We all know that installing solar panels can save you money on your energy bills and reduce your reliance on expensive power from the grid, at SolarTherm UK we believe your solar installation is an investment, so we’ve looked at some smart and savvy ways to help you maximise your investment.
💰 Take Advantage of the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a great way to save you even more on your electricity bills. With all the major energy suppliers offering competitive rates starting from 3.01p to 15p per kWh exported, we recommend doing your research and choosing the best tariff for what you export.
💡 Top Tip:
Most suppliers will offer a higher SEG tariff if you purchase electricity from them as well as export. For example, Octopus Energy pays 15p per kWh if you’re on their import tariff, compared to just 4.1p if you’re not.
💰Install a Solar Battery
At SolarTherm UK, we use your energy bill to estimate you annual usage on power, we ask questions about what you are looking to achieve from your solar installation and we design a solar solution that works for your budget. If you typically use more electricity in the evenings than during the day, a solar battery is the ideal solution to maximise your savings from your generated electricity, by storing excess energy for when you need it most.
💡 Top Tip:
Charging your battery overnight using off-peak tariffs and exporting your excess energy during the day can potentially save you even more. Octopus Go will charge you 8.5p per kWh to charge your battery overnight and pay you 15p per kWh to export to the grid. Potentially saving you and additional £2.10 per day (or £766.35 per year) on a 10.24kWh battery.
💰Use power-hungry appliances during the day
Running your washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher during the day allows you to take advantage of your solar generated power and use more free electricity.
💡 Top Tip:
Installing smart technology such as smart plugs will allow you to control your appliances from your smartphone – running them wherever you are. Taking advantage of your free electricity.
💰Check your solar panels regularly for shade and debris
Trimming nearby branches, cleaning your panels and checking for shaded areas will help maintain the efficiency of your solar PV panels. For maximum efficiency, solar panels work best on clear, sunny days with no shade, to overcome shading issues, at SolarTherm UK we can install SolarEdge power optimisers for a smart solution. Unlike traditional string inverters, SolarEdge allows for partial shading and each panel operates independently, whereas with a string inverter, if one panel is experiencing shading it can reduce the efficiency of all panels on the string.
💡 Top Tip:
If you are experiencing issues with shading – talk to the team at SolarTherm UK to find out if a SolarEdge power optimiser upgrade would be suitable.
💰Drive the Sunshine
Using your solar PV panels to charge your Electric Vehicle (EV) is a savvy choice and can save you up to an additional £1,150 per year. As more UK homeowners transition to EVs, home charging is part of the daily routine and cost of living. Installing a home charger is cost-effective and running it from your solar panels is even smarter.
💰Solar Powered Hot Water
You can heat your hot water tank using solar power by installing an immersion diverter. The immersion diverter switches your immersion on when your solar panels are generating more electricity than you are using, turning your spare electricity into hot water.
Ready to Maximise Your Savings?
Whether you’re looking to boost efficiency, add a battery, or install EV charging, SolarTherm UK is here to help you make the most of your solar investment.
Contact SolarTherm UK today for a free bespoke design package – tailored for your property, usage. lifestyle and future energy needs. No hard sell, just honest, expert advice.
