I halved my energy bills by using a little-known council scheme – saving me over £600.

WHEN Patricia Owen saw her neighbor install solar panels on her roof, she wasn’t convinced of the benefits.

But when she learned they could cut her bills by 50%, she decided to try it herself.

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Pensioner Patricia, 72, from near Swindon, used Wiltshire Council’s Solar Together scheme to install 12 solar panels on her roof with a 4.6kWh battery system and is now set to save almost £600 in her first year.

Her system produces an average of 4,302 kWh of electricity per year, which has reduced her monthly energy bills from £225 to £94.21.

Watching her bills drop so much has now prompted her to make other energy efficiency changes, including installing loft insulation to keep her home warm. winter.

“If you can afford the initial investment or get help from a local scheme like I did, I really think solar panels are a great investment in the long term,” she said.

“The financial benefits are much greater than I could have imagined. I encourage anyone who can afford it to apply.”

Launched in 2022, Solar Together in Wiltshire is a government-backed scheme that means homeowners can apply for solar panels as a group, meaning they can get panels for around a third cheaper than usual.

Patricia bought her 12 panels plus a battery for a total of £9,000, saving her thousands of pounds off the typical market price.

deadline apply the Wiltshire scheme has passed this year, but the council has applied it every year since it launched, so applications are due to open again next year.

Solar Together has also worked with other councils across the UK, including Surrey, Suffolk, Kent, Essex and Cambridgeshire – so it’s worth checking with your local council to see if they will be working with the firm next year.

You can register for free and just need to provide details about your home, including its size and energy consumption.

You will then receive a personal quote with a price and can decide if you want to continue purchasing the panels.

The scheme requires a deposit of £150 if you accept your offer.

Visit solartogether.co.uk for more information about the scheme.

How do solar panels save money?

Solar panels are usually installed on the roof and tilted towards the sun to absorb the rays and convert them into electricity, which can power your home.

According to energy company Ovo, the average home requires around ten solar panels, costing between £5,000 and £6,000.

The Energy Saving Trust (EST) estimates that if you want to store extra energy, you’ll also have to pay an average of £5,000 to £8,000.

But the idea is that over time you’ll save money by saving on your energy bills.

Someone in London should recoup their investment in solar panels in around 11 years, according to EST.

The money you save will depend on the size of your system, where you live and whether anyone is home during the day, the company says.

Changes in daylight mean that there is quite a big difference between the amount of energy produced in summer in winter too, but on cloudy days they still work.

If you produce more energy than is needed to power your home, it can be sold back to the grid or stored in a battery for use later.

The amount you can sell energy for depends on your supplier – usually 20-30p per unit.

If you can sell some of the energy back to the grid, it could further offset your energy bills or even help you make extra money.

Other ways to save on solar panels

There are many other schemes that allow you to save money on installing solar panels.

For example, Ovo offers eligible customers the opportunity to earn solar panels through its rewards program.

Up to five panels can be assembled over five years, then purchased and installed by subscribing to Ova’s solar and battery package.

Another energy company, Egg, offers interest-free loans for up to five years to cover the cost of solar panels.

Some mortgage firms, including Coventry Building Society, also offer customers low-interest funds if the money is used for energy-efficient home improvements such as installing solar panels.

And customers with current accounts and a Halifax or Lloyds mortgage can also get up to £1,000 in cashback for installing solar panels or a battery through the Green Living Reward program.