Pairing a heat pump with solar PV means using electricity generated by panels on your roof to run the heat pump, so less is bought from the grid. Solar PV (photovoltaic) panels turn daylight into electricity, and a heat pump is one of the largest electrical loads in an electrically heated home, so the two are often planned together.
Scaffolding access for solar in Cornwall is checked at the survey, including terraced streets with shared passages. Homes in Cornwall with existing panels can often have the heat pump set to heat water from their daytime output. Across Cornwall and Cornwall, winter solar output is modest, so our heat pump designs never rely on it for heating.
Who it suits
- Households at home during the day or with flexible hot water timing
- Homes with a roof facing anywhere from east through south to west, with little shading
- Households considering a battery to store daytime or cheaper overnight electricity
- Homes with existing solar PV that currently export much of their output
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
Homes in Cornwall can use the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which takes £7,500 off the cost of an air source heat pump when it replaces fossil-fuel or electric heating. Replacing oil or LPG heating qualifies for £9,000 for installations from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027, and air-to-air systems for £2,500. The MCS-certified installer named in your quote applies for the grant and deducts it from the price.
There is no VAT on installing a heat pump anywhere in the UK until 31 March 2027. In England most houses can have an air source heat pump under permitted development, provided the unit meets the MCS noise and siting standards; the old 1 m boundary limit was removed on 29 May 2025. We flag listed buildings, flats and sensitive conservation-area positions at survey.
Prices
Solar panels and batteries are quoted separately after a roof survey. For heat pump system prices see the guide prices.
Towns we cover in Cornwall
We cover 15 towns in Cornwall for heat pumps with solar panels and batteries. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for England.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redruth | TR16 | Camborne | 8 h 02 min |
| Falmouth | TR11 | Truro | 8 h 03 min |
| St Austell | PL25 | Bodmin | 8 h 01 min |
| Truro | TR1 | Falmouth | 8 h 02 min |
| Camborne | TR14 | Redruth | 8 h 02 min |
| Newquay | TR7 | Truro | 8 h 00 min |
| Penzance | TR18 | Hayle | 8 h 03 min |
| Bodmin | PL31 | Wadebridge | 8 h 00 min |
| Saltash | PL12 | Plymouth | 8 h 00 min |
| Bude | EX23 | Launceston | 7 h 56 min |
| Hayle | TR27 | Camborne | 8 h 02 min |
| Helston | TR13 | Camborne | 8 h 03 min |
| Launceston | PL15 | Liskeard | 7 h 58 min |
| Liskeard | PL14 | Saltash | 8 h 00 min |
| Wadebridge | PL27 | Bodmin | 7 h 59 min |
Heat pumps with solar panels and batteries questions
Do I need a battery to benefit from solar with a heat pump?
No. Without a battery you can still use solar generation directly by timing hot water heating for the middle of the day. A battery adds flexibility by storing surplus for the evening, or by charging from a cheaper overnight tariff in winter. Whether it suits you depends on how much you would otherwise export and on your tariff.
Can solar panels run my heat pump in winter?
Only partly. In midwinter, solar panels typically generate a small fraction of their summer output, and the shortest days coincide with the highest heating demand. Panels may help on bright winter afternoons, but most winter heating will run on grid electricity or a battery charged from a cheaper overnight tariff. Solar contributes most to hot water from spring to autumn.
How much do solar panels and a battery cost with a heat pump?
Solar PV and batteries are quoted separately from the heat pump, because the price depends on your roof, the number of panels, scaffolding, the inverter and any battery size. We survey the roof and give a written quote for that part of the work. The heat pump itself is priced from its own guide ranges, shown on our prices page.
Is a solar diverter useful with a heat pump?
It can be, but less so than with a gas boiler. A diverter heats water through the immersion heater, which turns one unit of electricity into one unit of heat, while a heat pump typically makes around three. Scheduling the heat pump to heat water at midday usually uses solar more efficiently, with a diverter adding top-ups on very sunny days.