Solar and storage keeps UK home in permanent energy bill credit
Homes that can produce their own power are homes that can pursue their energy independence. When your home draws all its energy from the grid, you’re beholden to volatile energy prices. As well as the charges you incur, your energy use during peak hours relies on the burning of fossil fuels.
Enter solar and storage. With solar panels in place, coupled with a battery to store the sun’s energy and power your home in the evenings, you can run your home cheaply and sustainably. So, solar and storage gives you energy freedom.
In fact, depending on your setup, solar and storage can provide the means to eliminate energy bills altogether. One GivEnergy customer, Rob Milnes, has even been able to make money from his energy system. Not only is Rob’s home now in a prolonged state of energy bill credit, he is also profiting from his export gains.
For Rob, then, solar and storage equates to financial gains, environmental gains, and unparalleled energy efficiency. In his own words, here’s Rob’s story.
The goals
Rob Milnes was seeking to reduce his reliance on the grid and its peak charges. A keen advocate for clean energy, Rob was also looking to act as an ambassador on the benefits of smart energy management.
“My primary objective for the solar and storage project was to pursue energy independence. Moreover, I wanted to lead by example in my community, demonstrating the potential of solar and battery systems.”
With clear long-term goals in mind, Rob didn’t rush straight into a purchase. He was looking for a lasting solution that would maximise his return on investment and offer optimal efficiency. Ultimately, GivEnergy was Rob’s provider of choice.
“I committed a significant amount of time to research before deciding on GivEnergy. Their outstanding support system, user-friendly website, and welcoming community significantly influenced my decision.
Additionally, I found their products, particularly the new All-In-One (AIO), to offer excellent value for money.”
The installation
After his investment in research, it was time for Rob to invest in the right technology to meet his goals. First, he opted for a 7.2kWp solar system. Then, to maximise this solar array and store his generated energy for later use, Rob also opted for:
- – 1x 5kW GivEnergy hybrid inverter
- – 2x 9.5kWh GivEnergy batteries
After his investment in research, it was time for Rob to invest in the right technology to meet his goals. First, he opted for a 7.2kWp solar system. Then, to maximise this solar array and store his generated energy for later use, Rob also opted for:
- – 1x 5kW GivEnergy hybrid inverter
- – 2x 9.5kWh GivEnergy batteries
- 1 x GivEnergy 5kWh hybrid inverter
- 2 x GivEnergy 9.5kWh batteries
The results
With his solar and storage setup, Rob isn’t just living greener. He isn’t just shaving a few pounds from his energy bills. Rather, Rob has been able to keep his home sitting in energy bill credit – actively generating money alongside generating ample clean energy.
Plus, this achievement is all the more impressive in view of the fact that Rob also has an electrical vehicle to power. (Meaning high consumption needs.)
With his solar and storage setup, Rob isn’t just living greener. He isn’t just shaving a few pounds from his energy bills. Rather, Rob has been able to keep his home sitting in energy bill credit – actively generating money alongside generating ample clean energy.
Plus, this achievement is all the more impressive in view of the fact that Rob also has an electrical vehicle to power. (Meaning high consumption needs.)
“From 19th Apr 2022 to 10th Jul 2023 (448 days), we’ve navigated a fascinating journey in our energy usage and efficiency, inclusive of running our Renault Zoe on clean energy.
Our total electricity cost was a credit of £-484.13, averaging £-1.08 per day. Despite the additional power needs of our electric vehicle, we registered an export gain of £940.01. This achievement underpins the financial and environmental benefits of solar power and battery storage systems.”
Importing 5057.4 kWh and exporting 4467.1 kWh from our solar and storage system, we created a positive environmental impact, akin to the CO2 absorption of 3.9 mature trees!
We’ve seen our electricity import and export rates rise during this period. The average import unit rate was 6.67p/kWh, or £0.75 per day, while the export unit rate was 21.04p/kWh, or £2.10 a day.
By strategically managing our power usage – including charging our Renault Zoe – and load shifting, we’ve saved 100.8kgCO2.
Our results demonstrate how individuals and businesses alike can leverage microgrids for efficient energy management, reducing costs and promoting sustainability.”
- – Minus -£1.08 electricity costs per day (meaning a state of ongoing energy bill credit)
- – £940 export gains
- – 100kg CO2 savings
The feedback
As you might expect from these results, Rob is delighted with his home energy system. In fact, his energy project has been such a success that others around him have followed suit.
As you might expect from these results, Rob is delighted with his home energy system. In fact, his energy project has been such a success that others around him have followed suit.
“I am pleased to report that my initiative inspired 15 other people to install similar systems.
Our journey reflects why solar and battery storage are worth investing in and how microgrids can play a pivotal role in our great energy transition.
I am delighted I opted for GivEnergy technology. The GivEnergy app and portal have been efficient tools for quick system status checks and updates. For further automation and control, I rely on GivTCP.
My experience with GivEnergy has been remarkable, and I wholeheartedly recommend them.”