A solar panel is a device that captures sunlight and converts it into electricity. It’s made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells, which absorb sunlight and create an electric current through a process called the photovoltaic effect. This electricity can then power your home, business, or even be stored for later use with a battery system. Solar panels are a clean, renewable way to generate energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering electricity bills — all while helping the environment.

No — solar panels are completely silent! Since they have no moving parts, they don’t produce any noise while generating electricity. This makes them perfect for homes and businesses, offering a peaceful, eco-friendly energy solution without any background hum or operational sounds. The only part of a solar power system that might make a slight noise is the inverter — which converts the electricity from the panels into usable power — but even that’s usually a quiet, low-level hum that’s barely noticeable.

Solar panel adoption in UK residential homes has seen significant growth in recent years. As of December 2024, approximately 1.4 million homes have installed solar panels, marking a substantial increase from just 28,211 homes in 2010—a remarkable 4,862% rise over 14 years.