SOLAR + BATTERY + AIR CONDITIONING
Got air conditioning? Make your solar work harder.
Summer is when your solar panels can be producing strongly - and when your home is most likely to need cooling.
Switched On London can design solar PV, battery storage and high-efficiency air conditioning around the same property, helping you use more electricity generated at home while creating year-round heating and cooling comfort.
Generate electricity when cooling demand is often highest.
Solar PV and air conditioning can be a natural pairing because strong cooling demand often occurs during bright daytime conditions when a solar array is also generating.
That does not mean air conditioning is 'free' to run. Actual solar contribution depends on array output, household demand, AC electrical input, weather, room loads and when the system is operating.
Keep more flexibility after the sun drops.
Battery storage can add another layer to the home-energy strategy. Surplus solar generated during the day can be stored for later household use, while suitable lower-cost tariff periods can also be used to charge the battery according to the system design.
The battery should be sized around the whole household rather than solely around the air-conditioning system.
Three customer journeys
I already have solar and want AC
Review the existing solar generation and household demand, then design the AC electrical supply and operating strategy around the property.
I'm installing AC and considering solar
Use the planned AC demand as part of the solar design rather than sizing the array solely from historic electricity bills.
I want solar + battery + AC together
Plan roof generation, storage, electrical infrastructure and room-by-room heating/cooling as one coordinated project.
Don't size tomorrow's solar system from yesterday's electricity bill.
A household that is about to add air conditioning, an EV or a heat pump may use substantially more electricity in future than it does today.
When we know those changes are coming, we can consider them during the solar and battery design instead of discovering later that the original system was planned around outdated consumption.
Current annual electricity consumption
Proposed AC rooms and expected usage
EV ownership / planned EV
Heat-pump plans
Available roof area and orientation
Battery objectives
Electricity tariff
Incoming electrical supply and consumer-unit capacity
The real advantage is integration.
Solar, batteries and air conditioning all connect back into the home's electrical infrastructure. Designing them independently can lead to repeated cable routes, duplicated electrical work and missed opportunities to plan capacity properly.
Switched On London can consider the consumer unit, maximum demand, cable routes, solar inverter, battery, AC outdoor unit and future EV charging together.
What the energy flow can look like
Bright summer day
Solar generation supplies household demand and can contribute directly to AC consumption while the system is producing.
Surplus generation
Where solar exceeds immediate demand, surplus can charge the battery or export according to the system configuration.
Evening cooling
Stored battery energy may contribute to later household demand, including AC, subject to available battery capacity and system settings.
Low-cost overnight electricity
Where the tariff supports it, battery and other flexible loads can be scheduled around lower-cost periods. The best strategy depends on the customer's actual tariff and usage.
Do not over-promise
Avoid 'run your AC for free', 'free cooling' or fixed savings claims. The page should say solar can offset/contribute to electrical consumption and that project-specific modelling is required.
Efficient equipment starts with correct room sizing.
A good home-energy strategy does not compensate for an incorrectly sized air-conditioning system. Each room should be assessed for cooling and heating load, glazing, orientation, insulation, occupancy and intended use before equipment is selected.
Build the home around connected energy technologies.
Solar PV
Generate electricity from available roof areas.
Battery storage
Store suitable surplus or lower-cost electricity for later household use.
Air conditioning
Provide controllable room-by-room cooling and, with reversible systems, heating.
EV charging
Add smart vehicle charging as another controllable electrical load.
Energy monitoring
Understand generation, storage and household demand through compatible apps and monitoring platforms.
Customer journey
01
Tell us your plans
Solar, battery, AC rooms, EV/heat-pump plans and current electricity use.
02
Property assessment
Roof space, room loads, outdoor-unit location, electrical supply, cable routes and equipment positions.
03
Integrated design
Develop the solar, battery and AC proposals around future household demand.
04
Electrical planning
Coordinate supplies, protective devices, distribution equipment and cable routes.
05
Installation
Complete the agreed renewable-energy and AC works in a coordinated programme.
06
Commissioning & handover
Commission each system, configure monitoring/controls and provide applicable electrical/MCS documentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Solar generation can contribute directly to the electricity being used by an air-conditioning system while the solar array is generating. The actual contribution depends on solar output and the home's other electrical demand.
our customers
What our customers say.
Cool the home. Power more of it from the roof.
Plan solar, battery storage and air conditioning around the way your home will use electricity in the future.
