Solar panels are now a standard feature on many new build homes across the South West. Developments like Ladden Garden Village in Yate, Locking Parklands in Weston-super-Mare, and Brabazon in Bristol all include solar PV as standard. But homeowners moving into these properties often ask the same question: is the solar system already on my roof actually sufficient for my needs?
The Future Homes Standard and Current Requirements
From 2025, the Future Homes Standard requires all new homes in England to be built to a significantly higher energy efficiency specification, including low-carbon heating and renewable energy generation. Most housebuilders are meeting this requirement by installing solar PV — typically a 2–4kW system (6–10 panels) — as a standard feature.
However, the Future Homes Standard sets a minimum, not an optimum. The solar systems installed as standard are sized to meet the regulatory requirement for the home's energy performance certificate (EPC) rating, not to maximise your bill savings or self-sufficiency. For most households, these minimum systems are insufficient.
Why New Build Solar Is Often Undersized
A typical new build home with 6–8 solar panels generates approximately 1,800–2,400 kWh/year in the South West. The average UK household uses approximately 2,700 kWh/year, and this figure is increasing as households electrify their heating and transport. If you have or plan to get an electric vehicle and/or a heat pump, your electricity consumption may be 5,000–8,000 kWh/year — far more than a basic new build solar system can supply.
Furthermore, new build solar typically comes without battery storage. Without a battery, you can only use solar electricity the moment it is generated — during daylight hours when you may be at work. The economic benefit of a solar-only system is significantly lower than a solar + battery combination.
Adding Battery Storage to Your New Build
Adding a GivEnergy or Tesla Powerwall battery to your new build's existing solar system is the single most impactful upgrade you can make. The battery captures surplus solar generation during the day and stores it for evening use, increasing your self-consumption from approximately 30–40% to 70–90%.
Most new build solar systems use a hybrid inverter that is already battery-ready — check your handover documentation or ask D&R Energy to assess your system. If your inverter is battery-compatible, the battery can be added relatively simply. If not, we can install a compatible battery with an AC coupling unit.
Battery installation costs for new build retrofits:
- GivEnergy 5.2kWh: £3,800–£4,500 installed (0% VAT when installed with existing solar)
- GivEnergy 9.5kWh: £5,500–£7,000 installed
- Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5kWh): £7,500–£10,000 installed
Expanding Your New Build Solar System
If your new build has available roof space, adding more panels to your existing system can significantly increase generation. Most new build solar systems leave usable south or south-west facing roof space that was not utilised in the original installation. D&R Energy can survey your roof and design an expansion using the same tier-1 panels as your original installation.
Adding 4–6 panels to a typical new build system increases annual generation by 1,500–2,200 kWh — enough to power an electric vehicle for 6,000–9,000 miles per year, or run a heat pump for a significant portion of the heating season.
Adding a Zappi EV Charger to Your New Build
Many new builds now include EV charging provision — either a dedicated charger or at minimum, a consumer unit circuit for future charger installation. If you have an electric vehicle, upgrading to a Zappi smart EV charger from myenergi is the optimal choice for a solar home.
The Zappi's ECO+ mode diverts surplus solar electricity exclusively to your EV, giving you completely free car charging during daylight hours. On a 4kW system, this can provide 30–40 miles of free driving per sunny day — approximately 1,500–2,000 free miles per year in the South West.
D&R Energy installs Zappi EV chargers across all new build developments in the region. Visit our EV charger installation page for pricing and more information, or call 0800 772 0758 for a free assessment of your new build's solar and EV charging setup.
