Helios – what plug-in solar could generate for any address in Britain
Plug-in solar panels (no electrician needed) have just become legal in the UK and will go on sale soon. Helios estimates how much electricity a typical installation could generate at a given address and what that's worth against your tariff. It uses UK government LIDAR data to reflect the actual skyline, so it knows whether there's a building or a hill blocking the sun. Caveats: - Outside LIDAR coverage (most of Scotland and Wales) it falls back to a synthetic horizon (less accurate). - Trees and recent developments (post-2022 or so) may not be in the data, and some address placements could…
In plain words
Helios estimates electricity generation from plug-in solar panels at any UK address, using government LIDAR data to account for buildings and hills that block sunlight. It calculates potential output and financial value based on your electricity tariff. The tool covers most of England and parts of other regions with detailed terrain data, though Scotland and Wales rely on less accurate synthetic horizons. Results may not reflect very recent developments or trees added after 2022. It is for anyone considering plug-in solar installation in Britain.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Plug-in solar panels (no electrician needed) have just become legal in the UK and will go on sale soon. Helios estimates how much electricity a typical installation could generate at a given address and what that's worth against your tariff. It uses UK government LIDAR data to reflect the actual skyline, so it knows whether there's a building or a hill blocking the sun. Caveats: - Outside LIDAR coverage (most of Scotland and Wales) it falls back to a synthetic horizon (less accurate). - Trees and recent developments (post-2022 or so) may not be in the data, and some address placements could be off (geocoding via OSM). Feedback on the shading model especially welcome.
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