Solar for homes
Solar Panel Installation for UK Homes | MCS-Certified | Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy is an MCS-certified solar panel installer serving Lancashire, Greater Manchester and the wider North West. We supply and install DMEGC 465W TOPCon panels with Fox ESS hybrid inverters — fixed-price packages from £5,999 including battery storage and 0% VAT. Free survey. MCS certificate included. Smart Export Guarantee-eligible on all systems.
- MCS Certified
- TrustMark Registered
- NICEIC Approved
- 0% VAT
- Up to 30-year warranty
Why solar now
Electricity bills have doubled since 2020. Solar hasn't.
The average UK electricity bill hit £1,700/year in 2024 — up from around £700 in 2020. Bills have come down slightly from their peak, but remain roughly double what they were four years ago. The volatility isn't going away.
A properly sized solar and battery system can cover 60–70% of a typical household's electricity use. At current rates, that's £900–£1,200/year off your bills — and unlike your tariff, that saving doesn't fluctuate with the market. See are solar panels worth it in the UK for a full breakdown.
Solar panel prices have fallen by around 90% in the past decade. Payback periods that once stretched to 15 years now typically run 7–10 years — or as low as 5–6 with the right battery setup and smart tariff. After payback, the electricity is effectively free. Compare current prices in our cost of solar panels UK guide, or check if you qualify for free solar panels under the Warm Homes Plan.
of typical household electricity use covered
typical payback (5–6 yrs with battery)
average annual bill saving at 2024 rates
How it works
A complete system, across a typical day.
Solar panels don't need direct sunlight — they generate from daylight. Here's how each part of the system pulls its weight.
Daytime — panels generate
Your panels convert daylight into DC electricity. The inverter converts this to AC, powering your appliances directly. Excess charges your battery.
Evening — battery covers demand
When the sun goes down, your home draws from the battery charged earlier. A well-sized system typically covers evening usage in full.
Overnight — smart top-up
If the battery runs low, the Levelise Hub tops it up from the grid during the cheapest hours — typically 11pm–5am on smart tariffs like Octopus Intelligent.
Surplus — you earn from exports
Anything you can't store or use is exported. Under the Smart Export Guarantee, suppliers pay 4–15p/kWh for every unit. MCS-certified installs qualify from day one.
SEG payments require an MCS-certified installation. All Alliant systems qualify from day one.
Solar Panel Packages — Fixed Prices, 0% VAT
Special offer
Domestic solar packages.
Fixed-price, fully-installed solar + battery bundles featuring Fox ESS hybrid inverters, DMEGC panels and the Levelise Hub — making your batteries work smarter for longer.
Solar Package 1
- 12 × DMEGC 465w Panels
- Fox Hybrid Inverter 3.7kW
- 11kWh Battery Pack
- Levelise Hub included
Solar Package 2
- 8 × DMEGC 465w Panels
- Fox Hybrid Inverter 3.7kW
- 5.76kWh Battery Pack
- Levelise Hub included
Solar Package 3
- 6 × DMEGC 465w Panels
- Fox Hybrid Inverter 3.7kW
- 5.76kWh Battery Pack
- Levelise Hub included
Every package includes
- Full installation by MCS-certified team
- Scaffolding to one elevation
- Levelise Hub — smart battery optimisation
- Remote monitoring & app access
- Zero VAT
What's Included in Every Alliant Solar Installation
- Full installation by MCS-certified engineers
- Scaffolding to one elevation
- Levelise Hub — smart battery optimisation
- Remote monitoring via app
- DNO application handled by Alliant
- Zero VAT (0%) at point of sale
- NICEIC sign-off and full commissioning
Packages are our most popular configurations. If your home needs something different — more panels, a larger battery, or a different inverter — we'll design it to fit. Custom systems priced individually.
The technology
Premium components. The right ones.
We don't sell budget solar and we don't upsell unnecessarily. Every component is tested against UK conditions — variable daylight, cold winters, and 25+ years of reliable performance.
DMEGC Solar Panels
DMEGC manufactures panels for Bosch, Panasonic, and major UK brands under OEM contracts. Their 465W monocrystalline panels deliver top-tier efficiency with low degradation.
- 21.4% efficiency — top tier for UK residential
- 0.45%/year degradation
- Bifacial option available
- Sleek all-black aesthetics
Fox ESS Hybrid Inverter
Manages solar generation, battery charging/discharging, and grid import/export in a single unit. Sized for typical UK domestic loads and fully time-of-use tariff compatible.
- Hybrid: solar + battery in one unit
- AC coupling for battery retrofit
- Octopus Intelligent, Agile & Go ready
- 10-year warranty
Levelise Hub
Our smart battery management controller, included with every package. It learns your usage, monitors SEG rates in real time, and decides when to store, use or sell electricity for maximum financial benefit.
- Real-time SEG rate monitoring
- Smart tariff integration
- Learns your household patterns
- App monitoring from anywhere
The Levelise Hub is what separates a passive solar install from an active energy management system. Most systems just store what they generate. This one optimises for profit.
Perlight panels — premium alternative
For customers who want the best available panel with the longest warranty, we also supply and install Perlight — one of the top performers in UK conditions, with a 30-year product and performance warranty. Priced on a custom-quote basis.
The financial case
Where does the money go? Here's the maths.
Worked example: Package 2 (8 panels, 5.76 kWh battery), typical 3-bed in Lancashire.
| Metric | Year 1 | Year 5 | Year 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual generation (estimated) | ~3,150 kWh | ~3,080 kWh | ~2,985 kWh |
| Bill saving (at 24p/kWh — self-consumed) | ~£550 | ~£540 | ~£525 |
| SEG earnings (at 7p/kWh — exported) | ~£130 | ~£127 | ~£123 |
| Smart tariff overnight saving | ~£120 | ~£120 | ~£120 |
| Total annual benefit | ~£800 | ~£787 | ~£768 |
| Cumulative total | £800 | ~£3,985 | ~£7,825 |
Payback notes
Approximate payback on a £6,999 Package 2 system: ~8.7 years.
- If electricity prices rise (historically they do), payback shortens.
- A smart tariff like Octopus Intelligent adds meaningful overnight savings.
- After payback, every year of generation is effectively free electricity.
Smart Export Guarantee, explained
The SEG requires all UK energy suppliers with 150,000+ customers to offer a tariff for electricity you export. You can't earn from SEG without an MCS install — Alliant installs qualify from day one.
Current rates: 4p/kWh (Octopus Energy) to 15p/kWh (E.ON Next and others). Worth reviewing tariffs annually.
Conservative estimates based on current OFGEM rates and a 40% self-consumption rate. Actual savings depend on when you use electricity. Our engineers walk you through a personalised projection during your quote.
Who is solar right for?
Not every home is ideal for solar. Here's how to tell.
| Factor | Good fit | Worth discussing | Potential challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roof orientation | South, south-east, south-west | East or west facing | North facing (may still work) |
| Roof pitch | 15–50° | 10–15° or 50–60° | Flat roof (specialist mount) |
| Roof condition | Replaced in last 15 years | Older but structurally sound | Needs replacement — do that first |
| Shading | No overshadowing | Partial shading (afternoon) | Heavy shading (micro-inverters may help) |
| Annual electricity spend | £1,000+/year | £700–£1,000/year | Below £700/year (longer payback) |
| Home ownership | Owner-occupier | Leaseholder (check lease terms) | Tenant (landlord permission needed) |
| EV or heat pump | Yes — significantly boosts ROI | Planning to get one | Neither — still worthwhile, longer payback |
We'll tell you directly if we don't think solar is the right fit for your home. A system that doesn't work well for you isn't good for anyone.
Case studies
What our customers say.
Hundreds of homeowners across the North West and beyond. Here are a few examples.
3-bed semi, Lancashire
- System
- 8 × DMEGC 465W panels + 5.76 kWh battery (Package 2)
- Before
- £1,450/year electricity bills, standard variable tariff
- After
- ~£620/year — saving £830/year from bill reduction and SEG earnings
"We were sceptical about the payback period. Alliant walked us through the numbers in detail and we've been pleasantly surprised — we're generating more than the estimate most months."
4-bed detached, Yorkshire
- System
- 12 × DMEGC 465W panels + 11 kWh battery + EV charger (Package 1 + charger)
- Before
- £2,100/year electricity bills; £1,800/year petrol
- After
- Solar covers ~72% of home electricity + most EV charging overnight via Octopus Intelligent
"The Levelise Hub is brilliant — it charges the car for about 3p/kWh overnight. The system has basically replaced two bills with one small direct debit."
New build, 3-bed, Greater Manchester
- System
- 6 × DMEGC 465W + 5.76 kWh battery (Package 3)
- Before
- Developer quote for solar was £9,500. Alliant installed equivalent spec for £5,999.
- After
- Bills reduced by ~£500/year. System paid off £2,500 faster than expected.
"We had quotes from three installers. Alliant came in cleanest on price, explained everything without jargon, and were done in one day."
We can connect you with previous customers for direct references. Ask during your quote consultation.
Our process
From first call to first kilowatt.
Typical total time from quote to live system: 4–8 weeks (depending on DNO turnaround).
Quote (1 working day)
Tell us about your home and usage. Within one working day we send a detailed, fixed-price proposal with estimated generation, savings, and payback. No obligation.
Survey (free)
An engineer visits to confirm roof suitability, orientation, cable routing, and any structural considerations. We finalise the design and confirm your quote.
DNO Application
We handle the Distribution Network Operator application. Typically 10–20 working days. We keep you updated throughout.
Installation (1–2 days)
Our MCS-certified team erects scaffolding, fits the panels, connects the inverter and battery, and commissions the system. Site left clean.
MCS Certificate
Issued within days of commissioning. You need it to register for SEG payments and access government grants.
Register for SEG
We guide you through applying to your supplier for Smart Export Guarantee payments. Most suppliers process within 10–15 working days.
Why Alliant Energy
Solar Panel Installation in Lancashire and Greater Manchester
Based in Nelson, Lancashire. We install solar, battery storage, heat pumps, and EV charging. One standard: MCS certification on everything — the qualification that gets you SEG payments, government grant eligibility, and warranties that are actually valid.
We use our own teams. We don't broker jobs to subcontractors. The team that designs your system installs it, and is accountable if something needs attention afterwards.
TrustMark-registered and NICEIC-approved — additional oversight and consumer protection on top of MCS.
We speak to homeowners as engineers, not salespeople. If a system won't pay back in a reasonable timeframe for your situation, we'll tell you.
| Accreditation | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| MCS Certified | Qualifies your system for SEG payments and government grants. Required for Warm Homes Plan eligibility. |
| TrustMark Registered | Government-endorsed quality standard. Adds a formal complaints process and consumer protection. |
| NICEIC Approved | Electrical installation quality and safety. NICEIC-approved contractors are inspected annually. |
| HIES Member | Home Insulation and Energy Systems scheme — dispute resolution and deposit protection. |
| Mitsubishi Ecodan Partner | Approved installer for Mitsubishi heat pumps — relevant if you combine solar with a heat pump. |
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions About Solar Panels
Three ways to get started
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