Installing solar and saving energy

“I’m very concerned about the environment, particularly for my grandkids,” Terry explained. “They’re going to have to deal with a very difficult situation in the future, and we’ve got to do something now to try to limit the impact. We can’t just leave it to them. We’ve got to take action now.”

Chris added: “In the early 2000s we started thinking ‘how can we cut down our energy use?’ because we were beginning to be concerned about climate change. And we started by simply turning off what we weren’t using. So, nothing on standby, the microwave and oven were switched off at the wall. When it came to installing the solar panels, we could afford it and we knew that it would have benefits. We just felt it was the right thing to do; saving money was a secondary added benefit.”

Chris and Terry fitted 16 panels on their roof.  The four kWs of power they generate translates to about 3,700 kilowatt hours (kWhs) of energy annually.

When it came to getting the panels and installing them, Terry said that there were two parts to it.

“The actual installation was all done in a day with minimal disruption. Shopping for the system took a while. It’s important to find an experienced company that is MCS certified, has built up a good reputation and will get the necessary permissions.”

The MCS certification is a quality assurance scheme supported by the UK Government, which certifies products and installers. You can search for an MCS installer in your area on the MCS website.

You should try to find an installer who is also listed on the Competent Persons Register. Registered installers can self-certify that their work complies with building regulations and will give you a certificate of compliance when the work is complete so that you don’t need to submit a building notice.

Chris further explained: “Your chosen company will also consider the direction your roof is facing and whether you have any shading. South facing roofs are the best, but east or west facing roofs will work too. Our house is L-shaped and it’s southeast and southwest facing, so it works great.”

In 2021, after having the solar panels for a few years, Terry decided to add a battery to the system so they could store and use more of the electricity they generated.  

“I had been looking at batteries for many years, and now was the time that we felt that the technology was right as well as affordable,” he said. “I researched various brands of batteries and systems out there and decided on the one that I thought would work best.”

The battery they bought can store eight kWhs, which is roughly 20% above their average daily energy consumption.

“We wanted it to be able to store more than an average day’s supply of energy to help us through the winter days when it is cloudy. This has been working quite well,” Terry added.

Adding a battery means they can store the electricity that’s generated during the day to use in the evening, at times that suit them best.

“We’re on a tariff where we get a cheaper electricity rate at night compared to during the day, and we got this some years ago. In the winter months we charge the battery, then we run the dishwasher and heat the water tank at night when it’s cheap. The cost of energy from the grid is more expensive during the day, so we rely on the battery during this time to minimise our costs.

We also asked Terry and Chris whether they still get use out of their panels in the winter.

Terry pointed out that during the colder months, from the end of November to February, “the panels still generate some electricity, except on rare days when there is snow on the panels. But the overall generation will be about 10% of what it is in the summer.”

As this is not enough to get through the day, they import electricity from the grid during the months when they can’t be self-sufficient.

Other than their solar panel system, Terry and Chris explained that they’ve slowly been making changes in the way they use electric and heating for a long time, which has also helped them make the system work better.

Terry said he bought a plug-in power meter which he connected to their appliances, and it told them how many kilowatt hours they consumed. “And that’s how I learned that our microwave, which is quite old, used more power on standby than it used in the six minutes it took us to cook baked potatoes.”

Terry and Chris spent about £7,000 on the solar panels, £300 on the diverter and £4,500 on the battery. They both agree that the solar panels have made a huge difference.

Terry said: “When we had the solar panels installed, they predicted about a 10% reduction in our bills and a seven-year payback. But we actually did it in five and a half. Now, 10 years later, they have paid for themselves more than twice over.

“This is because from mid-March to mid-October, we hardly buy any electricity, apart from a few kilowatts here and there. For example, our bill for August was £0.79.

“To put this in annual terms, I know we consume about 2,750 kWhs a year in electricity. Solar generation gives us 1,800 kWhs a year either directly or via the battery, and we import around 950 kWhs a year, mainly during the winter and with the cheap overnight rate.”

It can be difficult to know where to start if you’re considering getting solar panels. Terry gave this advice:

“When you are shopping around, go to a local company with an established reputation and good Trustpilot score. We decided to avoid the big national companies with large advertising budgets as we felt it could have been easy to pay twice as much as you need to.”

“Also, think about what you are already doing in your house and what else you could do, and get all the systems to work together. It’s about prevention rather than the cure. This is what will save you the most money.”

Terry has used our website on multiple occasions:

“I think your website is useful. You’re not trying to supplement or sell anything, and you are impartial.”

If you’re considering installing solar panels, check out our solar panels advice page for extra recommendations on what you can do. You may also want to explore our page on the Smart Export Guarantee for information about receiving payments on any exported electricity.