EDF Energy Solar Panels: Costs, Tariffs and Savings

EDF Energy solar panels are a bundled offer combining a domestic solar photovoltaic system, optional battery storage and EDF-supplied import and export tariffs, with prices starting from £5,775 including 0% VAT (EDF Energy, 17 August 2026). For a bill-conscious household already paying above the price cap floor on a standard variable tariff, the appeal is cutting electricity costs, and in some cases removing them, by generating your own power and selling the surplus back.

Free Price Compare sources solar and tariff information from supplier pages, Ofgem and gov.uk publications so you can weigh the numbers before committing. The figures below are current supplier and regulator figures as of August 2026, but solar quotes are always tailored to your roof, so treat them as a starting point, not a fixed price.

Last updated: August 2026

Written by the Free Price Compare editorial team | Reviewed August 2026

How much do EDF solar panels cost?

EDF solar panels start from £5,775 including 0% VAT, with a typical 3-bedroom house quoted at around £7,995 (EDF Energy, July-August 2026). Prices vary by location: EDF quotes London installs starting from £5,645 including 0% VAT. The final cost depends on the number of panels, whether you add battery storage, roof access and scaffolding needs, so a personalised survey is the only way to get an exact figure. Larger systems with a battery cost more upfront but export and store more electricity, which changes the payback maths. The 0% VAT rate is not an EDF discount, it is a nationwide relief on energy-saving materials that all UK installers apply.

Battery storage is the biggest single variable. A system sized to store cheap overnight or excess daytime electricity increases the upfront price but lets you use more of what you generate and export more, which is why EDF ties its best tariff perks to buying a battery.

Figures are indicative and may change.

For a side-by-side view of how one supplier’s pricing sits against others, our EDF solar panel installation cost guide breaks down the components in more detail.

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Why 0% VAT matters for edf solar panels cost

0% VAT on domestic solar panels and battery storage applies across Great Britain until 31 March 2027 under HMRC’s energy-saving materials relief (gov.uk), which is why EDF and every other UK installer quote prices with no VAT added. On a system costing several thousand pounds, that relief removes what would otherwise be a 20% charge, so it materially lowers the entry price for households installing before the relief ends. The relief covers the panels, the battery and the installation labour when supplied together as part of the same job. If you install after March 2027, current rules mean VAT could return, so the timing affects total cost.

This relief is one reason the mid-£5,000 to around £8,000 band EDF advertises looks affordable compared with a few years ago, when VAT added a fifth to every quote. Always confirm the quote you receive is inclusive of the 0% rate.

Can I really get a £0 electricity bill?

A £0 electricity bill is possible under EDF’s Empower Fixed Exclusive 12m tariff, but only for 12 months and only if you buy new solar panels or a battery from EDF and meet its conditions (EDF Energy, 19 August 2026). EDF describes a typical example of a 2-3 person household with 10-12 panels generating around 2,500 kWh a year and a battery paying £0 over a year, but that is a scenario built on specific generation, usage and export assumptions, not a guarantee for every home. Your actual bill depends on how much you generate, when you use electricity, how much you export and your household demand. Households that use a lot of power in winter evenings, when solar generation is low, are less likely to hit £0.

The offer also bundles other perks: EDF lists no standing charge for a year, a 10p/kWh overnight discount for charging a battery, and no exit fees (EDF Energy, 14 August 2026). Removing the standing charge matters because it is a daily fixed cost you pay regardless of usage, so cutting it helps even in low-generation months. Treat the £0 headline as a best-case outcome tied to matching EDF’s assumptions, not a promise.

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See how solar installers and tariffs compare before you commit.

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How do EDF solar tariffs and export rates work?

EDF solar tariffs pay you for the electricity you export and, on the Empower deal, discount what you import, but joining them comes with conditions. Export rates reach up to 18p/kWh for customers who buy new solar panels or a battery from EDF, dropping to 13p/kWh if you already have panels (EDF Energy, August 2026). Export payments are made under the Smart Export Guarantee, the government-backed scheme that requires larger suppliers to pay for surplus renewable electricity fed back to the grid. To qualify for EDF’s solar tariffs you must have a smart meter set to half-hourly reads, sign up to EDF’s Standard Variable tariff if you are not already an EDF customer, and email EDF after installation (EDF Energy, 15 August 2026).

The Smart Export Guarantee replaced the older Feed-in Tariff for new applicants. Under the Smart Export Guarantee you are paid only for exported units, whereas the closed Feed-in Tariff also paid a generation rate. Ofgem still administers legacy Feed-in Tariff payments, and its Feed-in Tariff tariffs and payments page confirms FIT solar PV rates sit in Higher, Middle and Lower bands (Ofgem, 20 August 2026). If you have held a FIT contract for years, moving to a smart meter can switch your export payments from a deemed standard rate to metered payments based on actual export, which can raise or lower what you receive.

For a broader look at how the scheme pays out, our guide to the benefits of installing solar panels in the UK covers the export side in plain terms.

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Are EDF solar panels worth it for a bill-conscious household?

Whether EDF solar panels are worth it depends on your roof, your electricity use and how long you plan to stay in the home, not on the headline offer alone. For a household on a standard variable tariff paying above the price cap floor, generating your own daytime electricity directly offsets units you would otherwise buy at full rate, and the Ofgem price cap sets the maximum unit rate and standing charge a typical customer pays, so cutting imported units protects you as those rates move. The upfront cost of several thousand pounds means payback runs over years, so the decision suits owners planning to stay put rather than those likely to move soon.

The strongest case is a home with good roof orientation, high daytime or shiftable electricity use, and a battery to store surplus for evening use. The weakest case is a shaded north-facing roof with low, evening-heavy demand. EDF’s bundled tariff perks improve the numbers, but they lock you into EDF supply for the term, so factor in whether EDF’s import rates remain competitive for you across the year. Getting quotes from more than one installer is the surest way to test whether EDF’s pricing works for your property.

What warranties and installation standards apply?

Solar warranties and installation standards are worth checking before you sign, because they determine who fixes faults and whether you can claim export payments. A compliant UK domestic solar install should be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), which is the standard suppliers, including EDF, use to confirm the system meets quality requirements and is eligible for Smart Export Guarantee payments. Panels, inverters and batteries each carry separate manufacturer warranties, and product and workmanship cover typically runs for a set number of years, so ask EDF for the exact warranty terms on the specific equipment quoted. EDF also lists no exit fees on its solar-plus-battery offer, which reduces the risk of being tied in if your circumstances change (EDF Energy, 14 August 2026).

MCS certification is not optional if you want to be paid for export, because Smart Export Guarantee suppliers require it. Keep your certificate and installation paperwork safe, as you will need them when you register for export payments and if you ever sell the home. It is also worth checking whether the install affects your Energy Performance Certificate rating, which can be a selling point later.

How do I register EDF solar panels for export payments?

Register EDF solar panels for export by ensuring you have a smart meter set to half-hourly reads, joining an eligible EDF tariff, and emailing EDF after your installation is complete (EDF Energy, 15 August 2026). The half-hourly smart meter is the technical requirement that lets EDF measure exactly how much you export, which is what metered Smart Export Guarantee payments are based on. If you are not already an EDF customer, EDF requires you to sign up to its Standard Variable tariff to access some export options, so registering export and choosing your import supplier are linked steps. Keep your MCS certificate to hand, as suppliers need proof of certification to set up export payments.

If you are switching from an older Feed-in Tariff arrangement or moving suppliers with existing panels, confirm how your export will be measured after any smart meter install, because payments can change from a deemed standard rate to metered readings. Our Octopus Energy solar panels guide and British Gas solar panels guide show how registration and export differ between suppliers.

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Are EDF a good energy supplier for solar customers?

EDF is a large, established UK energy supplier with a bundled solar proposition that ties installation, battery storage and tariffs together, which suits customers who want a single provider for the whole system. The main advantage of buying panels and supply from one company is simplicity and access to EDF’s better export and import perks, which it reserves for customers who buy the equipment from EDF. The main trade-off is that those perks lock you into EDF supply, so you should check whether EDF’s import rates stay competitive against the Ofgem price cap and other suppliers across the year, since the best export rate does not help if your import unit rate is high.

Bundling can make the numbers clearer upfront, but it reduces your flexibility to switch import supplier while keeping the export deal. Buying panels from an independent installer and choosing a separate export tariff is the alternative, and it can work better if you value the freedom to move supplier. Comparing at least one bundled and one unbundled route before committing is the practical way to decide. Our E.ON solar panels review and So Energy solar panel guide help you weigh those routes.

How much could I save with EDF solar panels?

Savings from EDF solar panels come from three sources: electricity you no longer buy, export payments for surplus you sell, and the tariff perks EDF bundles in, but the exact figure is specific to your home. Every unit you generate and use yourself avoids buying at your import rate, and the Ofgem price cap sets the maximum unit rate a typical variable-tariff customer pays, so self-consumption is worth more when import rates are high. Export payments of up to 18p/kWh for new EDF solar or battery buyers add a second income stream (EDF Energy, August 2026), and a battery lets you shift cheap overnight electricity and store daytime surplus rather than exporting it cheaply. Because these depend on generation, usage timing and system size, a precise annual saving can only come from a personalised quote and survey.

Be cautious with fixed pounds-per-year savings claims, as they rely on assumed generation and usage that may not match your household. The most reliable approach is to ask EDF and one independent installer for a modelled estimate based on your roof and consumption, then compare the payback periods.

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Information correct as of 20 August 2026. Prices, tariffs, policy details and providers change frequently, so please check the latest details before making a decision. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial advice. Free Price Compare is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).