Can Solar Panels Power a Heat Pump? Norfolk’s 2025 Homeowner Guide
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Why homeowners are asking this in 2025
Heat pumps have moved from niche to mainstream. Backed by the UK’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which provides grants of up to £7,500 toward installation, thousands of homes across Norfolk and the wider region are swapping gas boilers for electrically driven air-source or ground-source heat pumps. At the same time, solar panels have become one of the most common home upgrades. Put the two trends together and the obvious question appears: can solar panels power a heat pump?
The short answer is yes, solar can materially reduce the electricity bills of a heat pump household. The longer, more useful answer is that the result depends on roof size, panel count, battery storage, and day to day habits across the seasons. This guide explains how the pairing works, what to expect in summer and winter, how batteries and smart tariffs change the picture, and what a realistic Norfolk case study looks like in 2025. The goal is simple, practical clarity instead of hype.
How heat pumps work: electricity profiles explained
A heat pump moves heat rather than creating it from scratch. A compressor and a refrigerant circuit collect low grade heat from the air or ground, then lift it to a useful temperature for radiators, underfloor heating, and hot water. That physics is why heat pumps are efficient. For every 1 kWh of electricity consumed, an air-source heat pump can deliver roughly 3 to 4 kWh of heat output. The ratio is called the Coefficient of Performance, usually shortened to COP.
Efficiency does not mean zero electricity use. A typical three bedroom house with an air-source heat pump may consume 4,000 to 6,000 kWh of electricity each year for heating and hot water. That is on top of the usual household consumption, often around 3,000 kWh for appliances and lighting. Ground-source heat pumps often draw a little more electricity to run pumps, but they can achieve higher seasonal efficiencies because the ground is warmer than winter air.
The usage profile is different to a boiler. Rather than short bursts of high heat, a heat pump prefers longer, steadier runs at a lower flow temperature. That smooth electrical draw is both an opportunity and a challenge for solar. It is an opportunity because steady day time heating overlaps with solar generation. It is a challenge because evening heating needs power when the sun is down. The answer, as you will see, is storage and tariffs.
How solar panels generate power in the UK
Modern photovoltaic panels generate electricity whenever daylight hits them. Despite the jokes about British weather, the UK sees roughly 900 to 1,200 kWh per installed kilowatt peak each year, depending on region and roof specifics. Norfolk sits toward the sunnier end thanks to big skies and relatively low shading.
A common domestic array of 4 kWp, about 10 to 12 panels, generates around 3,500 to 4,000 kWh per year. Larger roofs can host 6 to 8 kWp, producing up to about 7,500 kWh annually. Output peaks in spring and summer and dips in winter. That seasonal pattern is why batteries and time of use tariffs make the pairing with a heat pump much more effective. In short, solar provides the energy, and controls decide when and how you use it.
Can solar realistically run a heat pump year-round?
In midsummer, yes, a decent array can cover a heat pump’s needs and still export surplus. In midwinter, no, short days and high heat demand mean you will import electricity from the grid. The point is not perfection, it is impact. Even offsetting 30 to 60 percent of a heat pump’s annual consumption with solar can transform bills and carbon.
For example, consider a family whose heat pump consumes 5,000 kWh each year. A 6 kWp solar system that produces around 6,000 kWh could feasibly offset half the load once you add a battery that shifts energy to the evening. The actual number depends on habits and tariff choices. The practical mindset is simple, let solar do the heavy lifting in spring and summer, trim imports in autumn and winter, and use a battery to smooth the edges every day.
Seasonal performance: summer surplus vs winter demand
Seasonality is the heart of the question. In June, a Norfolk roof might generate 25 to 30 kWh per day from a 6 kWp system, easily covering hot water and light space heating if you need it, with enough left to run appliances. In December, that same roof may manage only 5 to 6 kWh on an average day, while the heat pump needs 20 to 30 kWh. You will import in winter, and that is fine. The goal is to bank strong summer savings, harvest shoulder season gains, and limit winter exposure to peak tariffs.
Batteries change how seasonal gaps feel. By storing day time generation for evening use, they keep the heat pump drawing from your own power for longer, especially in autumn and spring. Smart controls help too. Preheating the home slightly during sunny hours or raising hot water set points when the array is generating are simple ways to pull more useful work from each kilowatt.
The role of solar batteries with heat pumps
Batteries turn a good pairing into a great one. Without storage, much of your midday solar is exported just as your heat pump ramps up in the evening. With a battery, that surplus is stored and used later, raising self consumption and cutting imports. A 10 to 12 kWh battery is a common sweet spot for heat pump households, big enough to cover several hours of evening heating without spending days half full.
A hybrid inverter simplifies the design by managing panels, battery, and household loads in one unit. Apps show generation, charging state and consumption, so you can see in real time how much of your heat is coming from your roof. Norfolk homes with air-source heat pumps and batteries often report self consumption rates of 60 to 75 percent, compared with 30 to 40 percent without storage. The difference is the battery doing quiet work in the background.
If you want a primer on storage options, sizes and warranties, the Wise Green Energy Solar Battery page covers practical details and integration considerations.
Costs, grants, and incentives (Boiler Upgrade Scheme, SEG, VAT relief)
Total project cost depends on system size and brand choices. As a guide in 2025:
- A 6 kWp solar PV system typically costs £7,000 to £9,000.
- A 10 to 12 kWh battery adds about £5,000 to £7,000.
- An air-source heat pump usually runs £10,000 to £13,000 before grants.
Grants and policy support take the sting out. The UK’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers grants toward heat pumps. Details and eligibility are set out by the government, and the application is managed through your installer. Export payments are available through the Smart Export Guarantee, which pays you for each kilowatt hour exported, provided you register with a supplier and meet the scheme requirements.
A note on VAT. The installation of qualifying energy saving materials, including domestic solar PV, heat pumps and from February 2024 electrical storage batteries, is zero rated for VAT in Great Britain until 31 March 2027. After that date the rate is set to revert to five percent. This temporary relief lowers the barrier (see HMRC VAT Notice 708/6) for households who want to adopt low carbon heating and generation together. Always ask your installer to itemise equipment and labour on quotes so the treatment is clear for your records.
When you combine those elements, a solar plus heat pump project becomes far more approachable. The up front cost falls, running costs drop, and the system pays you back over time.
Case study: a Norwich semi with solar plus air-source heat pump
The Johnson family in Norwich installed an air-source heat pump in 2023 using the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Their electricity use rose from roughly 3,200 kWh to about 7,800 kWh annually. To support the new load they commissioned a 6.5 kWp solar array in early 2024 and paired it with a 10 kWh battery.
Over summer the array covered almost all hot water and light space heating, with exports earning SEG payments. In shoulder months the battery reduced peak imports by shifting day time generation into the evening. By the end of year one the household’s total electricity bill was around 40 percent lower than it would have been with the heat pump alone. Winter still involved imports, but the family described the overall effect as control and predictability rather than constant price anxiety.
Case study: a rural Norfolk bungalow with ground-source heat pump plus PV
Near Attleborough, a rural bungalow uses a ground-source heat pump that consumes around 6,500 kWh each year. In 2024 the owners installed an 8 kWp solar array across two barn roofs and added a 12 kWh battery. The system generates roughly 7,800 kWh per year, covering about half of total household demand.
In summer, hot water and most daytime use are covered by the array, with regular exports. In winter, the battery shaves peaks and the array still offsets a portion of the pump’s draw. Across the first full year the household estimates that solar supplied about 50 percent of their electricity, with the remainder imported. They still rely on the grid in December, but they now heat with sunshine for a large part of the year and enjoy far calmer bills.
Environmental benefits: emissions, EPC ratings, property value
A heat pump cuts emissions compared with a gas boiler because each unit of electricity delivers several units of heat. Add solar and your effective emissions drop further, because much of the electricity comes from your own roof rather than the grid. The Energy Saving Trust’s guidance on heat pumps sets out the efficiency story and the practical steps to get the best from a system in the UK -see here.
Homes that adopt both technologies often see improved EPC ratings, which now matter for sales and lettings. Buyers increasingly value lower running costs and modern heating. While property value effects vary by area, many studies show that visible renewable upgrades improve marketability, particularly when paperwork, monitoring apps and warranties are in good order.
Practical considerations: system sizing, inverters, and tariffs
A good design starts with data. Pull a year of half hourly electricity use if you can. Look at winter mornings and evenings, summer baselines, and weekend patterns. Match array size to annual demand rather than chasing a headline capacity. Oversizing slightly is fine if you have roof space, because surplus still earns through SEG payments. A hybrid inverter simplifies battery integration and monitoring.
Practical checklist for design success:
- Ask your installer to confirm the design flow temperature for the heat pump, the radiator upgrades if any, and the weather compensation settings that will let the system run steadily at lower temperatures.
- Confirm hot water production strategy, including legionella cycles, so these events can be scheduled when solar output is likely or when your time of use tariff is cheapest.
- If you have underfloor heating, make sure the controls are set to run continuously through cooler months without overshooting rooms, because heat pumps perform best at steady state.
- Tie these controls into the solar app so preheating nudges happen automatically when generation rises.
- Finally, think ahead. If you plan to buy an electric vehicle, specify an EV charger that can coordinate with your solar and battery so the car automatically charges on surplus generation or cheap night rates. If you are considering a future extension or a loft conversion, leave roof space free for an extra string of panels. Future proofing costs little at design stage and gives you options later without rework.
Tariffs matter. A time of use tariff lets you top up the battery cheaply overnight during winter, run the heat pump in the early morning, and let solar take over later. Simple automations handle most of this without daily tinkering. If you live in a conservation area, check the Planning Portal’s solar guidance to confirm any local limits. Most rooftop arrays are classed as permitted development when they meet straightforward rules on placement and projection.
Have a look through our other pages for more helpful info:
FAQs
Do solar panels generate enough in winter to run a heat pump?
Not fully. Winter days are short, and heat demand is high. Solar still offsets part of the load, and batteries plus time of use tariffs help you avoid peak prices.
How many panels do I need to support a heat pump?
For an annual heat pump load around 5,000 kWh, a 6 to 8 kWp array, about 15 to 20 modern panels, plus a battery is common. Exact sizing depends on roof space and habits.
Do I need a battery?
Not strictly, but without storage you will export midday solar just as the heat pump draws power in the evening. A 10 to 12 kWh battery raises self consumption and cuts imports.
Can I get grants for both?
Yes. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme supports heat pumps. Solar PV and qualifying storage benefit from zero rated VAT until 31 March 2027. Export payments are available through the Smart Export Guarantee once your system is registered and metered correctly.
Will solar and a heat pump increase property value?
Often yes, because they improve EPC scores and cut running costs. Buyers increasingly seek homes with lower energy bills and modern heating.
Will a heat pump overload my solar system?
No. Your home draws from solar first, then the battery, then the grid. A well designed system balances loads safely and automatically.
Do I need planning permission for solar?
Most rooftop arrays are permitted development if they meet limits on height and projection and are sited considerately. Check the Planning Portal for details, and speak to your installer if you are in a conservation area or a listed building.
What about noise and siting for an air-source heat pump?
Modern units are quiet and can be sited to respect neighbours. Your installer will consider clearances, airflow and vibration pads. Good design keeps sound levels low, especially on night settings.
FAQs
Ready to go: next steps with Wise Green Energy
If you already have a heat pump and want solar to support it, or if you plan to install both together, the next step is a proper design conversation. We will look at your usage data, roof, tariff and habits, then size a system that delivers value without fuss.
Contact Usto book a survey.
