Everyone wants to know: do solar panels actually save money? The honest answer is in the bills. Below, we've pulled together six real case studies from real CRG Direct customers across Hampshire — complete with actual energy bills, usage data, and verified savings figures.
How solar panels work: Solar panels generate electricity by converting sunlight into usable power for your home. By installing solar panels, you can use your own solar power directly, reduce your reliance on the national grid, and save with solar panels through lower electricity costs and export payments for surplus energy. Solar panels are worth considering for both their financial and environmental benefits, offering long-term savings, increased home value, and greater energy independence for UK homeowners. Installing solar panels is a key step toward sustainability and can help you maximise your potential savings as energy bills continue to rise.
These are numbers from people who made the switch and tracked the results.
At a Glance: Results Across All Six Customers
| Case Study | Annual Savings | Yearly Savings | Bill Reduction | Payback Period |
| £85/month energy bills with solar + battery | £1,400/year | £1,400 | 70% | ~5.5 years |
| 85% bill reduction with solar + battery | £1,820/year | £1,820 | 85% | ~5.5 years |
| Before & after Octopus bills (2022 vs 2025) | £1,023/year | £1,023 | 51% | ~7.8 years |
| Solar panels in winter — 35% savings in November | £470/year | £470 | 35% | N/A |
| £1,000 a year from a £7,500 investment | £1,000/year | £1,000 | 56% | ~7.5 years |
| Real solar savings — paying less despite doubled energy prices | £161/year | £161 | 15% | N/A |
The Case Studies
1. £8 a Month: A 4-Bed Home That Barely Touches the Grid
| £1,400 Annual Savings | 70% Bill Reduction | ~5.5 yrs Payback Period | 1.3t CO2 Saved |
A 4-bed detached home in Hampshire had a 4.2kW solar PV array and 10.5kWh battery system installed. Over eight months (April 2025 to January 2026), the household paid just £64 in total energy bills — and still had a £180 credit sitting with their energy supplier. That works out to roughly £8 a month. The 10.5kWh battery capacity is the key — it captures midday generation and releases stored power in the evening, meaning the household rarely needs to draw from the national grid at peak rates. This maximizes self consumption and allows them to use more solar power directly, reducing electricity costs and increasing yearly savings. Excess power generated during the day is exported back to the grid, earning export payments through the Smart Export Guarantee.
- Total paid over 8 months: £64
- Credit balance remaining: £180 (with energy supplier)
- Solar export earnings: £479 over the same period (export payments for surplus energy)
- 25-year projected savings: £35,000+
- Before solar: £2,136 per year (electricity costs)
- After solar: £316 per year (including standing charges)
- Energy consumption cost alone: £56 per year
- 25-year projected savings: £45,500
- Monthly net cost: down from £182.81 to £89.27 (electricity costs)
- Grid electricity usage: down 61%
- Monthly export earnings: £23.99 (export payments for surplus energy)
- Annual savings based on actual bills: £1,022.84
- 25-year projected savings: over £25,000
- November bill: £81.75 down to £53.37
- Monthly saving in winter: £28.38
- Daytime electricity usage: down 45%
- Annual grid consumption: down 32% (796kWh)
- Credit balance growth over 12 months: £383.71 (with energy supplier)
- Annual solar generation: ~9,400kWh (energy generated)
- Annual export earnings included in the £1,000 figure (export payments for surplus energy)
- Grid imports held steady at ~3,600–4,000kWh per year
- Estimated payback: 7–8 years
- 2021 estimated annual electricity cost (pre-solar): £1,041
- 2025 estimated annual electricity cost (with solar): £880
- Grid imports dropped from 6,000–6,600kWh/year to 2,000–5,600kWh
- 2025 export: 2,890kWh generating additional income (export payments for surplus energy)
- EV charging managed on overnight smart tariff at 7p/kWh (battery overnight)
- Battery storage and battery systems consistently deliver the biggest savings. The two customers with batteries (£8/month and 85% reduction) achieved the shortest payback periods and the highest bill reductions by maximizing self consumption, using stored power, and reducing reliance on the national grid. Proper battery capacity allows for more energy to be used directly and supports electric cars and other high-usage appliances.
- Export earnings and export payments matter. Every one of these customers received payments for surplus energy through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), adding meaningfully to total savings. The SEG requires electricity suppliers to pay small-scale generators for any energy they export back to the national grid. Homeowners with solar panel systems of five megawatts or less can apply to join the SEG. Typical households can earn an additional £100 to £220 per year through SEG by selling unused energy back to the grid. Average export earnings under SEG can be 13p per kWh, with some tariffs paying up to 30p during peak times. However, SEG payment rates are generally lower than the price paid for grid electricity, making self-consumption of solar energy more beneficial.
- Solar works in winter. The November comparison showed 35% savings in one of the lowest-generation months. Summer figures are significantly higher, and solar panels generate electricity even on cloudy days.
- Rising energy prices and the increasing price cap amplify the benefit. As unit rates and electricity costs have risen, the value of every kWh generated at home has grown alongside them. As energy bills continue to increase, savings rise for those who generate their own solar power.
- The combination of solar panels, battery storage, and smart tariffs can maximize savings and energy independence for homeowners. Customers using time-of-use tariffs can charge batteries at cheap overnight rates and sell energy back during peak times for higher profits.
- Homes that install solar panels typically reduce their electricity bills by 60–75%. Most homeowners see annual savings of over £1,000, especially with battery storage. Typical systems with batteries can reduce energy bills by up to 90%. With battery storage, self-consumption of solar energy can increase from 30-50% to 70-75% or more.
- With current energy prices and smart tariff savings, many homes recover their installation costs even sooner. Typical payback periods for solar PV systems in the UK range from 6–10 years, with most solar systems now having a payback period of around 7–10 years. This makes solar investment increasingly attractive for UK homeowners.
- Solar panels perform best on south facing roofs with minimal shading. More roof space allows for larger systems and more energy generated, but even smaller roofs can benefit from efficient panel technology.
- Many homeowners combine solar installation with other upgrades like loft insulation to maximize return on investment and total lifetime savings.
2. 85% Bill Reduction: Down to £4.66 a Month for Actual Energy
| £1,820 Annual Savings | 85% Bill Reduction | ~5.5 yrs Payback Period | 1.1t CO2 Saved |
This Hampshire homeowner went from £178 a month to £25 a month — an 85% reduction. Digging into the numbers, the £25 figure still includes around £21 in standing charges (the fixed cost of being connected to the grid). Strip those out and the household is paying just £4.66 a month for the energy it actually consumes. Even in January, one of the worst months for solar in the UK, grid imports were only 8–12kWh per day. That figure will be lower still through spring and summer. The solar panel system and battery systems allow for high self consumption, using solar power directly and storing excess energy for later use, which maximizes savings and reduces reliance on the national grid. Export payments from the energy supplier for surplus energy further boost yearly savings.
3. Real Octopus Bills Compared: 51% Down Despite Higher Energy Prices
| £1,023 Annual Savings | 51% Bill Reduction | ~7.8 yrs Payback Period | 950 kg CO2 Saved |
This case study uses genuine Octopus Energy bills — April 2022 versus April 2025. Energy prices increased between those two dates, yet this household's monthly net cost fell from £182.81 to £89.27. The biggest driver is a 61% drop in grid electricity consumption, from 11.68kWh per day down to 4.60kWh. On top of that, the solar panels generate electricity and produced 159.9kWh of surplus energy in April 2025 alone, earning £23.99 through Octopus's Smart Export Guarantee at 15p per unit. The household also holds a £149.69 credit balance with their energy supplier, built up through summer export payments. This demonstrates how solar panels save money and how much electricity you can generate and export for additional income.
4. Solar Panels in Winter: 35% Savings in November
| £470+ Annual Savings | 35% Bill Reduction | £28/mo Winter Saving | 750 kg CO2 Saved |
A common concern is whether solar panels deliver value through winter. This case study compares actual bills from November 2022 (no solar) and November 2023 (with solar) for the same property. The November bill dropped from £81.75 to £53.37 — a 35% saving in the darkest month of the year. Daytime electricity usage fell 45%, which makes sense given that solar panels generate electricity during daylight hours. The household also reduced annual grid dependence by 796kWh over the 12-month period. And the account credit balance grew by £383 over the year, building a buffer for future bills. This shows how solar panels work even in winter, and how solar energy and self consumption can still provide significant yearly savings.
5. £1,000 a Year from a £7,500 Investment
| £1,000 Annual Savings | 56% Bill Reduction | ~7.5 yrs Payback Period | 900 kg CO2 Saved |
Three years in and this Hampshire household has consistently saved around £1,000 per year against an upfront installation cost of £7,500. The solar panel system generates roughly 9,400kWh annually, with around 5,000kWh of excess energy exported back to the grid each year via the Smart Export Guarantee. The customer has tracked a full six years of energy data, showing grid imports holding steady at around 3,600–4,000kWh per year even as total household usage grows. At current savings rates, the system pays for itself in around 7.5 years — with 17+ years of total lifetime savings to follow. Export payments from the energy supplier for surplus energy further increase the financial return.
6. Paying Less Today Than Before Solar — Despite Energy Prices Doubling
| £161/yr Annual Savings | 15% Bill Reduction | 1.2t CO2 Saved | ~3,500kWh Generation |
This case study makes a striking point: in 2025, energy unit rates are roughly double what they were in 2021. Yet this household's estimated annual electricity cost is lower now (£880) than it was before solar was installed (£1,041). The system was installed in December 2022 and includes battery storage. The family mostly runs on stored power from their own solar power each evening instead of drawing from the national grid at 27.75p/kWh. They also added an electric car, which increased total usage — yet grid imports have still fallen sharply since installation. In 2025, they exported 2,890kWh of excess power back to the grid, generating additional income on top of their reduced bills through export payments. EV charging is managed on a battery overnight smart tariff at 7p/kWh, further maximizing savings.
What Affects How Much You Save?
Across these six case studies, yearly savings range from £470 to £1,820 per year. The spread reflects real differences in home size, home and energy use, system specification, available roof space, and whether battery storage was included. A few patterns stand out:
Want to Know What You Could Save?
Every home is different. System size, roof orientation, current energy usage, available roof space, and whether you add battery storage all affect your results. The best way to get an accurate picture is to speak to our team directly.
CRG Direct are MCS Certified solar and renewable energy specialists serving Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton, and the wider South and South East of England.
Call us: +44 330 133 2497 Email: info@crgdirect.co.uk Website: crgdirect.co.uk