What SOLAR1ST LTD does

Solar1st Ltd, trading as Solar First, is a privately held UK renewable energy installation company founded in 2023 by Ross Fitzpatrick and headquartered in Glaston, Rutland. The company supplies and installs solar photovoltaic (PV) panel systems, lithium-ion solar battery storage (including retrofits to existing arrays), home and commercial EV chargers from brands such as Myenergi Zappi, Wallbox, Hypervolt, Ohme, and Easee, and air source heat pumps. It holds MCS, RECC, OZEV, and NIC/NICEIC accreditations, which enable eligibility for government-backed schemes including the Smart Export Guarantee, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and OZEV EV charger grants. The technology stack is hardware-led and vendor-sourced rather than proprietary, with smart switching and solar-prioritisation features delivered through third-party charger and inverter products.

The company operates a direct-to-consumer and direct-to-SMB model with no resellers, distributors, or franchisees. Customer acquisition combines website quote requests, local SEO, content marketing, social media, and word-of-mouth referrals, followed by free on-site property surveys and bespoke quotations delivered by MCS-certified field engineers. Pricing is custom quote-based with no publicly disclosed standard tiers. Its primary customer segments are homeowners, small businesses (including farms and equestrian properties), landlords with rental or HMO portfolios, and rural/specialist properties such as listed buildings and conservation-area homes. The company is bootstrapped and founder-led, with no external institutional investment, no disclosed headcount, and no patents, partnerships, or M&A activity recorded.

Geographically, Solar First is anchored in the East Midlands — Rutland, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire — and has expanded into Surrey, Kent, and County Durham. Its scale signals are modest: 'hundreds of satisfied customers' across its service area, a combined 50+ years of team experience in renewables, and a leadership team of one named founder. Revenue, headcount, and growth metrics are not disclosed in the source material.

Name

SOLAR1ST LTD

Legal name

Solar1st Ltd

Website

https://solarfirst.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Solar1st Ltd (Solar First) is a privately held Rutland, UK-based installer of solar PV panels, lithium-ion battery storage, EV chargers, and air source heat pumps for residential and small commercial customers across the East Midlands and South East England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Renewable Energy Installation Services

NAICS

Solar Electric Power Generation (221114)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600)

akta.pro primary industry

Solar EPC & Construction (Utility-Scale, Rooftop, Balance of System) (EUAMABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Solar Roofing & Roof-Mounted PV Systems (IMADAFAO), Solar Panel Cleaning (HSAEAJAL)

Keywords

• Solar panel installation
• Battery storage systems
• EV charger installation
• Air source heat pumps
• Renewable energy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Solar Panel Installation: Supply and professional installation of solar PV panel systems for residential and small commercial properties. Includes system design, panel installation, inverter setup, and commissioning. Revenue is generated through one-time installation fees based on system size and complexity.
2. Solar Battery Storage Installation: Installation of battery storage systems, either alongside new solar installations or retrofitted to existing solar setups. Revenue generated through equipment supply and installation labour.
3. EV Charger Installation: Supply and installation of home EV charging units, including OZEV grant-eligible installations. Works with multiple EV charger brands including Myenergi Zappi, Wallbox, Hypervolt, Ohme, and Easee.
4. Air Source Heat Pump Installation: Installation of air source heat pump systems for clean, efficient heating and hot water, including eligibility support for government schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
5. Solar Panel Maintenance and Cleaning: Ongoing maintenance services including solar panel cleaning and system upgrades. Provides guidance on simple upkeep to maximise performance and lifespan.
6. System Monitoring and Aftercare: Post-installation support including monitoring app setup, user guidance, and documentation. Ongoing aftercare and optional servicing support for installed systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Solar First supplies and professionally installs solar PV panel systems, lithium-ion solar battery storage (including retrofits), home EV chargers (including solar-compatible smart chargers), and air source heat pumps for residential and small commercial properties across the East Midlands and South East England. The company operates a direct, consultative sales model offering free on-site property surveys followed by bespoke quotations, with integrated solutions designed so that solar generation, battery storage, and EV charging can work together as one energy system.

Product overview

Solar First is an independent renewable energy installation company offering a portfolio of interconnected clean energy products and services. The core offerings consist of solar panel installation (supply and fitting for domestic and small commercial properties), solar battery storage systems (lithium-ion batteries that store excess solar generation), and EV home chargers (including smart solar-compatible models from brands such as Myenergi Zappi, Wallbox, Hypervolt, Ohme, and Easee). These products are designed to work together as an integrated energy solution: solar panels generate electricity, batteries store surplus power for evening use, and EV chargers can draw from solar or stored energy. Additional services include air source heat pumps, solar panel cleaning and maintenance, and specialised offerings for landlords and commercial businesses. The company operates as an installation services provider rather than a software platform, delivering hardware solutions with certified engineering and aftercare support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Solar Panel Installation

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced electricity bills through self-generation and storage
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Pod Point: UK EV charging provider with home and workplace charger installation services. Comparable because Solar First competes directly with Pod Point's home-charger proposition while also installing competing hardware brands.

Broad incumbents

• British Gas (Centrica): Largest UK domestic energy supplier with solar, battery and heat-pump offerings. Comparable in serving the same UK homeowner for integrated home-renewables installations, though typically through a much broader service and brand portfolio.
• OVO Energy: UK energy retailer with solar and EV charging offerings targeted at homeowners. Comparable in targeting the same residential decarbonisation customer with bundled solar/EV propositions, but with utility-scale customer-acquisition channels.
• EDF Energy: Major UK energy supplier with a residential renewables arm offering solar, battery and EV charger installations alongside energy supply. Comparable in the integrated residential renewables offering, though distributed through a much larger corporate and brand infrastructure.
• Octopus Energy: Large UK energy retailer that bundles solar PV, battery and EV charger installations with its supply tariffs via Kraken-style propositions. Comparable as it offers the same integrated solar/battery/EV bundle to UK homeowners, but at vastly greater scale and with energy-supply cross-selling.

Others

• Myenergi: UK manufacturer of the Zappi solar-compatible EV charger that Solar First explicitly installs. Comparable as an ecosystem partner supplying a flagship hardware product into the same residential solar+EV customer journey.

Direct peers

• Effective Home: UK residential solar, battery storage and EV charger installation company. Comparable as another UK-only multi-product renewables installer targeting homeowners with bundled offerings and grant-eligible installations.
• Project Solar UK: UK residential and small-commercial solar PV installer offering supply-and-fit packages with MCS-equivalent accreditation. Directly comparable as a UK-focused rooftop solar installer competing for similar homeowner customers with similar value proposition (bundled, consultative, regional).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SOLAR1ST LTD