Solar Panels reducing electricity bill

Diesel72

Hi. In January 2018 we had solar panels installed and told we would receive a FIT payment (government incentive) and a reduction in our electricity bills. We had an excellent summer and our app for the solar panels said they were working overtime and the FIT payments were agreeing.
British Gas however charged us the same for electricity as the previous year. Firstly I was passed between 5 departments - told varying things from you didn't buy the panels from us, all you get is your FIT payments and nothing else. That would therefore mean that when the incentive stops in April, solar panels would be a waste of time.
Knowing several people with solar panels who pay very little electricity - I know this is rubbish. I lodged a complaint with British Gas but you can't ring the case handler directly and are just waiting for them to contact you.
I have been told that some smart meters aren't compatible with solar panels, but my case handler said that British Gas's meters are all fine and that is not the problem.
Has anyone else had this issue and how did you solve it? Stuck with losing money and banging my head on a brick wall.

ajbell

2018 was an excellent year for solar power but you have not told us how many panels and what KW? .
Also are you talking about your actual usage not reducing or your bills?
Can you tell us what was your usage in Kwh in 2017 compared to 2018?.
Smart meter should not be a problem and your electricity supplier is not important.
My usage from the grid fell from around 3000kwh to 1000kwh after my panels were installed and I generated 4200kwh last year.

sevenhills

Diesel72 wrote: »

British Gas however charged us the same for electricity as the previous year. Firstly I was passed between 5 departments - told varying things from you didn't buy the panels from us, all you get is your FIT payments and nothing else. That would therefore mean that when the incentive stops in April, solar panels would be a waste of time.

The Feed-in-Tariff is ending in April 2019 should not affect the people that already have them installed.
I had mine fitted a few years ago and I expect the payment to carry on for 20 or 25 years, not sure.
I don't notice that my electricity bill is lower, but I guess it is. Obviously not much cheaper in winter, I pay £39 per month in energy charges(2 bedroom house, low user) and I am in credit at the moment.
Perhaps you are in credit and don't realise you are saving money?

Cardew

As said above, the FIT and export payments should continue for you for 20 years.


The reduction in your electricity bill depends on a number of factors including how hard you work at using appliances during the day when the panels are generating.



If you are out all day and don't change your lifestyle, your savings could be as low as £50 a year.

Diesel72

We have 8 panels which produced 2964.4 Kwh last year. The solar panel app says we exported more than imported. I have changed my lifestyle as much as possible and am only out a couple of days.

I know that in the height of summer we should only have been paying about £30 per month with the standing charge - however we were charged the same and that seems wrong. We're just trying to get a complete understanding.

Thanks for your advice I am going to check British Gas to see what my annual usage was in 2017.

sevenhills

Diesel72 wrote: »

Thanks for your advice I am going to check British Gas to see what my annual usage was in 2017.

I have just had a quote for changing supplier, they estimate that I will use 1410 kw of electricity next year.
I have eight panels, I receive around £70/£80 per quarter in FIT payment.

ajbell

You have to change the way you use electricity but I have also got my usage from the grid down to 1000kwh and my duel fuel bill is £45 a month and I get back almost £60 a month in FIT payments.
Excess electricity goes first into the hot water tank and then to an oil filled radiator.
Every bulb in my house is LED and other appliances are used 1 at a time to make best use of what free power is available.
I should add that I am a not a light user, I have the TV and 2 laptops going all day and the house is always warm, just use what you generate and try not to let it go back to the grid.

[Deleted User]

Diesel72 wrote: »

Hi. In January 2018 we had solar panels installed and told we would receive a FIT payment (government incentive) and a reduction in our electricity bills. We had an excellent summer and our app for the solar panels said they were working overtime and the FIT payments were agreeing.
British Gas however charged us the same for electricity as the previous year. Firstly I was passed between 5 departments - told varying things from you didn't buy the panels from us, all you get is your FIT payments and nothing else. That would therefore mean that when the incentive stops in April, solar panels would be a waste of time.
Knowing several people with solar panels who pay very little electricity - I know this is rubbish. I lodged a complaint with British Gas but you can't ring the case handler directly and are just waiting for them to contact you.
I have been told that some smart meters aren't compatible with solar panels, but my case handler said that British Gas's meters are all fine and that is not the problem.
Has anyone else had this issue and how did you solve it? Stuck with losing money and banging my head on a brick wall.

There are still hundreds of thousands of users with solar panels who have old analogue meters ( specifically Sangamo Weston analogue meters )which run backwards at the same time as crediting the FIT meter on sunny days of low usage by the occupiers.. They can end up by paying only a few kwhs per month if they are clever and make sure not to submit readings which are less than the one before.
It is not legal to have an electric meter which runs backwards.Digital meters cannot run backwards.
These people can boast about how good their solar panels are but it is just appalling customer service from suppliers which allow this when they are aware it is happening.
Possibly your friends have this metering set up