Solar Panel Installation in Polruan

Polruan's hillside above the Fowey estuary faces directly south — properties here have unobstructed solar exposure from mid-morning to late afternoon, looking directly across the estuary and out toward the Channel. Annual irradiance of 1,298 kWh/m² is strong, and the south-facing slope means very few Polruan properties have significant shading issues.

Planning: Polruan is less constrained than Fowey opposite

Despite its heritage character, Polruan has fewer listed buildings than Fowey and a conservation area that covers mainly the harbour approaches and immediate street frontages. Rear roof slopes on most properties — the ones that face south — are typically outside the visible zone from the harbour, making permitted development the applicable route in most cases.

We assess every property individually during the free survey. For listed properties, Listed Building Consent is required but Cornwall Council's conservation team has a good record of approving sensitively sited panels on Fowey estuary properties where the justification is clear. See our Cornwall solar planning guide for the full rules.

Solar + oil to heat pump: the compelling combination

With 98% off-gas, virtually every Polruan property switching to a heat pump benefits enormously from combined solar. The heat pump's electricity draw in summer for domestic hot water production — typically 1,000–1,500 kWh — can be almost entirely covered by a 4–5kWp solar system. The combination reduces the ongoing running cost gap between oil and heat pump to the point where payback on the entire installation is typically well under 12 years. Contact us for a combined quote.