We design the heat pump first, from the room-by-room heat loss, and then look at how solar and storage could work with it. PV panels and batteries are quoted separately from the heat pump, after a roof survey, and the controls are set so the heat pump makes use of solar generation when it is available. See heat pump controls and tariffs for how timing and tariffs fit in.
Homes in Kent with existing panels can often have the heat pump set to heat water from their daytime output. For Kent households out during the day, a battery can carry daytime solar into the evening heating period. Scaffolding access for solar in Kent is checked at the survey, including terraced streets with shared passages.
Who it suits
- Households considering a battery to store daytime or cheaper overnight electricity
- Homeowners planning a heat pump who want to add panels at the same time
- Households at home during the day or with flexible hot water timing
- Homes with existing solar PV that currently export much of their output
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
Homes in Kent 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 Kent
We cover 24 towns in Kent 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadstairs | CT10 | Margate | 7 h 51 min |
| Maidstone | ME16 | Rochester | 7 h 52 min |
| Gillingham | ME7 | Rochester | 7 h 51 min |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells | TN1 | Tonbridge | 7 h 53 min |
| Folkestone | CT20 | Hythe | 7 h 54 min |
| Margate | CT9 | Broadstairs | 7 h 51 min |
| Ashford | TN24 | Tenterden | 7 h 53 min |
| Canterbury | CT1 | Whitstable | 7 h 52 min |
| Sittingbourne | ME10 | Faversham | 7 h 51 min |
| Gravesend | DA11 | Strood | 7 h 50 min |
| Ramsgate | CT11 | Broadstairs | 7 h 51 min |
| Dover | CT17 | Folkestone | 7 h 53 min |
| Tonbridge | TN9 | Royal Tunbridge Wells | 7 h 53 min |
| Strood | ME2 | Rochester | 7 h 51 min |
| Whitstable | CT5 | Herne Bay | 7 h 51 min |
| Deal | CT14 | Sandwich | 7 h 52 min |
| Sevenoaks | TN13 | Westerham | 7 h 52 min |
| Rochester | ME1 | Strood | 7 h 51 min |
| Herne Bay | CT6 | Whitstable | 7 h 51 min |
| Faversham | ME13 | Whitstable | 7 h 51 min |
| Hythe | CT21 | Folkestone | 7 h 54 min |
| Sandwich | CT13 | Deal | 7 h 52 min |
| Tenterden | TN30 | Ashford | 7 h 54 min |
| Westerham | TN14 | Sevenoaks | 7 h 52 min |
Heat pumps with solar panels and batteries questions
Should I fit solar panels before or after a heat pump?
Either order works, but planning both together helps. Knowing the heat pump's electricity use helps size the panels and any battery, and the electrical work for both can be coordinated, including the consumer unit and any notification to the network operator. If you already have panels, the heat pump controls can be set to use their output for hot water.
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.
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.