Empowering Communities Together
Solar PV and Battery
What was done.
We live in a refurbished 1950s House with a dormer-style roof and were worried about rising electricity costs and the environmental impact of burning fossil fuels, which contribute to rising CO2 levels and climate change.
In 2022, we installed twelve 380W solar panels and two 10kWh batteries with a 4kW inverter, which limits export and use to 4kW. Eight panels are installed on the south-facing front roof, between the dormers, and two panels each are installed on available east- and west-facing roof spaces.
The house is equipped with smart meters that measure both electricity consumption and solar panel production, as well as the export of energy. The house utilises a time-of-use and export tariff system provided by Octopus, which enables the purchase of low-priced electricity overnight and the sale of exported electricity back to the grid.
An Oxford-based company installed the panel and battery, a process that took approximately 3 days, including the Battery System. The company was efficient, and no issues arose. A single-panel optimiser failed several months after installation, but this was replaced under warranty
Roof Solar Panels
Solar PV and Battery
Our experience.
The system operates to minimise electricity cost by maximising the use of low-cost overnight electricity and selling excess solar-generated electricity during the day. The system can also divert excess power to the hot water system.
From April 2022 to August 2025, the solar PV system generated 14.45 MWh of electricity, of which 68% was consumed within the home and 32% was exported to the Grid. An additional 14.95 MWh has been purchased at the low overnight rate for daytime use.
We are very pleased with their system, which, together with other energy-saving investments, has meant that our total annual energy bill to run the household, including one electric and one plug-in hybrid car, is now less than £1800 per year. The system is also saving about 1200 kg per year of CO2 emissions.
We do recommend that pigeon guards be installed as part of the installation process. These were later retrofitted at additional cost by a local pest control company. If you would like to know more about the installation please contact BFCCA, who will be happy to put you in touch with us.
Battery and Inverter System