Can solar panels cool my home?
Did you know solar panels can do more than cut your electricity bill? They can help keep your home more comfortable in hot UK summers too.
The great thing about solar is that it often generates the most power at the exact time you need cooling most, on bright, sunny days. That means your panels can help cover some, or in the right conditions even all, of the electricity your cooling system uses during the day.
Powering air con units
UK summers are getting hotter, so it’s no surprise that demand for air con units has skyrocketed in recent weeks. AC usage has risen 90% in the UK over the past two years.
But cooling takes energy. The good news is that air conditioning can work well alongside solar panels and battery storage, helping to reduce the amount of electricity you need to buy from the grid to keep your home cool.
Although every system is different, a typical home air conditioning unit may use somewhere between 500W and 2,000W of electricity, depending on it size, the room being cooled and how hard it is working. According to Ember Energy, a typical UK home with solar panels powered the equivalent of over five hours of air conditioning per day during the June heatwave.
During a bright day, solar panels can often produce enough electricity to offset most or even all of that. If you also have a battery storage system, any surplus electricity generated during the day can be stored for later use, helping to keep your home cooler in the evening.
This is especially useful in rooms that tend to hold heat, such as loft conversions, bedrooms, garden offices and south-facing spaces. Instead of feeling guilty about switching the cooling on, a well-designed solar and battery system can help you use more of your own clean energy when comfort matters most.
Battery storage helps after sunset
A battery stores spare solar electricity generated during daylight hours, so you can use more of your own energy later on to keep your cool home during those hot nights, instead of relying on peak-time grid electricity.
For some households, that might mean running cooling for a short period before bed. For others, it may mean keeping everyday appliances going while still making the most of the electricity their panels produced earlier in the day.
Solar panels shade your roof
As a useful side benefit, solar panels can also help reduce heat gain through your roof. On-roof solar panels intercept sunlight before it reaches the roofing material below. The panels absorb and convert part of that energy, while the gap beneath a properly mounted array allows moving air to carry away some of the remaining heat.
A 2024 study looked at what might happen if rooftops in London had full rooftop solar coverage during the unusually hot summer of 2018. Researchers estimated an average citywide temperature reduction of about 0.5°F and calculated that 96 heat-related deaths, or 12% of the estimated total, might have been avoided.
That does not mean solar panels replace good insulation, ventilation or sensible shading – but they can form part of a more comfortable, lower-carbon home. When paired with smart energy habits, solar can help you stay cooler in summer and make better use of the electricity your home is already generating.
Thinking about solar for a cooler home?
Every home is different, so the best solar setup depends on your roof, your energy use and how you want to live day to day. Our team can design a system that helps you cut your bills, use more of your own clean energy and feel more comfortable at home through the warmer months.
If you are considering solar panels, battery storage or a combined system, we are always happy to offer straightforward advice with no pressure and no jargon.
Call us on 0800 802 1116 or email info@eerenewables.co.uk
