How much does a solar array cost?

Typical solar installations range in cost from £4,000 - £10,000 depending on size and complexity.

Are the returns on solar panels good?

Investing in solar panels has never been more enticing. Here's why:

Fuel prices remain high and could keep climbing. Your solar panels generate free electricity, slashing your reliance on the grid and lowering your monthly bills.

Export payments are at an all time high. Your energy provider pays you for every unit of electricity your panels produce and export to the grid. The best providers are competing with each other to offer the highest rates for exported electricity.

Solar technology advancements have made installations more affordable than ever. We’ve been installing for over 13 years and we know how to get you the best system to meet your requirements.

How much solar should I install?

Any excess energy you generate can be sold back to the grid. This makes it beneficial to install as large an array as your roof can accommodate.

Solar panels have become more affordable, so the additional cost of adding a few extra panels is relatively low. Additionally, larger systems benefit from economies of scale, meaning the more panels you install, the lower the cost per kilowatt (kW) of installed capacity.

Please note that systems larger than 4 kW require an application to the District Network Operator (DNO) for grid connection approval. We handle these applications on your behalf to ensure a smooth process.

What is the highest efficiency solar panel available in the UK in 2025?

Aiko solar panels are the most efficient commercially available panel in the UK (as of January 2025). They use a fairly unique “All Back Contactor” (ABC) technology previously only employed by the likes of Sunpower. The Neostar 2P 470W module boasts a module efficiency of 23.6% (Datasheet here). Aiko also produce an All Black 460w module (datasheet here).

What is the highest efficiency European made solar panel in 2025?

Eurener's 450W solar panel offers a solid 23.04% module efficiency (datasheet here) making it the highest efficiency European made panel on the market.

Are Sunpower panels still good?

For over a decade, Sunpower panels held the top spot for solar efficiency using their unique back-contactor cell design. Sunpower panels were expensive but their industry leading rates of efficiency coupled with an extremely robust build quality made them a popular option. While Sunpower don’t hold the record for panel efficiency any longer, they are still very good in terms of efficiency and longevity. The Max3 430w panel has a module efficiency of 22.7%. You can find the datasheet here.

What are the best panels to use “in-roof”?

Lastly, if you are looking for an “in-roof” solar panel, the most efficient panel that is tested and approved to work with in-roof mounting systems is the Longi 440w Hi-MO6 Explorer (datasheet here) or 435w All Black module (datasheet here).

What are the best inverters? Should I choose a string, micro or optimised inverter system?

We offer all three inverter topologies and they all have applications depending on your roof type.

It’s our philosophy to engineer the most efficient and reliable system without offering technology if we don’t think its necessary. Keep it Simple!

For simple roofs with little or no hard (close) shading, we’ll likely offer a string inverter system. This will keep up front costs down without affecting the generation. It also keeps the system simple with no complex parts fitted up on your roof. Our favourite string inverters are Solis, Fronius, Tesla and Giv Energy.

For medium to large installations of 10 panels or more, were there are multiple roof orientations and there is some hard shading, we tend to offer Optimised inverter systems manufactured by SolarEdge. There is a very good video here explaining how their inverter works. However SolarEdge strings still need proper design. Small, shaded roof sections of 5 panels or less sometimes have issues with voltage throttling. This is were the panels don’t get up to the required voltage for the inverter to work. If it can’t be resolved with the design, we' would switch to micro-inverters.

For small, shaded or complex roofs that can support 10 panels or less, we tend to offer micro-inverters manufactured by Enphase. Each panel operates independently so its very hard to mess up the design. Some installers only offer Enphase Micro-inverters for this reason!

Why choose Seven Hills Solar?

Seven Hills Solar offer custom-designed solar panel systems using specialist solar modelling software. This allows you to easily compare different options.

After years of installing different types of solar technology, we are accustomed in sourcing the best kit for you.

We offer expert installations from our team of friendly and knowledgeable local installers.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We’ll take time to listen to your requirements and answer any questions you have. Submit an enquiry using our contact form or call us directly on 07878 639 582