✔ Melissa has a 5.76 kW solar panel system, and two electric cars
✔ The panels cover around half of her electricity needs
✔ She paid around £5,000 for the entire system
We spoke to Melissa, who had solar panels installed on her four-bedroom detached home in the East Midlands, which she shares with her husband and children.
Melissa had her solar panels installed in July 2022. Here’s what she had to say.
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Melissa has a 16 panel, 5.76 kW system, and two electric vehicles.
Q: How long have you had your solar panels?
A: “We got the solar panels in July 2022.”
Q: Why did you decide to get solar panels, and are you pleased with your purchase?
A: “My husband had us on a fixed term electricity contract until August 2023, but he knew that we needed something else.
“His family’s farm has a bunch of solar panels and his brother works in renewable energy. So, we already had an understanding of solar panels.”
Q: How big is your solar panel system, and how roughly much did it cost?
A: “We have a 5.76 kilowatt (kW) system, comprising of 16 360 watt (W) fully black Canadian solar panels. They’re connected to a Solis 5G 5.0 kW dual tracker inverter, with direct current (DC) isolation […].
“We paid just under £5,000 for the whole system, and £750 for an electric car charging port.”
Want to know more about the cost of solar panels? Head to our page.
Q: What was the experience like buying the panels?
A: “I searched for quotes online, and three
[installers]
got back to me.
“We had two of the three come out and see the house, and we went with the cheapest option […]. “The scaffolders came one Friday afternoon. The equipment was dropped off that day, and kept in our garage. […] The panels were up by Sunday morning, and the scaffolding was down Monday.”
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A: “We do not because it costs as much as the panels. Plus, we have two electric cars, and we use our white goods – washing machine and dryer – during the day to offset what we are producing.”
Q: Do your solar panels generate enough power to cover all your electricity needs?
A: “I would say that they cover half of our electricity needs, or up to two thirds. Obviously when there is more sun, we are better off.
“We have a smart meter, and I see it set to zero a lot of the time.”
Find out more about using smart meters with solar panels in our guide.
Q: How much money do your solar panels save you on your electricity bills?
A: “I know that the first month after we installed the panels, we went from £90
[a month]
to £45-50.”
Q: Are you receiving money via the Smart Export Guarantee?
A: “We are with Octopus Energy, and I think we get 9p per kilowatt hour. We signed up for the Smart Export Guarantee when we signed up with Octopus.”
Q: Have you managed to break even on your solar panels?
A: “No, it will be a couple of years yet. But we have added a couple of thousand pounds to the value of the house.”
Q: Please can you describe your experience maintaining your solar panels?
A: “We have had no issues so far with maintaining them.”
Q: Is there anything you wish you’d known before you bought solar panels?
A: “Which electricity suppliers are best for homes with solar panels and electric cars.”
