Does it make sense to use photovoltaics for heating?

How solar electricity can power your heating system - and when it’s truly worth it.

With rising energy prices and the move toward climate neutrality, many homeowners are wondering: can solar panels heat my home in Winter and beyond?

The answer is yes. But not in the way you might think. Photovoltaic systems generate electricity, not heat directly, but that electricity can power a solar heating system that runs efficiently and economically all year round.

How PV heating actually works

Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, which can then be used to run your household appliances, including heating systems. This can take several forms:

• Powering a heat pump that extracts heat from the air, ground, or water.
• Supplying an electric boiler or immersion heater for hot water.
• Driving reversible air conditioners, which don’t just cool in summer but can also heat rooms in winter by reversing their operating cycle.

When these systems are powered by solar electricity, your roof effectively becomes a small, clean energy plant, a set of solar panels for home heating that keeps your living space comfortable year-round.

The most efficient match: PV and heat pump

Among all options, a heat pump is the most efficient partner for a PV system. It uses one unit of electricity to extract three to five units of heat from its surroundings, multiplying the effect of each kilowatt-hour your panels produce.

How does a heat pump create heat?

A heat pump doesn’t make heat the way an electric heater does. Instead, it moves existing heat from outside your home to the inside. It works with a refrigerant and a closed cycle, very similar to a refrigerator, just in reverse. First, the refrigerant absorbs low-temperature heat from the air, ground, or water outside. Then a compressor, powered by electricity, squeezes the refrigerant, which increases its pressure and temperature. This hot refrigerant then transfers its heat to your home’s heating circuit, warming radiators, underfloor heating, or water. For every 1 kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity used to run the compressor, the heat pump can move around 3 to 5 kWh of heat energy into your house. This ratio is called the Coefficient of Performance (COP). Think of it as a heat elevator: electricity is only needed to lift the heat from a lower temperature level outside to a higher one inside your home.

This high efficiency makes PV-powered heat pumps particularly attractive for households with good insulation and moderate heating demand. Seasonal performance still varies, with the best results in spring and autumn, but modern heat pumps are now designed to perform reliably even in sub-zero conditions.

Direct electric heating and when it makes sense

Using PV power for direct electric heating (like electric boilers, radiators, or underfloor systems) is technically possible but less efficient. Such systems consume large amounts of electricity and therefore make sense only in very well-insulated homes or as supplementary heating for small areas or domestic hot water.

For example, a 5 kWp PV system may not be enough to cover full heating needs in winter but can significantly reduce costs for water heating or transitional seasons.

Storage is the key to using solar energy for home heating

One challenge of using PV for heating is timing: solar power production peaks during the day, while heating demand often peaks in the early morning and evening. The solution lies in storage and intelligent control.

A battery storage system can keep excess solar energy available for evening use, while thermal storage tanks can store surplus energy in the form of hot water. Smart home energy management systems automatically coordinate when to heat water, run appliances, or charge the battery, making sure no solar energy goes to waste.

How much you can save when heating with solar power and a heat pump

Pairing photovoltaics with an electric heating system can significantly reduce running costs, but the extent of savings depends on the technology and the energy source being replaced. A heat pump, for example, is designed for full-scale home heating and can generate around 3 to 5 kilowatt-hours of heat from just 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity. For a typical house with an annual heating demand of about 10,000 kWh, that translates to roughly 2,500 kWh of electricity consumption. In comparison, a reversible air conditioner operating in heating mode is less efficient, producing only 2 to 3 kWh of heat per kilowatt-hour of electricity and therefore using about 4,000 kWh to deliver the same amount of warmth. Pairing a PV heat pump system with storage can maximize self-consumption and lower solar-powered heating costs.

If your previous heating system ran on gas or oil, replacing part of that demand with solar-powered electricity can cut heating costs by 50 % or more. With a reversible air conditioner, the savings are typically smaller but still meaningful, especially in mild climates or during transitional seasons. The more of your solar electricity you use directly for heating, the faster your investment pays off.

There are also government incentives: in many European countries, heat pumps and PV systems qualify for financial support, helping reduce initial investment costs. Beyond economics, using solar power for heating cuts CO₂ emissions drastically and supports your home’s transition to renewable energy.

Solar-powered heating is the smart path to comfort and lower energy bills

To start off with: Not every home will benefit equally. If your roof has poor orientation or significant shading, your solar yield may be too low to cover meaningful heating demand. Likewise, homes with outdated insulation or purely resistive heating based on electric radiators or panel heaters, can face higher electricity needs that offset the benefits of PV. In these cases, a combination of insulation upgrades, hybrid systems, or smaller-scale solar integration (for hot water or partial heating) may be the smarter path.

However, using photovoltaics for heating generally make perfect sense, especially when paired with an efficient heat pump, reversible air conditioning, and smart control technology. It’s a forward-looking solution that turns your roof into an all-season energy source for warmth, cooling, and comfort.

Direct electric heating without efficiency gains, on the other hand, only makes sense for smaller or well-insulated spaces. The key is balance: sizing your PV system, storage, and heating technology to your home’s specific needs.

When you’ve managed that well, you have taken a significant step towards greater self-sufficiency, lower energy costs, and a climate-friendly home.

How EcoLife modules fit into a solar-powered heating setup

For homeowners considering solar-powered heating, the choice of module also plays a role. EcoLife modules from LONGi’s back-contact range are designed for high efficiency and stable performance, which helps deliver reliable electricity even during the shorter, colder days when heating demand rises. Their all-black design integrates well with modern rooftops, making them suitable for visible residential installations. In combination with heat pumps or reversible air conditioners, EcoLife modules can support a balanced, future-ready home energy system that reduces running costs and lowers environmental impact.

Contact LONGi today or get more info here.