Best solar panel installers 2024

Which solar panel installer you choose significantly impacts your experience of integrating this green technology into your home. The right company will supply the best solar panels, communicate clearly throughout the process and hold accreditations that certify the quality of its solar panel installations.

A solar panel installation generally takes one to three months from enquiry to project completion. During this process you’ll need to consider several factors, such as choosing between national or local solar panel installers, checking their accreditations and assessing their experience. 

Our solar experts offer unbiased, thoroughly researched reviews into the top solar installers in the UK, assessing company performance and customer reviews to help you find the perfect partner for your journey towards free energy.

• Project Solar – Best for long warranties
• Effective Home – Most reliable provider
• Solar4Good – Best customer service
• Glow Green – Best range of high-efficiency panels
• Evergen Solar – Best for battery storage options
• UPS Solar – Best payment terms available
• Sunsave – Best solar subscription service

Project Solar is an award-winning solar panel installation company. It’s the largest in the UK, having installed more than 45,000 solar panels since its inception in 2011, and  is particularly well-known for offering the longest warranties in the UK solar sector.

The Evo Max Super Series 480W , Project Solar’s best panel, comes with a lifetime product and performance warranty, a 10 year labour warranty, and an efficiency rating of 22.18 per cent.  Highly aesthetic thanks to sleek black cells that blend well with the colours of most residential roofs, the panel is made from high-quality materials. Project Solar also claims that it performs optimally even with limited light. 

In our solar panel survey, 97 per cent of respondents with Project Solar panels said they would recommend the brand*. The same number said their panels had met or exceeded expectations when it came to energy production, while 95 per cent of people had their expectations met or exceeded in regards to ongoing cost savings from their Project Solar panels.

Alongside the Evo Max Super Series 480W, Project Solar also offers SunPower Maxeon solar panels, which are among the most efficient on the market. 

Effective Home installations are covered by various certification schemes, including:

• the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting, which ensures that all electrical components are installed according to national standards;
• the Home Insulation & Energy Systems Contractors Scheme (HIES), which focuses on consumer protection; and
• the Energy Performance Validation Scheme, which guarantees the energy savings promised to consumers.

With these certificates and accreditations, customers should feel confident that they’re opting for a trusted and reliable provider. Effective Home also covers its solar panels with a minimum 25-year product warranty and a lifetime warranty for the manufacturing and performance of the solar cells.

In July 2023, Effective Home teamed up with Halifax to offer a cashback scheme whereby customers receive up to £500 when they install green technologies, such as solar panels.

Effective Home recently launched a monthly paid subscription service called Energy Shield, through which homeowners can access solar energy for as little as £99 upfront. With this service, Effective Home will install solar panels on your roof, and then sell the energy they generate back to you at a tariff that is fixed every five years. This tariff should be cheaper than the national average unit rates in the UK.  

Founded in 2011, Glow Green initially specialised in energy-efficient boilers before branching out to offer other green home products, including an all-in-one package that encompasses solar panels, battery storage, EV chargers, air conditioning and heat pumps.

The company covers its solar panels with warranties of up to 30 years and offers a five-year workmanship warranty. It has financing options and has won many awards for its services. Its product range includes panels from JA Solar, Trina Solar, Tesla, PureDrive Energy and Perlight Solar.

Evergen Solar was founded in 2010 and began installing residential solar panels on new builds in 2015.

The company is HIES-accredited and offers battery storage systems in addition to its solar panels. These can be installed alongside the initial panel installation or added to an existing solar panel system.

The company’s solar panels come with an industry-standard warranty of 25 years, while the battery storage systems include a 10-year warranty from the HIES.

Flexible payment options are also available to customers who want to spread the installation costs over several years.

UPS Solar offers a range of solar panel brands, including Sharp, Qcells and JA Solar. The latter is especially popular, as 95 per cent of JA Solar customers who responded to our survey stated they would recommend the brand to others. 

The company also provides a 10-year labour warranty and deposit-free installation, so customers only pay after installation. The installation process is supported by the Independent Warranty Association, and the company holds certifications from the Renewable Energy Consumer Code and MCS.

Founded in 2019, UPS Solar also has a high Trustpilot rating of 4.7. Positive reviews suggest good communication, friendly installers and a quick installation process.

Founded in 2022, Sunsave is the newest solar panel installer on this list, and it’s known for creating the UK’s first solar subscription service. 

While other subscription services have appeared since, including from Otovo and Unbound Energy, Sunsave’s still stands out. With Sunsave Plus, you own your panels from the moment your system is installed, without the need to put down a deposit or pay an upfront fee. You then pay for your system monthly, starting at £69, for a maximum of 20 years. If you wish, you can pay off some or all of your system cost at any time, with no penalty. 

Sunsave doesn’t just offer a subscription service. With Sunsave Standard, you can buy your panels upfront, with costs starting from £6,700 for a complete solar system with a battery.

Sunsave Plus and Standard both offer 25-year performance and product warranties on your panels, and 10-year warranties for batteries and inverters. And if you’re an existing Octopus Energy customer, installing your panels with Sunsave will give you faster access to the energy provider’s often market-leading Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariffs. 

Both local and national solar panel installers come with advantages and drawbacks which you should consider before making your choice. 

Some of the benefits of choosing a local installer include:

• A more personalised service: Local installers may have a better knowledge of local regulations, solar panel schemes and incentives that apply in the region

• Quicker responses: A local installer will likely want to build a good reputation within the area, possibly resulting in better customer service and faster response times than a national provider

• Contributions to the local economy: By choosing a local installer, you will be supporting a smaller company in your area

However, choosing a national solar panel installer brings you:

• A wide range of experience: National installers who have been in business for many years will have built up a wealth of experience, which can be beneficial to anyone considering solar panels

• Peace of mind from multiple reviews: A larger company will likely have a bigger presence than a local installer, so you’ll have more reviews to consult before you make your decision

• Better incentives and warranties: While it’s not always the case, national installers typically offer excellent warranties and service agreements, as well as supplying quality products and components, as they often collaborate with well-known manufacturers and suppliers

• Competitive pricing: A larger company will usually be able to offer lower prices for its services and products, whereas local installers may have to charge more

More than half (52.38 per cent) of the people we surveyed said that  installing their solar system took one to three months from signing the contract to completion. This timeframe includes a thorough site survey, making up roof plans, the actual installation and the completion of necessary documentation. For larger systems, the process may take slightly longer.