Heat Pumps

Pairing solar panels with a heat pump is the closest most homes get to running heating, cooling and hot water on sunshine. A heat pump moves heat rather than burning fuel, so it's efficient — but it's also an electrical load, and a big one in winter, exactly when solar output is lowest. That tension is the whole story.

This hub explains how the two technologies fit together, independently and without a sales agenda. The aim is a realistic view of when the combination shines and when it needs help from the grid.

Where solar and a heat pump meet

A heat pump turns each unit of electricity into several units of heat, which makes solar electricity go a long way in the shoulder seasons. In deep winter, though, demand peaks while production dips, so the pairing rarely means "free heat" year-round. Our guide on solar panels with a heat pump covers sizing, seasonal balance and what to expect from your bills.

Planning the whole home

If you're electrifying heating, it usually pays to plan the solar array, the heat pump and any storage together rather than bolting one onto the other. Sized as a system, they cut both your fuel bills and your grid dependence; sized in isolation, you can end up over-producing in summer and under-covered in winter. Read this before committing to either half.