Solar Panels, Battery Storage, & Smarter Home Energy
Welcome to the first edition of Energy Matters, the newsletter from IMS Heat Pumps.
From time to time, we’ll share useful updates, guides, recent projects and bits of industry news related to heat pumps, solar panels, and battery storage.
Our first edition is all about solar panels and battery storage. While many people know us for our heat pump installations, you might not know that we also design and install solar PV and battery storage systems for homes across the UK, including systems designed to work alongside heat pumps.
We’re bringing the same renewables know-how, attention to detail and high standards to our solar installations too, exactly as you’d expect from IMS.
In this edition:
- Solar is having a moment
- Try the Solar Panel Calculator
- Why combine solar with heat pumps?
- Jargon Buster: Smart Export Guarantee
- Recent installation spotlight: Cupar, Scotland
- Tesla Powerwall rebate extended
- Refer a Friend rewards
Solar is having a moment
Recent headlines have highlighted growing interest in solar panels and battery storage as homeowners look for ways to reduce reliance on rising electricity costs.
With energy bills predicted to rise again this summer, including forecasts of a potential 13% increase in the next energy price cap, more homeowners are now exploring ways to generate and store more of their own electricity at home. Ofgem’s current energy price cap for a typical household is £1,641 per year.
Battery storage is also becoming increasingly popular, allowing households to store excess solar electricity generated during the day and use it later in the evening.
While no technology can completely remove exposure to changing energy prices, solar panels and battery storage can help households make better use of the energy they generate themselves.
Get in touch
Request a Solar and Battery Storage Quotation
Try the Solar Panel Calculator
If you’re wondering whether solar panels could work for your home, the Energy Saving Trust has a really useful free calculator that estimates:
- Potential electricity bill savings
- Installation costs
- Recommended system size
- Carbon savings
It only takes a couple of minutes to complete and is a great starting point for homeowners beginning their research.
➡️ Try the Solar Panel Calculator
Why do people combine solar and battery storage with heat pumps?
One of the most common questions we get asked is whether solar panels and battery storage can work alongside a heat pump. The answer, in short – yes!
Solar panels can help offset some of the electricity used by a heat pump, while battery storage allows homeowners to store excess electricity generated during the day and use it later in the evening.
Together, heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage can form one complete home energy system designed to improve efficiency and reduce reliance on grid electricity. Or, put more simply: your roof helps power your heating system as well as sheltering it from the rain.
We recently wrote a simple guide explaining how these technologies can work together.
➡️ Read our guide to combining solar, battery storage, and heat pumps.
We’ve also put together a handy list of Frequently Asked Questions about Solar & Battery Storage.
➡️ Read our Solar & Battery FAQs
Jargon Buster: What is the Smart Export Guarantee?
You may have heard this term mentioned when people talk about solar, but what actually is the Smart Export Guarantee?
The Smart Export Guarantee, or SEG, allows eligible homeowners with solar panels to receive payments from energy suppliers for excess electricity exported back to the grid.
In other words, if your system generates more electricity than your home is using, you may be able to get paid for exporting the surplus energy rather than letting it go to waste.
And frankly, if your roof is producing electricity for free, it may as well start pulling its weight financially too.
MoneySavingExpert also has a useful guide comparing some of the current SEG tariffs available in the UK:
➡️ Compare Smart Export Guarantee tariffs
Recent Installation Spotlight: Cupar, Scotland
We recently completed this renewable energy installation for a new-build home in Cupar, Scotland, featuring in-roof solar PV and battery storage, with a heat pump installation also planned as part of the wider home energy system.
The project includes:
- The project included:
- 16 x JA Solar 445W panels
- Tesla Powerwall 3
- Tesla Gateway
- In-roof solar PV system
Planned Heat Pump Installation:
- 5kW Vaillant air source heat pump
- 250L hot water cylinder
- 40L buffer vessel
Based on projected performance estimates, the solar PV system is expected to generate around 4,300 kWh of electricity per year, helping offset a significant proportion of the home’s annual electricity usage.
Once complete, the property will benefit from an integrated renewable energy system designed to help reduce reliance on imported grid electricity while making better use of the energy generated on site.
Combined with battery storage and the Smart Export Guarantee, systems like this can help homeowners make better use of the electricity they generate themselves, while reducing reliance on imported grid electricity.
➡️ Thinking about a similar project? Get in touch.
Tesla Powerwall rebate extended
Good news if you’re considering battery storage.
Tesla’s Powerwall rebate has been extended, meaning eligible homeowners can still claim up to £750 back when installing a Powerwall 3 system. Tesla’s current offer provides £375 per Powerwall 3 or Powerwall 3 Expansion, up to £750 total, as a virtual Visa Reward Card.
Key dates to be aware of:
- Order/request must be registered by 30 June 2026
- Installation must be completed by 31 August 2026
➡️ Get in touch about Tesla Powerwall systems
Tesla rebate subject to eligibility and promotional terms.
Refer a friend and earn rewards
If you know someone considering a heat pump, solar panels or battery storage, our Refer a Friend scheme could reward both of you.
You could receive:
- £150 for a heat pump referral
- £100 for a solar referral
- £75 for a battery storage referral
And your friend receives the same amount off their installation too.
There’s no cap on how much you can earn, and rewards can be taken as a Visa cash card or used against other IMS services, such as an annual service or additional installation.
➡️ Find out more about our Refer a Friend scheme.
Did you know?
IMS also designs and installs:
- Solar PV systems
- Battery storage systems
- Tesla Powerwall systems
- Heat pump + solar combinations
- Renewable energy systems for new builds, self-builds, renovations and existing homes
Our team takes a whole-home approach to renewable energy system design, helping homeowners create systems that work well together now and into the future.
Thinking about getting Solar and /or Battery Storage?
We’re always happy to answer your questions and point you in the right direction. No hard sell. No confusing jargon. Just honest advice and practical guidance from a team that genuinely knows its stuff.
Get in touch
Find out more about our services or request a quote.