Is Solar worth it for me?

keanefan

Hello all.
I am considering having a Solar PV system with battery storage installed in my home.  I had one in my previous house which was installed in 2012 when FIT was just taking off and it was financially worthwhile.
I now live alone in a 1 bedroom bungalow and my elecricity usage is 1115 kWh per year which I think is low?
 My current monthly payment for gas and electric is £57 and I am currently £110 in credit.

I know any company giving me a quote would probably say it is worthwhile; but can I believe that? I am 64 years old which is another factor, will I benefit from it in the years I have left?

Reed_Richards

The number of years you have left depends on whether you are male or female.

Male:  Median life expectancy is 85 years
Female: 87 years

That's the age that you have a 50:50 chance of living to.

Heedtheadvice

Given your low electricity consumption you will not save much financially but you might do well if you export on the right tariff.

keanefan

Thank you both. I'm in the process of getting quotes at the moment.

Screwdriva

Is it worth it? Yes, provided you have an East/ West or South roof aspect. 

I would definitely skip a battery. Assuming you can fit 10 435W bifacial panels on your roof, a SolarEdge inverter based system with 20 year warranty will cost £5200 fully installed with bird netting and G98 included.

You will likely generate ~4200 kWh per year and export 90% of it at a rate of 15p per kWh earning you £570. You'll likely save you another £30 odd via reduced import from the grid. So ~£600 back per year or a ~8.5 year return on investment.  These are conservative approximates and will vary (in your favour) should energy prices continue to rise. The more panels you can fit on the roof, the quicker the return on investment will be (to a point) as you will generate and export more. 

And there's that whole ethical thing to think about. 

keanefan

I thought I would update on this. I had a Solar PV installation carried out by a local company in December 2024. 8 panels on an east facing roof. 3.64kWp capacity with battery and birdproofing. The cost was £5,590.

From April to October last year my export income was higher than my electricity bill. I pay £45 per month. By the end of October 2025 I was in credit by £520.

On 15th of this month, after the winter months, I still had a credit balance of £330.00 and have now had a refund of £270. I am very happy with it.

debitcardmayhem

Good to get an update, and glad you are happy , so often posters disappear after their initial interaction.