The Ramsgate solar case in 2026
Post-HS1 relocators, higher-than-Thanet-median household incomes, and a large stock of south and south-west facing roofs on the West Cliff, Nethercourt and Pegwell make Ramsgate one of the strongest fleet-wide solar cases we work. Typical 4kW array on a Nethercourt semi is generating 3,600 to 4,200 kWh a year against a national average roof of 3,800. Add a 5.2kWh battery and you're self-consuming 65 to 78% of what you generate rather than exporting at 5.5p and re-importing at 24p.
Pricing (system supplied and fitted, MCS-certified)
Solar and battery is quoted per property after a site visit. Panel type, roof pitch, orientation, existing consumer unit, battery size, DNO capacity, cliff-top wind-uplift class, and conservation-area or listed-property consent scope all move the number, and a real quote reflects the actual system that will be installed. VAT on domestic solar and battery is currently zero-rated to 31 March 2027 under the Energy-Saving Materials scheme; the quote reflects that. Every quote includes scaffold, MCS commissioning, and Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) tariff application on your behalf. Panel, inverter and battery warranties come from the manufacturer and vary by product; we run through the specifics at quote stage.
Roof survey: what we look at
Structural: rafter size, spacing and condition (Ramsgate Victorian and Edwardian roofs vary hugely; we've seen 4x2 rafters at 600 centres carrying original slate, and modern trussed rafters at 400 centres). Orientation and pitch. Shading, particularly winter shading from Ramsgate's larger street trees and neighbouring chimneys. Wind exposure - cliff-top pitches on the West Cliff and East Cliff need a wind-uplift calculation to BS EN 1991-1-4 and often ballast or hidden-hook fixings different from a standard interior-Kent install. Fabric visibility - is the array visible from the street, and if so are we in an Article 4 conservation area.
Conservation area and listed building reality
Thanet DC allows solar on unlisted properties in conservation areas under permitted development, subject to Article 4 direction cover in the historic core. On a Grade II listed property, solar on any principal elevation needs Listed Building Consent even if it also has permitted development cover on the planning side. In practice: a rear pitch on an unlisted Nelson Crescent villa is straightforward. A street-facing pitch on a listed Vale Square terrace usually isn't. We walk the streetscape, take conservation officer soundings before quote, and only install with the paper trail intact.
G98 vs G99
Single-phase array under 3.68kW inverter output: G98 post-install notification only, we file within 28 days. Everything else is G99 pre-install application, which is a UK Power Networks Southern sit-down process running currently 6 to 12 weeks. Battery-only installs also notify. We handle it either way; there's no additional charge from us for the filing.
Battery choice and the tariff argument
Givenergy Gen 3 5.2kWh AC-coupled is our standard first-battery pick for the flexibility on tariff arbitrage: Octopus Flux and Intelligent Octopus Go work cleanly with it. Fox ESS EP for the customer who wants a hybrid inverter (single unit for PV plus battery) and doesn't need aggressive tariff optimisation. Tesla Powerwall 3 when the customer wants a design piece and doesn't mind the price. We don't oversell battery; if you're on Economy 7 with a heat pump the battery case is different from a straight 4-person all-electric-tariff household, and we tell you honestly which is which.