We get a lot of questions from customers about installing solar panels, with more and more people taking the time to research generating their own renewable energy. One of the most popular questions we get is ‘How effective are solar panels in the UK? How much can I actually save?’
Ever wondered if solar would work on your home? Have you heard that solar doesn’t work in the UK? Read on to find out.
How Much Energy do Solar Panels Generate in the UK?
At Eclipse, all our solar systems are designed bespoke to the needs of our customers, including where the panels are situated on your property and what style of panel you want. Our design software not only shows an image of how your system will look on your home, but also the amount of electricity generated annually.
Our software considers elevation, shading from nearby trees, and historic weather patterns where you live (including daylight hours) to provide an accurate estimate of electricity generation. When we design a system, we take your annual usage from your energy bills and build a solution to meet your exact requirements.
A typical solar system in the UK is approximately 4 Kilowatts, and the average annual generation of a system of this size is approximately 4000 kWh per year. With an average house in the UK using 3500 kWh of electricity per year, over a year you can generate more than you use! With that being said, there are a few important things to take into consideration.
Available Roof Space
You can only fit as many panels as your roof (or land) can accommodate. If you require a 4kw system but only have space for a 2kw system, you won’t be able to generate all the electricity you need
Roof Orientation
Due to being in the Northern Hemisphere, the best angle for solar panels in the UK is facing directly south, to generate electricity all throughout the day. East or West facing roofs can only generate in the morning/evening, and north facing panels can reduce output by 30% or more.
Personal Energy Usage
While the average energy usage in the UK is 3500 kWh per year, if you use more electricity, you will require more panels. Consider looking into your energy usage, and if you have any particularly inefficient electrical devices (such as fridges, washing machines or tumble dryers) these will have a significant impact.
Time of Year
It’s no secret that the UK has short days and poor weather in Winter, so generation in December and January is typically low, and going completely off grid might not be feasible for these months, but there are numerous ways to save during those months and maximise your return, read on to find out how.
How Much Can I Save?
With energy prices on the rise, it’s never been a better time to save with a solar system. At projected prices, every Kilowatt produced by your panels is saving you as much as 35p. While all our systems are different, and the way everyone uses energy is different, it’s common for our systems to save over £1000 per year on a typical household bill, at current price rates, representing a significant return on investment.
Getting the Most out of your Solar System
There’s no doubt that solar panels are one of the simplest and lowest maintenance ways of generating your own electricity and reducing your reliance on the national grid, but there are ways to make your system work even better and maximise your savings.
Time Your Electricity Usage
If your panels are generating electricity during the day, it makes sense to use your most electrically intensive appliances when you have free power. Consider using your electric shower, washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher during daylight hours to use as much as possible.
All our solar systems come with free monitoring, which you can track using a phone app or on your computer, keep an eye on your usage to see where you can save the most!
Invest in Battery Storage
Solar panels generate electricity when the sun is shining, but most of us work during the day. By adding a battery, you can store that electricity to use whenever you want, even at night!
Solar batteries are the best way to use every single bit of energy generated, and over 90% of our solar panel installations come with some form of storage.
Get Smart with Storage and Flexible Energy Prices
Particularly savvy customers can generate huge returns from their solar systems and pay even less for their electricity by utilizing forced battery charging and selling excess energy back to the grid.
If your batteries are fully charged and your houses energy needs are met, our systems automatically sell your excess energy back to the grid. Octopus Energy currently offer 15p per kWh sent back to the grid, which can take a significant chunk out of your bills or even make you money.
In addition, many of our customers opt to go on variable energy tariffs, such as Economy 7 or Octopus Go, with prices as low as 7.5p per kWh. Using your monitoring app, you can force your batteries to charge if they are not full at night-time, taking advantage of this super cheap electricity to use whenever you want.