Solar Panel Installation in Hampshire
MCS-certified solar PV, designed around your roof and the way you use energy
Energy bills have risen sharply, and more Hampshire households now want to generate their own electricity. We handle solar panel installation in Hampshire end to end: an engineer visits the property, assesses the roof and works out how much power you actually use, then we design a system around the building and your budget rather than a standard package.
Solar PV panels use semi-conductive silicon cells that generate electricity whenever daylight reaches them, so they still produce on overcast days — just less than in full sun. A typical domestic installation is around ten panels at roughly 355W each, with an inverter converting the DC electricity the panels produce into the AC electricity your home runs on.
Electricity you generate but do not use can be stored in a battery for the evening, or exported back to the grid for payment under the Smart Export Guarantee. Which of those makes more sense depends on when you are at home and how much you use through the day — which is precisely what the survey establishes.
As MCS-certified solar panel installers in Hampshire we work for homes and businesses across the county, from a single domestic roof to larger commercial arrays, and we carry out the survey, design, fitting and aftercare ourselves rather than subcontracting the work out.
Why Choose Rawlings Renewables for Solar Panels
Our Solar Panel Installation Process
Free survey and roof assessment
An engineer visits, measures the roof and checks its pitch, orientation and shading, along with the condition of the covering and your existing electrics. We look at recent bills too, so the design starts from what you actually use.
System design and quotation
We size the array and inverter around that survey, model the likely generation for your roof, and set out whether battery storage is worth adding. You get a written quote with the specification and timescales, with no obligation.
Installation and MCS commissioning
Our own engineers fit the panels, inverter and any battery, then test and commission the system. We issue the MCS certificate you need to apply for Smart Export Guarantee payments, and notify your network operator.
Aftercare and monitoring
We show you how to read the monitoring so you can see what the system is producing. Solar needs very little attention once it is running, but you have a local team to call when it does.
Solar Battery Storage
A battery stores the electricity your panels generate during the day so you can use it in the evening, rather than exporting it and buying electricity back later at a higher rate. Whether one is worth adding depends on how much you use and when — a household that is out all day benefits more than one already using most of its generation as it is produced. We size storage alongside the array at the design stage and show both options in the quote, so you can see the difference before committing to either.
Solar Panels and Heat Pumps
Solar works particularly well alongside a heat pump. A heat pump runs on electricity, so generating your own on the roof offsets part of what it costs to run, and if you are considering both it is worth planning them together so the array can be sized with that demand in mind. We fit air source heat pump installation for most properties and ground source heat pumps where there is land for the loops, and we look after existing systems of any make with heat pump servicing and maintenance. On new-build schemes we also provide renewable solutions for developers.
Planning, Export Payments and Accreditation
Most domestic solar installations are permitted development, but conditions and exclusions apply. The Planning Portal sets out the current rules, and we check them against your property at the survey. To be paid for the electricity you export you need an MCS-certified installation — the scheme is run by MCS, and the payments themselves come from your electricity supplier under Ofgem’s Smart Export Guarantee. Our workmanship is separately covered by an insurance-backed QANW guarantee.
Areas We Cover
Hampshire is our base and most of our solar work sits within it — Basingstoke, Winchester, Alton, Farnham and the villages around them. We also take on projects in West Sussex, Surrey and Berkshire where the scope suits. You can see the full list on our renewable energy installations in Hampshire page, or call and we will tell you straight whether your postcode is one we cover.
MCS certified
Every install is certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme — the requirement for Smart Export Guarantee payments.
QANW members
Insurance-backed guarantees underwrite our workmanship, so cover survives whatever happens to us.
Part of Rawlings Fuels
Thirty years of keeping Hampshire homes warm sits behind the renewables division.
Frequently asked questions about solar panels
Do I need planning permission for solar panels?
Usually not — most domestic roof installations fall under permitted development. Conditions and exclusions do apply, particularly for listed buildings, conservation areas and some roof positions, so we check the rules for your property at the survey.
Why does MCS certification matter?
MCS certification is required to be eligible for Smart Export Guarantee payments for the electricity you export to the grid. Every system we fit is MCS certified.
What happens at the free survey?
One of our engineers visits, assesses the roof and works out how much electricity you use. We then design a system to suit the property and your budget, and send you a written quote.
Is a battery worth adding?
It depends on your pattern of use. If you are out during the day and want to use your own solar power in the evening, a battery lets you do that instead of exporting it. We model both options in the quote.
What if your company stops trading?
We are QANW members, so our workmanship is covered by an insurance-backed guarantee that remains valid independently of us.
Explore our other services
Air Source
Heat from the outside air
Learn more →Ground Source
Steady warmth from the ground
Learn more →Swimming Pool
Extend your swim season
Learn more →Servicing
Maintenance for any make
Learn more →Air Conditioning
Cooling & winter heating
Learn more →Developers
Heat pumps for new builds
Learn more →HVO Fuel
Low-carbon heating oil
Learn more →Interested in solar panels?
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