariffs. You need an MCS-certified system and a smart meter to claim.

Nest is the Welsh Government's scheme for free home energy improvements. Its page lists solar panels among the improvements for eligible households, but not batteries. Low-income households may be eligible, so ask Nest before you pay for anything.

Cardiff is listed as a partner council on the Switch Together page, the group-buying scheme formerly called Solar Together. Check whether a round is open before you compare quotes, because dates change. Group buying is one route, and a matched installer is another.

For other homes, installing panels is VAT-free at 0% until 31 March 2027. However, the rate is due to revert to 5% from 1 April 2027. That date can affect when you choose to order.

Home chargepoints sold in Great Britain since mid-2022 must be smart, with off-peak charging set by default. Government grants of up to £500 cover renters, flat owners and some on-street households until 31 March 2027. However, owners with their own driveway are not currently covered.

Choose an MCS-certified installer, because MCS is the quality mark that unlocks Smart Export Guarantee payments. Installers work to MIS 3002 for solar panels and MIS 3012 for batteries. Check any installer on the MCS website before you accept a quote.

A good quote lists the panel, battery and inverter models, and the system size in kWp and kWh. For a retrofit, it should say how the battery connects to your existing panels. PAS 63100 also advises against siting a battery in bedrooms or on escape routes.

Ask about deposits too. RECC guidance says a deposit should be no more than 25% of the contract price. Since we match you rather than sell, your contract is with the installer.

Here is how the match works. You send the form, and we match your enquiry to an MCS-certified installer covering your postcode. The installer then handles the survey, design and installation directly, and follows up by email.

After the install, ask for the MCS certificate and the paperwork for your export supplier. You need them to claim Smart Export Guarantee payments. Meanwhile, keep the manufacturer warranty terms safe.

Start with money, because our solar battery cost guide for the UK sets out what drives the price. If you already have panels, our guide to how to add a battery to existing solar covers the options. To size an array, see how many panels a home needs in our guide to how many solar panels you need.

Our battery storage service page explains sizing, while the EV charger installation page covers charging from your own panels. The solar panel installation page explains what an install involves.

Across the Severn, battery installers serving Bristol have their own page. Further along the coast, see solar panel installers serving Southampton. Each page uses that city's own facts.