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INTEGRA solar is the version of VELUX’s powered window that needs no wiring whatsoever: a solar cell on the frame charges a battery, the battery drives the motor. Same app and wall-pad control, same automatic rain sensor — minus the electrician. Which is why it’s become the default answer for two situations: windows you can’t reach, and rooms that are already finished.
How the solar-plus-battery system actually works
The solar cell sits discreetly on the exterior of the frame and keeps an internal battery charged; the battery — not live sunlight — powers everything. Practical consequences:
- It works at night, in rain, and through UK winters. VELUX quotes over 100 open/close operations from a full charge, and normal use (a few operations a day) never gets near draining it.
- Shade is the one real caveat. A window under dense tree cover or on a permanently shaded north slope may struggle to recharge — the one scenario where wired electric is more dependable.
- Batteries age. Expect a replacement battery pack sometime in the window’s 20–30 year life — a user-replaceable part, not a window replacement. Electrics carry a 5-year guarantee (10 if registered); the window itself 10 years.
The rain sensor behaves exactly as on the electric version: first drops, window closes, no soggy carpet. Solar-powered blinds pair naturally — they’re also wire-free, so the whole assembly retrofits without opening a single ceiling.
Why retrofits made this the popular INTEGRA
Powering a roof window in an existing room used to mean channelling mains cable through a sloped, insulated, plastered roof. The solar version deletes that entire job: fitting one is identical to fitting a manual window — same day’s labour, same flashing, same install costs — and the automation simply works from day one. For loft bedrooms, stairwell windows and double-height spaces where the handle was never reachable, it’s transformed what used to be a fixed-window compromise.
2026 prices
Per the 2026 price data: £830 supply for a small solar centre-pivot, £1,230 for a large one; fitted, £1,155–£1,555. That’s £300–£800 over manual depending on size — the automation premium, with zero additional install cost over a manual window (the electric version’s premium is similar but adds the electrician).
Verdict
If you want a powered VELUX in an existing room, or anywhere out of arm’s reach, buy solar and don’t overthink it — the no-wiring advantage is decisive and the limitations (deep shade, an eventual battery swap) are edge cases. In new work where the electrician’s already on site, electric is marginally cheaper and immune to shade. And if the window’s within easy reach, the honest answer is that a manual window plus the savings buys a lot of better glazing.
Frequently asked questions
How does a VELUX solar window work?
A solar cell on the exterior frame charges an internal battery, which powers the opening motor, rain sensor and any solar blinds. No mains connection at all — VELUX quotes more than 100 open/close operations from a full charge.
Does a VELUX solar window work at night or in winter?
Yes — it runs off the battery, not live sunlight. UK winters keep the battery topped up fine in normal use; the practical caveat is heavily shaded roofs, where the cell may struggle to recharge.
How much does a VELUX INTEGRA solar window cost?
£830–£1,230 supply depending on size in 2026, or roughly £1,155–£1,555 fitted — about £300–£800 over the equivalent manual window.
Solar or electric INTEGRA — which is better?
Solar for retrofits and unreachable windows: identical day-to-day behaviour with zero wiring. Electric only wins in new work where cabling is trivial anyway. Most private buyers upgrading an existing room should default to solar.
Keep reading
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