If your roof needs replacing anyway, why put slates where solar panels could go? Sarah Wallace from LONGi talks to installer Leon Rygol from Rygol Electrical Services and Shane from GSE Integration on the LONGi stand at Solar & Storage Live 2026, NEC Birmingham.

Leon bought a house that needed a complete new roof, so he put his own money where his mouth is: 44 LONGi 480 W all-black panels on a GSE in-roof system, 21 kWp in total. He explains why, as an investor, it's one of the very few jobs on a property that pays for itself, what he expects it to generate against a new 7 kW heat pump, and why it finally gives him an answer when customers ask what's on his own roof.

⚡ Short Circuit #2: one topic, no resistance. A short episode from the Only Panels Podcast, out every Sunday at 6pm.

You'll also see Leon in next Wednesday's main episode, Only Panels S3E4 "Training Has Missed the Trade" (Wednesday 28 Oct, 6pm).

Chapters
0:00 Cold open
0:14 Meet Leon (Rygol) and Shane (GSE Integration)
0:33 A 21 kWp in-roof system on a brand-new roof
1:36 Why a new roof should pay for itself
2:09 Why LONGi panels and a GSE in-roof kit
2:49 15,000 kWh vs a new heat pump
3:38 Finally, solar on the installer's own house

Guests: Leon Rygol, Rygol Electrical Services · Shane, GSE Integration
Host: Sarah Wallace, LONGi
Recorded on the LONGi stand at Solar & Storage Live 2026, NEC Birmingham.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/yYBoF-2Bra4
Only Panels Podcast with Michael Stott & Dan Holliday. Show supporters: LONGi · A121 Training

What does it actually take to run a solar install business in 2026? Live from the LONGi stand at Solar & Storage Live 2026, five people who do it every day talk customers, leads, kit, admin and standards.

Sam Waxman (Waxman Energy), nearly 20 years in, says the industry has gone from constant firefighting to finally planning ahead. Ben Price explains how Heatable works with local installers, pays them the full rate and takes the DNO, MCS and NAPIT red tape off their hands. Ben Fogg (Evo Renewables) says customers now buy on the tech spec, not the double-glazing pitch, and with the app and the data in their hands, "there's nowhere to hide". Dan Holliday (DMH) on why people buy from people, and holding his team to the highest standard. Plus Alicia Reid (Tomlinson Longstaff) and Michael Stott on support you can get hold of, and lifting a 120 kg battery.

In this episode:

• From firefighting to planning ahead

• How Heatable works with local installers

• Selling on the tech spec, not the sales pitch

• Customers chase brands

• YouTube vs buying leads

• Nowhere to hide: honesty and no package deals

• 5% VAT: a boom coming?

• Taking the red tape off installers

• Choosing your panels and kit

• Support, and the 120 kg battery

• Keep learning

• Holding your team to the highest standard

Chapters

0:00 Cold open

1:05 Welcome to Only Panels

1:13 Sam Waxman: from firefighting to planning ahead

2:28 Ben Price: how Heatable works with local installers

3:49 Selling on tech spec, not the double-glazing pitch

5:20 Customers chase brands

6:47 YouTube vs buying leads

7:41 Nowhere to hide: the customer has the data

9:28 5% VAT: boom or bust?

10:40 Taking the red tape off installers

12:36 Choosing your panels and kit

15:09 Support, and the 120 kg battery

17:10 Keep learning

18:14 Holding your team to the highest standard

19:11 Wrap-up

Guests: Sam Waxman (Waxman Energy), Ben Price (Heatable), Ben Fogg (Evo Renewables), Alicia Reid (Tomlinson Longstaff), Dan Holliday (DMH)

With Sarah Wallace and Phoebe Cho (LONGi)

Hosts: Dan Holliday (DMH) & Michael Stott (East Renewables)

Recorded on the LONGi stand at Solar & Storage Live 2026, NEC Birmingham.

Train with A121 Training (book at a121.co.uk):

• Solar Roofing Masterclass: 1-day hands-on course

• Gateway, Battery & Inverter Masterclass: 1-day course

• Level 3 Solar PV: 3-day course designed to meet MCS requirements

New episodes Wednesdays 6pm · Short Circuit Sundays 6pm

Show supporters: LONGi · A121 Training

#solar #solarinstaller #solarbusiness #installerlife #OnlyPanels #SolarAndStorageLive #LONGi #A121Training

The best bits from three days on the LONGi stand at Solar & Storage Live 2026

17 guests, one sofa, and a host who was "slightly hungover". Hats, mortgages, meetings about meetings, a Jacuzzi… and one installer who really hoped his German host wasn't a murderer.

Who made you laugh the most? 👇

🎧 Season 3 of Only Panels is out now on YouTube and Spotify. New episodes Wednesdays 6pm, Short Circuit every Sunday 6pm.

Only Panels, in association with LONGi. Supported by A121 Training (a121.co.uk)

#OnlyPanels #SolarAndStorageLive #SolarInstaller #Electrician #Solar