What's involved in a solar and battery installation?
A step-by-step guide to what happens from quote to switch-on.
With the right installer, solar and battery installation is a very straightforward process. It usually involves three main stages, with most of the work being handled by our team. So it’s little wonder why rising energy costs and a particularly sunny summer have encouraged many to explore what’s possible for their home.
Every home, system and household is a little different, so your exact journey may vary. But, for a good idea of what to expect from the solar panel installation process, keep reading.
Written by Sam Tudjaroglu, who joined Good Energy in 2025 following the acquisition of a legacy solar installation business and now leads our Domestic Operations, overseeing nationwide solar installation and maintenance services.
Passionate about helping more people generate their own clean energy, Sam has worked in the renewable energy sector since 2022 and brings more than 30 years of experience leading teams and improving customer experiences. His focus is making the journey to solar as smooth and straightforward as possible for every customer.
Stage 1: Tell us about your home
We’ve made it as simple as possible to get started – all we need is your address and contact details. From there, one of our team will be in touch to answer any early questions you have and confirm a few details.
They’ll work with you to find a convenient time for one of our solar specialists to call by phone, video, or in person. At this stage, we’ll take a look at your roof, your existing electrics, and ask a bit more about how your household uses energy day to day.
Stage 2: Your free, bespoke solar design
One of our solar designers will take all the information gathered (roof size, orientation and shading, along with your household’s energy use) to design a bespoke system tailored specifically for your home, your budget and your lifestyle.
Why bespoke?
Even two homes on the same street can generate very different amounts of solar power depending on which way their roof faces and whether nearby trees or chimneys cast shade at certain times of day.
That’s why our solar experts work out the optimal positioning and panel placement right from the start, maximising your systems generation potential.
Some larger systems need a bit of extra sign-off from the local electricity network before installation can go ahead – this is called a District Network Operator (DNO) application. It sounds daunting, but there’s very little for you to do: we’ll send you a Letter of Authority (LOA) to sign, and our experts will handle the whole application on your behalf, keeping you updated throughout. Most UK homes can install up to 3.68kW without needing this step at all. But, if your system is larger, the DNO application can take up to 12 weeks to process. For that reason, it’s always worth getting your enquiry in sooner rather than later.
Stage 3: Solar installation day
By the time your install day arrives, all the groundwork will already be done. Most solar-only systems are fitted within a single day, though it may take a little longer if your design includes a battery too.
Scaffolding usually goes up a couple of days beforehand and comes down shortly after, and our team will have finalised your design and prepped all the equipment in advance so that everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
On the day, the team will spend most of their time outside, fitting the panels to your roof, before moving on to the electrical work – connecting everything up and running it through to your consumer unit. That’s the only part that needs a short window of access inside your home.
If you’ve opted for a SolarEdge solar system, our engineers may be able to get you set up on the SolarEdge app on the very same day. That means from day one, you can watch your system’s performance right from your phone – down to individual panel level – so if anything ever dips, it’s easy to spot and put right.
Unlike most other installers, every Good Energy Solar engineer is part of our own team. That means we’ll never get third-party subcontractors involved, so you always know exactly who’s in your home and what standard to expect.
What’s included in Good Energy solar installation?
As standard, Good Energy solar installation includes:
- A survey of your existing electrics, to confirm your home’s wiring can safely support your new system before any work begins.
- A central inverter, converting the DC power your panels generate into usable AC electricity.
- Weatherproof mounting and cabling, tested to perform reliably through UK weather for the lifetime of your system.
- Comprehensive long-term protection, including a 25-year product warranty and a 30-year performance guarantee for solar panels.
If you opted for a SolarEdge system, you can also expect:
- SolarEdge optimizers fitted to each panel, so shading or debris on one panel doesn’t drag down the output of the whole system.
- Panel-level monitoring, giving you visibility of exactly how each panel is performing via the SolarEdge app.
Testing, certification and switch-on
Once your system’s installed, our engineers will test and commission it, checking everything meets the latest safety standards before you’re switched on. You’ll then receive a detailed handover pack, including your MCS certificate and DNO approval, which essential to qualify for export payments.
Joining Good Energy’s Solar Savings* export tariff is a great next step for our install customers. All you need to do is fill out a short online form, and we will pass the details about your install to the tariff team behind the scenes. If you’ve installed a battery alongside your panels, you’ll unlock Solar Savings Exclusive** for your first 12 months. If you wanted to join a different export tariff, we provide all the details you’ll need in your handover pack. Your solar and export earnings also show up in your Good Energy account, alongside your usual energy usage.
Solar installation process FAQs
- Your recommended system size and layout
- Total cost
- Estimated annual savings
- Estimated carbon reduction
- Your expected payback timeline
This varies depending on whether a DNO application is needed, but for most straightforward installs, you could be generating your own power within a matter of weeks.
Yes, for at least part of the day – particularly while the electrical work is completed inside your property.
Most solar installations count as permitted development, so you won’t need planning permission. There are a few exceptions – for example, listed buildings and some conservation areas – but if that applies to you, our team will let you know early on in the process.
There are lots of ways to add to your solar system, with a battery or more panels. If you’re on the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme, this needs careful handling to avoid affecting your payments. Our solar and FIT teams work together to confirm approved upgrade options and manage the details for you.
Learn more in our guide to upgrading FiT solar systems here.
* Solar Savings is a variable tariff, so the rates are subject to change.
** Solar Savings Exclusive is a 12-month export tariff available when you install solar panels and a battery with Good Energy. While the rate is subject to change to new customers, once your term begins the price is fixed for 12 months. After this time you will roll onto our standard Solar Savings export tariff.