Solar Panels for New Builds
Geo Green Power specialise in large-scale commercial projects and we have a wealth of expertise in renewable energy technology.
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Solar installation services for newly built homes
Geo Green Power are one of the leading solar PV installers in the UK, regularly working with self-build and new build developers to deliver truly sustainable homes.
Our central location provides us with a nationwide reach and our inhouse team of experts can support you with everything from system design, local planning permission, and DNO connection right through to installation and ongoing operations & maintenance into the future.
Geo Green Power’s large team of experts includes renewable energy installers, fully qualified electricians and renewable heating engineers. If you want to combine your solar installation with other renewable technologies, such as heat pumps or battery storage, we can deliver a one-stop-shop for all of your requirements.
We regularly work with new build projects and understand the need to be flexible. We will adapt our installation schedule to match the timeframes of your project, attending site when we can use existing scaffold and access to install panels and returning at a later date when services are in place for electrical works and final commission.
Changing requirements for building regulations and a more environmentally aware property market make investing in solar panels for newbuilds a sensible investment.
New build projects
We regularly work with new build projects and understand the need to be flexible. We will adapt our installation schedule to match the timeframes of your project, attending site when we can use existing scaffold and access to install panels and returning at a later date when services are in place for electrical works and final commission.
As an MCS accredited installer, we will ensure that your solar panel system, heat pump and battery storage systems meet all regulatory requirements and that homeowners can claim SEG and BUS if eligible.
How much will it cost?
| House Type | No. of Bedrooms | Size of System | Cost (Excl Batteries) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 2-3 | 3kWp | From £4,500 |
| Semi-detached | 3 | 4kWp | From £5,000 |
| Detached | 3 | 5kWp | From £6,000 |
| Detached | 4 | 6kWp | From £6,500 |
| Detached | 5+ | 7kWp + | From £7,000 |
As with any domestic solar installation, costs for a newbuild solar panel system will vary depending on how much energy you want to generate and the products you choose.
Whether you are carrying out a self-build project or developing homes to market, we can outline the right system for you.
Most domestic properties require a system of at least 3kWp to make a significant impact on their electricity, and if you are carrying out a self-build project we can work with you to create a system that will meet the energy requirements of your finished home.
Planning authorities increasingly require newbuild developments to include energy efficient, renewable generation and low carbon heating. A smaller solar PV scheme may meet requirements if your focus is compliance.
Access and scaffold can form a significant part of the overall cost to install solar panels. When we work with newbuild projects we always look to use existing access to reduce these costs for our customers. We will often schedule our teams to install panels when an existing scaffold and roof access is in place and return when services are connected to complete the electrical side of the works.
To reduce costs further, we are happy to provide cable specifications and routes for your onsite electrical team to install.
Advantages of solar panels
Meet building requirements – The Future Homes Standard sets our ambitious plans to improve the energy performance of new homes. Expected to come into force in 2025 the Future Homes Standard will require homes to have low carbon heat and be zero carbon ready. Local authorities already often require developers to include energy efficient, renewable generation and low carbon heating within their applications.
Increase EPC rating – Incorporating solar PV helps you achieve a higher EPC rating for a newbuild property making it cheaper to run and a more attractive investment. The addition of solar panels can often move a property to the next band in terms of EPC rating.
Reduced running costs – The incorporation of renewable technologies such as solar PV can dramatically reduce a property’s energy bills. An average 4-bedroom house can save around £1,000 a year on electricity bills with solar panels.
Increase property value – Increasing awareness of Climate Change, its effects and mitigations, is adding to a growing understanding of what makes a home more sustainable and cheaper to run, and properties that incorporate these technologies are more desirable.
Benefits of incorporating renewables in newbuild projects
As with most technologies, integrating a solar PV system into your build will ensure a smoother finish and the best performance.
Many newbuilds have an in-roof solar PV system. These system hold the panels in trays fixed directly onto the felted roof. The overall finish is more aesthetically pleasing with the panels sitting flush with the tiles, and it reduces the number of tiles you need to purchase.
Planning solar PV into your build also enables you to run cables behind plasterboard and plan for an appropriate plant room for your inverter. If you are installing solar panels alongside a heat pump and a battery, your solar PV system can be designed to provide optimum efficiency in terms of generation, usage and storage to deliver a truly sustainable home.
Disdvantages of solar panels
There are very few disadvantages to installing solar panels on a property. Assuming that your roof is in a suitable condition, the addition of solar PV will reduce energy bills and make your building more cost effective to run, even during winter months.
Once installed solar panels require little maintenance and will generate free, clean energy for 30 years or more.
The main limiting factors that we encounter when speaking to customers about solar panels and other renewable technology is the upfront cost. On rare occasions, due to the layout of a property and localised shading, we find it unsuitable for solar because the number of panels that can be installed won’t provide enough energy generation to meet the requirements of the property and provide a return.
Want to discuss the options?
Get in touch with us today to arrange a no obligation consultation about your next project.
Can I get funding for my solar installation?
There are currently no national grants available for solar PV installations. Some local authorities have schemes to help fund energy efficient and sustainable improvements in certain areas, but it is unlikely that they will have funds available for new properties.
There is funding available to support the installation of low carbon heating technology such as heat pumps. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides a grant of up to £7,500 to support the rollout of heat pumps and other low carbon heating in existing properties and some new build projects are also eligible.
Get in contact with our team to find out how we can assist you further.
Pairing solar panels with a battery
If you pair your newbuild solar installation with battery storage your property will benefit from being able to use more of the renewable energy that your solar panels produce and it will lower the amount of energy imported from the grid. Whether this is the right option for you will depend on your energy tariffs and the pattern of energy consumption.
By using an MCS accredited installer, your newbuild solar panels will be eligible for the SEG (Smart Export Guarantee) scheme and any solar energy that’s produced and not directly used in the property will be exported to the grid in return for an export payment.
Installing battery storage will mean that excess energy is stored in the battery for use when the panels aren’t producing enough energy to meet demand. If it’s likely that your property will have a relative low daytime usage and higher evening load battery storage will help to deliver a better return on investment.
If you are building luxury properties, you might want to consider adding battery storage in order to deliver a fully sustainable home utilising the latest renewable technology.
Battery storage options
| With a Battery | PV System | Est Savings Over a Year | Est SavingsOver 30 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5kWh | 3.6kW | £888 | £39,934 |
| 5kWh | 5kW | £1,108 | £45,558 |
| 15kWh | 9kW | £2,116 | £86,984 |
| 23kWh | 17kW | £8,050 | £454,090 |
There are a number of makes and models of battery on the market. We work with a number of different manufacturers. Three of our most popular battery systems are:
Tesla: All Tesla storage batteries are stand-alone systems which means they don’t require PV power and can be charged from the Grid. They can be mounted outside and have a sleek design making them a firm favourite with tech enthusiasts.
Fox: Suitable for domestic and small commercial installations Fox battery storage delivers a hybrid solution and can be charged from solar PV or directly from the Grid. There are a number of different options available make it a very flexible solutions.
GivEnergy: For most domestic installations we would recommend GivEnergy as an efficient and an affordable option. GivEnergy also offers a hybrid solution and is compatible with Octopus, Octopus+, and Agile.
Types of solar panels
We only work with tier 1 panel manufacturers who provide high quality products and extended warranty periods of 25 – 30 years for our solar panel installations. We work with Monocrystalline panels for their high efficiency and long lifespan and our chosen manufacturers include Canadian Solar, JA Solar and Q Cell. We are happy to install other types of panel upon customer request if manufacturers meet our standards. For domestic installations we recommend all black modules as they deliver the best end result with regards to aesthetics.
Your project and roof type will impact the way in which solar panels are mounted to your property.
An in-roof system provides the smoothest finish and is an option for tiled roofs. Roof mounted solar trays are fixed directly onto the felted roof to hold your panels and the remaining area of roof is then tiled. An on roof system uses roof hooks and mounting plates to hold rails which the solar panels are bolted onto. The exact fixings requires are determined by your tiles and roof layout.
Mounting panels in trays is more expensive than mounting with roof hooks and rail systems and we only recommend in-roof systems when installing solar on new build properties or when a solar installation is taking place alongside a re-roof project. When we survey your project our experienced team will provide you with the most appropriate options for you to consider.
How long does return on investment take?
A domestic solar installation will usually deliver a full payback in energy bills savings in 5 – 7 years depending on the size of the system, electricity usage within the household and the energy tariff.
Solar panels generate energy to be used directly in the property or exported to the grid. The more of the energy you are able to use whilst your panels are generating, the less energy you need to purchase from the grid and the lower your energy bills.
If you start exporting a significant amount of energy to the grid you should consider pairing your solar panels with battery storage.
Ensuring that your new build’s solar panels are fitted by an MCS accredited installer will ensure that you can receive payments for energy exported to the grid through the SEG.
Who We Work With
Installation Process
Panel Installation
During the installation of panels and mounting access is required to the roof. In new build projects we like to utilise existing scaffold to keep costs down for our customer so we will schedule this to take place directly after your roof is complete, or alongside your roofing works if you are fitting an in-roof system.
Electrical installation
Electrical works will include installing optimisers, running cables from your roof, mounting your inverter, installing metering and connecting to the property’s electricity system. Works on the roof must be carried out whilst scaffolding is still in place, but other works can be carried out at a later date and in stages if required.
Completion and Commissioning
Working alongside your schedule we will ensure that cable runs are completed before walls are plaster boarded and we can return to commission your solar PV system when you have power to your new build property.
We will provide a full O&M manual and be on hand should there be any questions of concerns from yourselves or the owner of your property going forwards
Warranty & Maintenance
We advise that customers opt for an extended warranty of 25 years on their inverters and choose panels that have either a 25 or 30 year warranty. Geo Green Power has a dedicated Operations & Maintenance team who can assist you in accessing these warranties throughout the lifetime of your system and provide routine service and maintenance support. Geo Green Power provide a 2 year warranty on our workmanship.
With very few moving parts solar panel installations require very little service and maintenance and cost very little to upkeep. We do recommend that you carry out a regular visual check on the solar installation in your new build property. Look for error codes or warning lights on your inverter or any signs of movement or damage to panels or cables.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are your team insured to work on active building projects?
Yes. Our team are all fully qualified, they hold working at heights, CSCS and all electricians hold NICEIC qualifications. We are CHAS accredited and fully insured to carry out work on active building sites
Why do I need an MCS accredited installer?
If the solar installation in your new build is not installed by an MCS certified installer it is not eligible for SEG payments.
What warranties should I expect?
Ideally inverters should have an extended warranty for 25 years and panels should have a 30 year warranty. Our workmanship is guaranteed for 2 years.
Will solar PV add value to my new build?
Yes, solar panels will add value to new build properties by increasing their energy efficiency and reducing running costs, your property will also attract an increasing numbers of more environmentally aware buyers in the market.
We plant a tree for every quote we produce
Did you know you can support reforestation efforts with Geo Green Power? We’ll plant one tree for every quote we produce! Simply request a free quote and we’ll take care of the rest.
A few of our recent projects
At Geo Green Power, we understand the business requirement for a single point of contact to manage and maintain your contract, and we are experienced at delivering a complete service where each step is known, planned for and advised in advance, so that little or no disruption is caused to your operations. We are fully aware that quality and price will be the main drivers in your decision making process.
Sustainability is being built at The Cotswold Company
Solar for software solutions
Concrete solutions set on solar
Geo Green Power helps local family cut energy bills!
Geo Green Power fit air-source heat pump for local couple
Tamworth home has solar PV and a battery system installed
An extension upgrade leads to solar installation
Mitchells & Butlers Route to Net Zero
Rapala reels in green energy savings
A scoop of solar for Bluebell Dairy
Get in touch today
Geo Green Power have conisderable experience in the renewable energy sector and we’re confident in our ability to help property developers find a suitable solution for their projects. Contact us today to discuss the options and to arrange a no obligation quote.
