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Solar panels with storage battery and EV before and after

Before the solar panels and the EV we were paying £120 to £150pcm for electricity, which is around ££1,500-£1,600 per year. In September 2023 the EV arrived and the bills went more than £200 to £220pcm. I am on Octopus Intelligent Go and the EV charges at 7p per 1kW.

After the solar installation of 9 panels and 10kWh Solar Edge battery for around £11K in Jan 24 our electricity bills went down to £693 for the whole 2024 for 9,190kW Import from the grid . Most of the electricity is for the EV at 7p.

Octopus pays 15p per 1kW export.

Without the solar our bill would have been £2,500, after the solar is £700. This is £1,800 saving for the first year. If it continues like that in 6-7 years the solar system would be paid for.

The battery makes a big difference. Get the highest capacity battery you can afford.

From July 2025 we added 3 more solar panels. Total 12 with 5.36kW power. We are able to export more energy now and in a sunny days we almost do not use anything from the grid between 05:30am and 11:30pm. During the 6 hours 11:30pm and 05:30pm our rates are 7p and we charge the battery the EV's and try to run the DW after 23:30.

I would highly recommend the company which installed our system. They were very good and they are based in Surrey and cover South and South West London if you are interested or have questions, please reply.


Comments

  • QrizB
    QrizB Posts: 19,566 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Fourth Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 2 October at 8:53PM
    Congratulations!
    Is yours an all-electric property, or do you have gas/oil/LPG too? If all-electric, what sort of heating do you have?

    Without the solar our bill would have been £2,500, after the solar is £700. This is £1,800 saving for the first year. If it continues like that in 6-7 years the solar system would be paid for.

    Have you included your export payments in that calculation? Or are those in addition?
    I'm in a similar situation to you - solar, battery, EV, IOG - albeit with a much smaller solar array (roughly half your size). My electricity bills have been around £25-£35 a month since March, and total about £540 for the year. And that's without allowing for export payments - I'm on a legacy FIT which is paid separately.
    N. Hampshire, he/him. Octopus Intelligent Go elec & Tracker gas / Vodafone BB / iD mobile. Ripple Kirk Hill Coop member.
    2.72kWp PV facing SSW installed Jan 2012. 11 x 247w panels, 3.6kw inverter. 34 MWh generated, long-term average 2.6 Os.
    Ofgem cap table, Ofgem cap explainer. Economy 7 cap explainer. Gas vs E7 vs peak elec heating costs, Best kettle!
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