Solved

New to solar panels, do they power my home directly?

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
October 22, 2024
26 replies
1994 views

CraigM1996
Rank 2

I’ve recently bought a house which has solar panels already installed (no battery storage) along with the FiT Scheme. I have transferred ownership and I just have a few general/basic questions regarding the solar panels/FiT scheme.

I’m only querying this as my neighbour in the same size house/same number of occupants (2 adults) is roughly £40 a month cheaper than us in energy bills without solar panels.

I have just submitted my first generation reading to OVO and will receive my first payment in December. OVO have said that I am paid for any excess energy that I generate. Are the solar panels directly powering some appliances in my house and if so why don’t I see the benefits on my energy bill? On average we use roughly 380kW per month and have a smart meter just for our electricity.

Apologies for the basic questions, I just want to make sure I understand it all before selecting our new tariff.

Thanks

Best answer by BPLightlog

Hi @CraigM1996 , it will depend on how the control (inverter) is set.
Usually the setting is to

power any draw from the home
charge any batteries (if fitted)
export excess to the grid

Of course, this hierarchy varies throughout the day but you should see reduced usage from the grid as you suggest.
The system should have a monitor either via an app or a web portal. This can help to confirm where the generated power is being used.
You could also check against your half hour usage graphs to show usage vs expected.
On the FIT scheme you will either be paid for generation plus deemed export or measured. This might also determine what you sign up to.
If you post the system set up we might be able to help further if needed

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Peter E
Super User
Forum|Forum|5 hours ago
March 11, 2026

As @ExcelEnergy has mentioned batteries it is worth mentioning that solar panels generally have a long life and pay back their initial cost, especially if you can maximise your export rate. However, more consideration should be given to the economics of getting a home battery and it does depend on how much and when you use power so getting good advice is quite important in this respect. I'm sure someone can advise you on this.

Peter

Reducing my yearly fossil fuel usage with an EV (-900 litres petrol), A2AHP (-8,500 kWh gas) and Timed Immersion heater (-1,500 kWh gas)

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