Reference / Solar / Overview
Solar
Panels are mostly a commodity now. What matters is everything around them: inverter choice, roof geometry, the tariff you are on, and the surprisingly large gap between modelled and measured output.
Panels
Modern UK residential installs are dominated by monocrystalline n-type panels in the 430-460 W range. The difference between vendors at this tier is small enough that it should not drive the buying decision. What does drive the decision is the inverter, the mounting and the survey.
Bifacial, half-cut, n-type
What the spec sheet really tells you.
Panel sizing for a UK roof
How many panels fit, and what limits it.
Inverters
Three choices, broadly: a single string inverter, a hybrid inverter that also handles a battery, or microinverters per panel. Each has a clear right answer depending on roof geometry, shading and whether you are likely to add storage later.
String vs hybrid vs micro
A decision tree that fits on one page.
Sizing the inverter
DC/AC ratio and why clipping is usually fine.
Install
The least glamorous parts of a solar install are the parts most likely to cause problems later. Cable routing, DC isolators and the survey are where corners get cut. Get them right and the system will look after itself for two decades.
DC isolators Updated
The boring component that fails first.
The MCS survey
What it should say and what it often does not.