Is Your Flat Roof Ready For Solar Panels?

Daniel Bracewell • 31 July 2024

They say ‘Fix the roof when the sun is shining’, but notwithstanding the lack of sunshine so far this summer, there will now be an extra reason to fix the roof before the sun shines.

A sturdy flat roof may host a solar panel to help you generate some of your own domestic energy and save bills. Many people have taken advantage of government schemes and incentives in the past to do this, but now the newly-elected labour government is to introduce an initiative of its own.

This means if your flat roof needs fixing to enable it to support a solar installation, now could be a great time to have this done.

The centrepiece of the new government’s energy policy is the creation of a body called ‘Great British Energy’. One of its tasks is to help fulfil the government’s stated ambition for Britain to become a “green energy superpower,” which involves a vast increase in clean energy output, including a target of trebling solar energy.

One of the ways this can happen is through a £6.6 billion Warm Homes Plan. This will offer grants and low-interest loans for a range of home improvements to cut energy bills. As well as insulation, it will include green energy installations such as rooftop solar panels.

While that may mean panels on sloping roofs for some, others may find their flat roof is their best or only option for a solar panel installation.

The growth in renewable installations has already been rapid, with renewables certification body MCS noting that in 2023, there were more small-scale renewable installations fitted in the UK than in any previous year and a third more than in 2022.

It may be that right now your flat roof is not in a suitable state to join this revolution. But with the right repairs, it could be - and you could enjoy lower bills as a result.

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Can You Install Solar Panels On A Flat Roof?

by Daniel Bracewell • 10 December 2025

If you’re exploring how to lower your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint, you may be looking at the likes of solar panels for your home. But what if your property has a flat roof rather than a pitched roof? Can you still install solar panels on a flat roof? The short answer is yes, you can! In fact, it is often easier to install solar panels on a flat roof than it is to fit them to a sloped roof, which might make this an even more appealing avenue to explore when you’re looking at flat roof ideas . In many cases, you also don’t need planning permission to install solar panels on your flat roof. Of course, there are exceptions if you have a listed building or live in a conservation area, but if you own your house (different rules apply for flats too), you should be free to add solar panels to your home as you choose. There are different kinds of mounting systems for flat roof solar panels and which is most appropriate for your home will depend on the direction it faces. It is worth noting that the cost of installing solar panels is often higher on flat roofs because of the mounting system, but some of this can be offset by the lower labour costs because the installation process is usually more straightforward. One of the main reasons homeowners install solar panels is to reduce their energy bills. Many report savings of hundreds of pounds each year, which means these panels often pay for themselves relatively quickly. What’s more, under the Smart Export Guarantee , you can sell any energy you don’t use back to the National Grid, which can increase the rate at which your investment in solar panels pays for itself. So, if you are exploring ways to make the most of your flat roof, consider solar panels as an option to reduce your energy bills and do good for the environment.