Solar · Advice
How much money will solar panels save me each year?
Short answer
Savings depend on how much solar you use yourself rather than export. Each unit you use avoids paying import prices, while exported units earn about 12p under typical export tariffs, less than half the import price. A typical household saves a few hundred pounds a year; heat pump, EV and battery owners can save more.
Last checked 24 September 2026 · 1 source
In more detail
- EST: 'around 12p' per exported unit under SEG vs normally more than twice that to buy, so self-use is worth more than export.
- Self-consumption without a battery is often 30-50% of generation for households out at work; higher when home in the day or with a diverter/EV.
- Field example (homeowner, 5.6 kWp + 15 kWh battery, Octopus Flux, 2023): ~GBP 438 import vs ~GBP 840 export credit; June 2023 net credit ~GBP 173 - but still paying standing charges.
- EST modelling of over a million combinations found heat pump + solar + battery + smart tariff could cut bills by around GBP 800/yr, best combinations over GBP 1,000 (search summary).
The facts, dated
- 01Typical SEG payment around 12p per exported kWh (EST, Aug 2026) — 12 p/kWh
market_data · GB · checked 24 September 2026 · Energy Saving Trust
What we saw in the field
[QA review 2026-09-24] H-9 AGREES (standing charge 54.83p/day Oct-Dec 2026 unaffected by solar). | Earlier notes: Homeowner's 2023 figures show a net annual credit on the energy line but still paying standing charges, a useful caveat for 'free electricity' claims.
Sources
- Energy Saving Trust — energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/solar-panels/
Last checked: 24 September 2026