Solar & Storage Live 2026

Last month Dan and I made the short trip down to the NEC in Birmingham for Solar & Storage Live 2026, the UK's largest solar and energy storage exhibition. Running from 22 to 24 September, it brought manufacturers, distributors and installers from across the industry together under one roof.

Shows like this are a big part of how we choose the kit that goes on our customers' roofs. A datasheet only tells you so much. Getting hands-on with the hardware, talking to the technical teams and asking the awkward questions tells you far more. Those questions cover UK support, warranty handling and lead times.

Catching up with the brands we already trust

Sigenergy was an obvious first stop. As a Sigenergy Gold Installer, SigenStor is our preferred battery system, so it was good to see where the platform is heading and talk through what's coming for installers.

We spent time on the Aiko stand too. Their back-contact panels feature on plenty of our installs, including a 10kW system we fitted in Duffield alongside 16kWh of SigenStor storage.

We also made our way round the other inverter and storage manufacturers we install: Fox ESS, Solax, EcoFlow and Tesla. For each one we checked in on product updates and how their UK support is shaping up. Strong after-sales backing from the manufacturer matters just as much to us as the hardware itself.

Mounting systems and new names

Van der Valk was high on my list. The mounting system is the part of an install most customers never think about, yet it's what keeps an array secure for decades. Their flat-roof and ground-mount systems are particularly relevant to the larger commercial and agricultural projects we deliver.

We also had a look at Anker, best known for its charging products, which has been moving into home energy storage with its SOLIX range. It's useful to see first-hand how newer entrants compare, so we can give customers straight answers when they ask.

What we look for beyond the headline spec

Every product we install has to earn its place. That means:

• MCS certification
• ENA Type Test registration for G98/G99 connections
• Warranties backed properly in the UK
• Monitoring that actually works

It also has to play nicely with everything else in the system: panels, inverter, battery, EV charger and smart tariff all working together. A big efficiency figure on a stand banner doesn't count for much if the support isn't there when you need it in year eight.

What it means for you

We design each system around your property, your usage and your budget, using kit we've seen up close and know we can stand behind for the long term.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to talk us through their latest products. If you're thinking about solar panels or battery storage, get in touch for a no-pressure quote, or call us on 01332 552 320.