How Much Can Solar Panels Save You?

Let’s be honest, energy bills aren’t exactly something we look forward to paying. With electricity prices making up a noticeable chunk of household spending, it’s no wonder people are starting to look for ways to bring those costs down. Introducing: solar panels. When you generate your own electricity right at home, you’ll be generating clean, renewable energy. But the big question is: how much can you actually save with solar panels?

The answer depends on your home, your energy usage and the solar system you choose. However, for many households, the savings can really add up over the lifetime of the panels.

So, let’s take a further look!

How Do Solar Panels Reduce Your Energy Bills?

By now, you most probably know how solar panels work. But if not, here’s a quick refresher:

Solar panels absorb daylight, and from that daylight they produce energy that your home can use instead of buying electricity from the grid. The more of your own solar electricity you use yourself, the less electricity you need to buy from your energy supplier. This is known as solar self-consumption (a little more on that later).

Let’s say your panels are generating electricity while you’re running the washing machine, charging an electric vehicle or cooking lunch; you can use that solar energy directly in your home. It’s a basic idea: generate more of your own electricity and buy less from the grid, and you’ll reduce your energy costs.

What Determines How Much You Can Save With Solar?

There really isn’t a single figure that applies to every household, as every home is different. Your potential savings are individual to your property and how you use energy.

A good starting point is your annual electricity consumption, but it’s not the only factor. When you use your electricity matters too. For example, a household that uses lots of electricity during the day may be able to use more solar energy directly compared to a household that uses most of its electricity in the evening (cooking dinner, charging devices, switching lights on).

Also, your solar system’s size and expected generation are important factors to consider, and so is your roof’s orientation and pitch. Shading from trees, buildings and chimneys can also affect how much electricity your panels generate.

It’s also worth having a think about the future. Perhaps you’re planning to buy an electric vehicle, work from home more often or replace your gas boiler with a heat pump. Changes like these could increase your electricity use and make generating your own power even more valuable.

That’s why booking a professional solar consultation is so useful. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to solar savings, and our team can help break it down and find out what works for you.

Why Your Electricity Usage Matters

Did you know that two houses with identical solar panel systems could achieve very different savings?

This is because how they use their energy can vary massively, even if both households have the same number of panels. Imagine one household is out at work all day and uses most of its electricity between 6pm and 10pm. The other works from home, runs appliances during the day and regularly charges an electric vehicle. The second household may be able to use a much larger proportion of its solar electricity as it’s being generated. 

Appliances that use a lot of energy can also make a big difference. Washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers and EV chargers all use electricity, so timing the use of these around solar generation can really help you make better use of your system.

What is Solar Self-Consumption?

Solar self-consumption simply means using the electricity your solar panels generate in your own home. Say your panels are producing 3kWh and your home is currently using 2kWh at the same time; you can use that 2kWh directly. Then the remaining electricity can either be stored in a battery or exported to the grid. Increasing self-consumption is one of the key ways to get more value from your solar system.

Can Solar Panels Cancel Out Your Energy Bill?

While it’s true that solar panels can significantly reduce your electricity bills, it’s important not to assume they’ll automatically take your bill down to £0. Your panels won’t generate the same amount of electricity every hour of every day. On a bright summer afternoon, your panels may generate plenty of electricity, but once the sun sets, your panels may stop generating electricity altogether, even though your household is still using power.

There are also standing charges to consider, which can remain even when you’ve reduced the amount of electricity you buy.

If perhaps you would like to rely less on the grid, adding a home battery to your system means you can store excess solar energy generated throughout the day, which can then be used in the evenings or at a later date, so you won’t have to buy electricity from the grid as much.

Want to know what solar could do for your bills? Book your free solar consultation today, and we can look at your home, energy use and potential savings.

Can A Battery Help You Save More With Solar?

A solar battery can be a really useful addition to your system. Without a battery, any electricity your panels generate that you don’t use immediately can be exported to the grid, but with a battery, that electricity can be stored and used later.

So, say for example your panels are generating lots of electricity at lunchtime, but you’re not home; your battery can store some of it away. Then, later on, when you get home and start cooking, watching TV, charging your car, etc, you can use the stored energy rather than buying as much from the grid. This can increase your self-consumption and help you get more use from the electricity your panels generate. 

If you’re thinking of installing a battery, a couple of important considerations are capacity and efficiency. A suitably sized battery can store a good amount of surplus energy, but it’s not simply a case of choosing the biggest battery possible. The right size depends on your solar system, electricity usage and household routine.

How Do Solar Savings Vary Throughout the Year?

Solar generation naturally changes with the seasons. Brighter and longer days typically mean your panels can generate more electricity, while darker and shorter winter days generally produce less.

Your energy use in your home can also change throughout the year. You may use more electricity in the winter when you pop the heating on, or you’re spending more time indoors to escape the rain. But that doesn’t mean solar stops being useful in the winter. Solar panels generate electricity throughout the year, and they still produce power in overcast weather, rain, and even snow. You’re simply likely to see different levels of generation from season to season.

What About Electricity You Don’t Use?

If your panels are generating more electricity than your home currently needs, and you don’t have enough battery storage to use it later, the surplus can be exported to the grid, and depending on your tariff and supplier, you may be able to receive payment for electricity you export. This means unused solar electricity doesn’t go to waste. 

If you’re curious about how much energy your home could generate, book your free solar consultation today.

How Long Will Solar Panels Save You Money?

Solar panels should be seen as a long-term investment. And at SKYGLO, our solar panels have a lifespan of around 30 years, giving you decades to benefit from generating your own electricity. And importantly, your panels won’t simply stop working after 30 years. They can still continue to generate electricity far beyond their expected lifespan; their output may just gradually reduce over time.

The typical payback period is around 6-12 years, although the exact figure will, of course, depend on your property, system, energy usage and some other factors. But once your system has paid for itself, you can continue to generate your own electricity for decades. 

Find Out How Much You Can Save

So, how much can solar panels save you? The answer comes down to your home. For the majority of households with a suitable property, solar is a worthwhile long-term investment. But rather than relying on an estimate, it makes sense to find out what solar could actually do for your home. 

Book your free solar consultation today and find out how much you could save with solar.