- Project Solar UK tops our list of the best solar installers
- The company has been installing solar PV systems nationwide for 13 years
- Its lifetime guarantee is the best in the industry
Installers removing solar panels from a van – credit Project Solar
Midlands-based Project Solar UK provides and installs solar panels and solar storage batteries for residential and commercial clients across Britain.
Founded in 2011, the company is one of the UK’s largest and most experienced solar installers, and we also think it’s the best. Project Solar claimed the number one position in our roundup of the 12 best solar panel installers in the UK, excelling on several criteria including warranties, experience and customer feedback.
Project Solar installs two brands of solar panel – its own-brand Evo Super Max 455 panels and the SunPower Maxeon range – as well as solar roof tiles, solar batteries, home EV chargers and smart home systems.
In this review, our solar experts take a closer look at Project Solar UK’s services and panels, and reveal why we rank this company so highly.
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Project Solar UK overview
Project Solar is the UK’s largest solar installation company, claiming to have carried out more than 45,000 solar panel and battery installations since its launch in 2011. The firm says it has prevented the release of 150,000 tonnes of carbon by helping its customers slash their carbon footprint as well as their energy bills.
The Burton-based company boasts 11 industry accreditations from bodies including the Home Insulation & Energy Systems Quality Assured Contractors Scheme (HIES), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), National Association of Professional Inspectors and Testers (NAPIT) and Energy Performance Validation Scheme (EPVS). It’s also certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which is essential for UK solar panel installers.
Project Solar has won industry awards such as European/UK Inverter Installer of the Year from energy provider Growatt and Company of the Year 2018 at the Derby Telegraph Business Awards.
Project Solar only installs two brands of solar panel, but according to our research they are among the best you can buy. The company’s own Evo Super Max 455 panel had the best product warranty in our roundup of the best solar panels of 2024, while the SunPower Maxeon was our overall top choice thanks to its efficiency, reliability and eco-friendly credentials.
Evo Super Max panels come with a market-leading lifetime product guarantee, and all the panels Project Solar installs come with a 10-year labour warranty, which far exceeds the typical one or two years. We’ll go into more detail about Project Solar’s panels below.
The company also installs integrated solar panels and solar batteries, and is one of few nationwide solar installers to install solar roof tiles.
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Get startedWhat do Project Solar’s customers say?
Accreditation, experience and warranties are good indicators that you’re in good hands, but customer feedback is the single most powerful sign of an installer’s quality and dependability – and Project Solar’s feedback is superb.
At the time of writing, Project Solar has an average 4.7 (“excellent”) from more than 5,000 verified customer reviews on Trustpilot. Reviews repeatedly praise the company for fast work, good customer service and hassle-free installations. The Project Solar team responds to every review.
We were particularly impressed by the team’s prompt, gracious and clear responses to occasional complaints about costs and installation problems. Each reply offers the name and phone number of the relevant customer service team member so the customer can get in touch.
Here are a few representative reviews from the last few weeks:
“Outstanding experience from start to finish. Probably the best company (in any field) I have ever had to deal with. The configuration that they installed is generating more electricity than I had expected (and) we have been 99% self sufficient since” – M A Thompson, July 2024
“Installation was completed on the due date within five hours. Fitters and electrician were quick, clean and very helpful. The app and system were explained fully” – Robert, July 2024
“Excellent support from the team at all stages. When everything was done the site was left clean and tidy” – Jeanette, July 2024
“Project Solar have contacted us since just checking that we’re happy with everything. Every question is answered. Couldn’t recommend them more” – Howard, July 2024
“I ended up taking a finance deal on a 5kW system with an 8.6kwh battery pack.
Everything was done really quickly and co-ordinated well. I wouldn’t say it’s the cheapest option out there, but if you buy cheap you will get cheap. I have full confidence this system will last well into my property’s future” – I Anwar, July 2024
“The initial survey was was a good experience, very knowledgeable and there were no pushy sales tactics” – James, July 2024
How good are Project Solar’s solar panels?
If you hire Project Solar to install your solar PV system, you’ll have two brands of solar panel to choose from. Let’s take a closer look.
Project Solar Evo Super Max Series 455 solar panels
The Evo Super Max may effectively be Project Solar’s “own-brand” product, but that doesn’t mean it’s lacking in quality. This sleek black monocrystalline panel’s 21.1% efficiency rating compares well with competitors, and ensures your system will work well even when sunlight is limited.
The Evo Super Max has a good power rating, too, and packs even more of a punch than its headline 455W would suggest. The panel has a reflective surface on the back that increases the amount of sunlight captured, and this delivers up to 12% more energy than conventional panels with a similar headline power rating.
Where the Evo falls down is on performance warranty. You’re promised 85% of original output after 25 years and 80% after 30 years. Panels from SunPower, Panasonic and AIKO promise more than 90% after 25 years.
The Evo’s heat resistance also suffers by comparison, so if you’re in a warm and sunny spot its efficiency may dip at the height of summer when direct sunlight can climb beyond 30°C.
Another downside is the company’s lack of transparency about panel prices. When you apply for a quote you’re only given a whole system price, so it’s tricky to assess the Evo on value for money.
SunPower Maxeon solar panels
SunPower Maxeon solar panels are among the best you can buy in the world.
Our rundown of the best solar panels includes two Maxeon models: the Maxeon 6 AC, our top choice overall, and the Maxeon 3, our pick for most reliable performance. Our research suggests that Project Solar provides the latter type, but you may be offered a choice when discussing your options.
All SunPower Maxeon panels have power ratings of at least 390W and efficiency ratings of more than 22%, putting them at the premium end of the market. Performance warranty is also excellent, with 92% original output guaranteed after 25 years and 88.25% after 40 years.
Project Solar says that SunPower Maxeon panels come with a 25-year warranty, but according to SunPower it’s 40 years, which is the second best in the market after the Project Solar Evo Max.
You can buy a single 430W SunPower Maxeon 3 panel for around £290 including VAT from other retailers. If you buy through Project Solar, you will be given an overall system price.
Does Project Solar install solar batteries?
The Products section of Project Solar’s website doesn’t mention solar batteries, so you’d be forgiven for assuming that the company doesn’t install batteries at all.
But Project Solar does indeed provide and install solar storage batteries, made by global firms Fox and SolaX. Both make batteries with capacities from 2.5 kWh, which can power your home appliances, up to beyond 20 kWh, which is enough to keep your electric vehicle on the road.
Judging by Trustpilot reviews, customers are delighted by the way Project Solar’s batteries work seamlessly with their solar panels to increase the amount of solar energy their household can use. That’s great to hear, but we’d like Project Solar to offer potential customers more upfront information about the batteries they can choose from.
What other solar products does Project Solar install?
Batteries aside, Project Solar’s Products menu is full of products and services the company provides. Many of these products work with your solar PV system to cut your energy bills and carbon footprint. Here’s a quick summary.
Solar roof tiles and integrated solar panels
Project Solar installs both solar roof tiles and integrated solar panels. These new types of solar module work in a similar way to conventional solar panels, but they have a smaller surface area and tend to be less efficient. They’re also more expensive. But they have a huge advantage: they look beautiful.
Integrated solar panels are similar to standard solar panels, but they are smaller and lie flush with your roof, giving a more sleek, modern appearance.
Solar roof tiles look much like normal roof tiles, and to the untrained eye your roof would look just like any other roof. They could be your only solar panel option if you live in a listed building and can’t get permission to install conventional panels.
Project Solar includes a 12-year product warranty and a 25-year performance warranty with its solar roof tiles. This is at the low end for solar tile warranties, falling between the 10-year product warranty of Tyle and the 15-year warranty of Marley SolarTile, and far behind the 25-year warranty of GB-Sol.
Home EV chargers
Project Solar partners with Project EV to provide and install its Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV)-approved home car charger, made from powder-coated steel and able to charge at up to 7.3kW per hour.
Like most installers, Project Solar will help you apply for home EV charger funding from OLEV which provides a grant of up to 75% of installation capped at £350 including VAT.
Smart home heating, lighting and power
Project Solar also partners with Cürv 360 and Owl Heating Controls, whose smart products let you control your home remotely with an app. The Cürv 360 products Project Solar installs include infrared heating, smart lighting, smart security and smart power, while Owl products include a smart thermostat and radiators.
Should you use Project Solar UK?
Project Solar would be an excellent choice of solar installer for your project, whether you just want solar panels or an all-in PV system that includes a battery, EV charger and smart home heating.
There are things to bear in mind, though. You may not want either of the solar panel brands Project Solar provides, and you may want more information (any information, in fact) about the batteries it provides before you apply for a quote.
It’s also worth noting that Project Solar isn’t the cheapest option; something even its most positive customer reviews admit. Whereas companies like Octopus Energy display prices and packages upfront, Project Solar does not.
However, we have no hesitation in recommending Project Solar UK for your switch to solar. The panels and other products it provides are among the best you can buy, and its warranties and experience are unparalleled. Best of all, customer feedback on its service and aftercare is among the best you will find for any UK company.
