Insights for your Solar System

One of the biggest surprises for homeowners considering solar panels is learning that you can't always install any size system you want. You may have heard terms like G98, G99, G100 or export limits, but what do they actually mean? In this guide, we'll explain why these approvals exist, how they affect your solar installation, and why they help keep the electricity network safe and reliable. What Is a DNO? Your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO) owns and maintains the

One of the first questions many homeowners ask when considering solar panels is: "Can I get paid for the electricity my solar panels generate?" The simple answer is yes. Although the Government Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme closed to new applicants in 2019, homeowners can still earn money by exporting unused electricity back to the National Grid through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). In this guide, we'll explain how it works and how much you could earn. How Do Solar Panels S

Most solar PV systems are designed with storage in mind, however, a common question we get asked is will my solar PV system still operate during a power cut. If backup functionality is essential to your home solar panel system, it may be worth considering EPS functionality. What is EPS Mode? EPS or Emergency Power supply refers to a Solar PV System’s ability to automatically or manually change over to powering your essential circuits from your battery storage system, in the c

Solar panels installed on a listed building in South Wales As energy prices continue to fluctuate, more homeowners are looking to solar panels to reduce their electricity bills and improve their home's sustainability. One question we are regularly asked at Ulex Energy is: "Can I install solar panels on a listed building or in a conservation area?" The good news is yes – in many cases you can. However, the planning process is different from that for a typical property, and cho

Regulations If you're thinking about adding battery storage to your solar panel system, you've probably heard people talking about the PAS 63100 regulations. And if you've started researching battery locations online, you may have come away more confused than when you started. Can batteries still go in garages? Are loft installations now banned? Can they be fitted inside the house? What about outside? At Ulex Energy, we speak to homeowners across South Wales every week who ha

When homeowners start looking into solar panels, it's natural to focus on the cost of the panels themselves. However, one of the most important things to understand about solar is that the panels are often only a portion of the total project cost. A significant proportion of the investment goes towards scaffolding, installation labour, electrical works, design, testing and commissioning. Because many of these costs are fixed, a well-designed solar system will usually seek to

Solar panels installed on a Welsh home FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Swansea, Wales – 1 June 2026 – Welsh homeowners are already able to access government-backed finance for solar panels and other green home improvements, while households in England are still waiting for the launch of similar support promised under the UK Government's Warm Homes Plan. The Warm Homes Plan, announced in January 2026, includes proposals for government-backed low-interest and interest-free loans to help

If you’re looking at solar panels and battery storage in South Wales, one of the most common questions is “What size battery do I actually need?”. The answer is usually much simpler than most people think. For most homes, the best battery size is not the biggest battery you can afford — it’s the battery that gets used properly every day. At Ulex Energy, we normally recommend sizing a battery around your average daily usage, rather than worst-case winter scenarios. How Does a

The Development Bank of Wales is offering a powerful incentive for property developers to build greener in Wales — through its Green Development Incentive. Rather than a traditional grant, this scheme reduces the cost of borrowing, rewarding developers who incorporate low-carbon design and technologies into their projects. For developers already considering sustainability upgrades, this can significantly improve project viability and returns. What is the Green Development Inc

The Welsh Government has launched the Ynni Cymru Capital Grant Funding Programme 2026–2027, offering substantial funding to support renewable energy and smart local energy systems across Wales. For organisations looking to reduce energy costs, improve sustainability, and invest in technologies like solar PV, battery storage, and heat pumps — this is one of the most significant funding opportunities currently available. What is the Ynni Cymru Capital Grant? The Ynni Cymru prog

Reduce Farm Energy Costs with Solar Farming businesses across Wales are facing rising energy costs, tighter margins, and increasing pressure to reduce emissions. Solar PV is one of the most effective ways to improve farm profitability while future-proofing your operation. The Sustainable Agriculture Loan Scheme (SALS) is designed to help farms invest in exactly these kinds of improvements—providing affordable finance to support energy efficiency, renewable energy, and product

Looking to Cut Energy Costs with Solar? Rising energy prices are putting pressure on businesses across Wales. Investing in solar PV and energy efficiency is one of the most effective ways to reduce operating costs and protect your business from future price volatility. The Green Business Loan Scheme makes that transition more accessible—combining expert guidance, grant support, and affordable finance to help you install solar and other low-carbon technologies. What is the Gre

If you’ve got solar panels, you might be wondering whether a hot water diverter still makes sense. The answer has changed in recent years. It used to be a clear “yes”. Now, it depends heavily on how you heat your water and how your tariff works. What does a diverter actually do? A hot water diverter takes surplus solar electricity and sends it to your immersion heater, storing energy as hot water instead of exporting it. This was very effective when export payments were tiny.

If you're considering solar panels in Wales, the Green Homes Wales scheme could help make your installation far more affordable. The programme supports homeowners looking to improve their property’s energy efficiency by offering interest-free loans for renewable energy and home upgrades. This means technologies like solar panels, battery storage and heat pumps can be installed without paying the full cost upfront. For many Welsh households, it provides a practical way to redu

We review the cheapest and most competitive energy tariffs available in Wales. Last updated: 17th March 2026 Notes: Several supplier's tariffs aren’t available right now due to global energy prices changing quickly. During this time, most only able to offer a limited selection of tariffs. We’ll update this page with the latest available tariffs at our next monthly update. As of 1st March 2026, Octopus has reduced their export rates from 15p/kWh to 12p/kWh. Choosing the right

Investing in solar is only the first step. To maximum your financial return, it is important to optimise how and when you use (or export) the electricity you generate. Below is a practical guide to help you increase self-consumption, reduce grid reliance, and make the most of electricity tariffs. 1. Master Load Shifting Load shifting means moving electricity use to periods when your solar system is producing power (typically 10am–4pm). Every kilowatt-hour (kWh) you use direct

For many households, installing solar panels and battery storage is one of the largest investments they will make in their home after the property itself. Yet too often, decisions are driven by headline pricing rather than lifetime performance. Across Swansea and South Wales, we repeatedly see the same avoidable mistakes. Most are not dramatic errors — they are small design compromises that quietly erode returns over 20–25 years. Here is what to avoid. 1. Not Treating Solar a

Getting solar installed is a bit like getting married – ideally, you only plan to do it once. Once the panels are on the roof, they are there for decades. A little careful thought at the beginning can make the difference between a system that simply exists and one that genuinely works hard for your home in Swansea or across South Wales. 1. Choose the Right Solar Installer in Swansea The most important decision is not the panels. It is the installer. A good residential solar i

If you have the cash available for a solar-and-battery system, life is simple: you buy it, install it, and start saving (and exporting) straight away. But plenty of households want the benefits of solar without a large lump-sum payment. The good news is that the market has matured to the point where there are now multiple routes to fund a home solar solution—some sensible, some best avoided. This guide sets out the main financing options, how they typically work, and what to

Government schemes to help with funding the installation of solar panels and battery storage in Wales currently include Green Homes Wales, Nest, ECO4 and its replacement the Warm Homes Plan. Note: The ECO4 scheme is ending at the end of 2026 and is being replaced by the Warm Homes Plan. We will update this article when more information becomes available. In the meantime, it may be worth still enquiring with your energy supplier whether they still have ECO4 funding available.