Solar panels for holiday rentals

June 2025

Have you thought about installing solar panels in your holiday rental? While you might wince at the installation price, there are actually a number of benefits to this upgrade. Let’s look at how solar panels can transform your holiday home – and increase your revenue.

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Why choose solar panels for your holiday rental?

Solar panels are no longer a niche concern for eco warriors. They’ve become a big business, and many savvy home owners are installing them. They’re also a smart idea for your holiday rental. Here are some of the main benefits of solar panels:

1. They’ll attract environmentally conscious guests

If you want to target a niche market, consider installing solar panels. Eco-conscious guests love to see them in a property – and this is a market that many holiday rental owners want to attract.

Generally, environmentally friendly travellers have more disposable income and a high budget for their holidays. They tend to be respectful and well-behaved, so you won’t need to worry about wild parties and destruction in your holiday rental.

If you can mention solar panels when you advertise your holiday home, you may be able to convince these travellers to rent your house for holidays. However, to really focus on this slice of the market, you should consider other ways to boost your holiday rental’s green credentials, too. These can include:

• Replacing single-use plastic in your toiletries and amenities with reusable options
• Stocking the kitchen with locally-grown and sourced produce, rather than going to the supermarket (try to provide vegan alternatives if you can)
• Providing separate bins to allow guests to recycle their rubbish
• Switching to LED bulbs throughout your property
• Installing an electric car changing station in front of your holiday home
• Offering ecologically friendly cleaning products in the kitchen and bathroom

If you’re going to go down this route, then make sure to advertise your property’s environmentally-friendly credentials on holiday rental portals. This is a really effective way of standing out from the competition and appealing to a particular niche market – one that could really see your revenue go up.

2. They’ll lower your bills

You might be concerned about solar panel costs – and yes, they can be expensive to install. However, you should see this expense as an investment. Over time, your solar panels should reduce the amount that you’re paying for energy in your holiday home.

In fact, research suggests that solar panels for a house can reduce electricity bills by 50% to 70%. That’s an enormous saving, and one that you should consider when you calculate the cost of installing and running them.

Using solar panels for hot water is another effective way of lowering your holiday home bills. Some studies show that solar water heaters can cut your water heating bills by up to 80%. However, you’ll have to be realistic about whether or not they will work for you. If your property is located in rural Scotland, for example, they might be effective in summer, but you’ll probably have to supplement them with a boiler or immersion heater during the winter months.

3. They’ll raise your property’s value

As well as lowering your bills, thermal solar panels are a great long-term investment. If you plan to sell your holiday home one day, you’ll want to look for ways to increase its long-term value. Solar panels do just that.

A property with solar panels can see its value increased by up to 25%. The exact amount will vary depending on a few different factors:

• Location. Properties with solar panels in sunny areas are naturally worth more. The sunnier the area, the more the value will increase.
• Installation quality. If your solar panels are shoddily installed, they won’t be worth as much. It’s worth paying a bit extra, avoiding cowboy operations, and getting a high-quality, professional job.
• Ownership. Some solar panels are owned by a solar energy company. Unfortunately, this can be a red flag for property buyers. If you own the panels yourself – so they’re essentially part of the property – they will add more value.

All this means that if you’re looking at the long-term future, roof or balcony solar panels can be an excellent way to add value to your holiday home.

4. You’ll stay ahead of the curve

While solar panels for balconies and roofs are becoming more popular, they’re not ubiquitous – yet. However, many governments have introduced eco-friendly policies in recent years. Some analysts believe that over the next few years, an increasing number of governments will mandate sustainability in houses.

This means that if you get solar panels now, you’ll be ahead of the curve. Not only will you be fully prepared for any potential legislation that is introduced, but you’ll also be saving money on your bills.

Installing solar panels for your holiday home

Installing solar panels is not a DIY job. You should always hire a professional to do it – and make sure you check reviews and feedback from previous clients. Badly-installed solar panels can actually damage your property and may lower its value.

Before you install them, check to see if you can get any kind of support or grant from your national, local, or regional government. For example, in many parts of Spain, grants are available for people who want to renovate their property in an eco-friendly way. These can make the installation of solar panels much more cost-effective.

Keep in mind that you will be unable to rent out your holiday flat or home while the panels are being installed. This process can take as little as a single day if you have chosen a small system, or 3 to 5 days for more complicated options. Adverse weather conditions can cause delays to installation, so give yourself some wiggle room when you take bookings for your property.

Making the most of your solar panels

Now that you’ve chosen to install your solar panels, it’s time to think about how to advertise your holiday home. Remember, there are a number of guests who will see this installation as a plus, so be sure to mention your new addition on your holiday rental website.

Use this as an opportunity to emphasize your green credentials. Guests don’t care that you are saving money on bills, or that the value of your property has increased; they care about saving the planet. This should be the focus of your eco-friendly marketing.

You might want to post on your social media platforms to celebrate your new solar panels, or even let your newsletter mailing list know. Consider a special promotion – perhaps themed around a day like Earth Day – to attract eco-conscious guests.

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