Renewable energy

Solar panels are the most common domestic renewable energy source in the UK, which capture energy from the sun and convert it into electricity (photovoltaic) or heat (thermal). You could install ground-mounted or building-mounted solar panels.

Savings will depend on:

• what times of the day you use energy
• how much you use
• if you have a battery installed with the system

However, the long-term savings will help to recover the cost of installation.

An assessment is required by an installer to find out if your home is viable for solar. You can check if your home is eligible by using the Energy Saving Trust’s solar calculator.

Visit the Energy Saving Trust’s website for further information on:

• solar PV panels
• solar thermal panels

Installing solar panels

Our website provides information on planning permission to install solar panels.

Switch Together Solar 

Solihull Council has partnered with iChoosr Ltd, who are independent experts in group-buying, to bring Switch Together Solar to homeowners. 

Switch Together Solar - West Midlands is an innovative group buying scheme offering high-quality solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and battery storage at a competitive price.

Register with Switch Together Solar

Air source heat pumps are an energy-efficient and cost-effective solution to heat and cool homes and provide hot water.

They extract heat from outside air to pump into your central heating system and can even generate heat when outside temperatures are as low as -15°C, meaning they work all-year round. 

You could be eligible for a heat pump grant, with details on our energy efficiency grants webpage.

Our website provides information on planning permission to install heat pumps.

Visit the Energy Saving Trust’s website for further information on heat pumps.

As the name suggests, a ground-source heat pump draws energy from the ground.

They can be up to 50% more efficient than air source pumps as the ground maintains a relatively constant temperature all-year round.

You could be eligible for a grant to pay for a heat pump, with details on our energy efficiency grants webpage.

Our website provides information on planning permission to install heat pumps.

Visit the Energy Saving Trust’s website for further information on heat pumps.

When wind spins the wind turbine's blades, a rotor captures the wind’s kinetic energy and converts it into energy to use in your home.

Some micro wind turbines can be fitted onto buildings, although not all locations are suitable for installation.

Our website provides information on planning permission to install micro wind turbines.

Visit the Energy Saving Trust’s website for further information on wind turbines.

Energy storage systems allow you to capture heat or electricity from renewable sources to be used at a later point, saving you money on your bills and reducing emissions.

Visit the Energy Saving Trust’s website for further information on energy storage.

An air-to-air heat pump is an electric heating and cooling system that extracts thermal energy from outdoor air and blows it directly into your home via indoor fan units. 

It bypasses water entirely, acting as a highly efficient alternative to traditional radiators and providing both warmth and air conditioning.

How it works

Unlike standard boilers that generate heat by burning fossil fuels, heat pumps move existing heat using a vapor compression cycle.

• Heating: an outdoor unit absorbs heat from the outside air and transfers it into a liquid refrigerant. This refrigerant is compressed into a hot gas and sent to indoor units, which blow the warmed air into your living spaces.
• Cooling: the process reverses, capturing heat from inside your home and directing it outdoors like a standard air conditioning unit.

Installation

You may need planning permission to install heat pumps.

To see if you're eligible for a grant to pay for a heat pump, please refer to energy efficiency grants.

More information about heat pumps is available on the Energy Saving Trust website.