10 ways to cut your electricity bill with solar
Solar panels generate free electricity during daylight hours, but how you use that power determines how much you actually save on your bills. Without a strategy, most homes only use around 30% of the solar energy they produce, with the rest exported to the grid.
The single most important way to cut your electricity bill with solar is to maximise self-consumption by running appliances during daylight hours, which can save a typical household up to 60% on grid electricity costs. Installing a solar battery storage system further reduces reliance on the grid and can increase total bill savings to over 80% per year.
What matters when you choose your approach is that the biggest savings come from shifting your energy use to daylight hours, storing surplus electricity in a battery, and pairing solar with high-efficiency appliances like heat pumps or timed immersion heaters. Below, we rank the ten most effective actions, backed by UK government and industry data, to help you reduce your annual electricity costs.
| Strategy | Typical bill saving | Upfront cost (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| Run appliances during daylight | 40–60% | £0 |
| Add a solar battery (5–10 kWh) | 60–80% | £4,000–£8,000 |
| Use a heat pump with solar | 70–85% | £7,000–£14,000 |
1. Run appliances during peak sun
Shifting your washing machine, dishwasher, and tumble dryer to run between 10am and 3pm lets you use solar power directly instead of importing from the grid. This single change can cut grid electricity imports by up to 60% for a typical household (Energy Saving Trust, 2026). You do not need any additional equipment, just a timer or a willingness to press start during daylight hours. The savings are immediate and cost nothing to implement.
- Set timers on appliances to run between 10am and 3pm.
- Save up to £300 per year on a typical dual-rate tariff.
- No upfront cost makes this the fastest way to cut your electricity bill with solar.
2. Install a solar battery
A 5–10 kWh lithium-ion battery stores surplus daytime generation for use in the evening, when most households consume the most power. Without a battery, you typically self-consume only 30% of your solar generation. With a battery, that figure rises to 70–80% (Energy Saving Trust, 2026). The upfront cost ranges from £4,000 to £8,000 installed, but the payback period is usually 6–10 years depending on your electricity tariff and usage patterns. How to choose the right solar battery size for your home
- Increases self-consumption from ~30% to 70–80%.
- Typical cost £4,000–£8,000 installed.
- Payback period 6–10 years on average.
3. Charge an electric vehicle from solar
If you own an electric vehicle (EV), charging it during daylight hours from your solar panels can save around 1,000 kWh per year from the grid. A solar-compatible EV charger automatically directs surplus generation to your car, rather than exporting it for a low rate (Ofgem, 2026). This reduces your motoring fuel cost to roughly 3–5p per mile, compared to 14–18p on a standard off-peak tariff.
- Save up to 1,000 kWh per year from grid imports.
- Fuel cost drops to 3–5p per mile.
- Requires a solar-compatible EV charger (from £800 installed).
4. Switch to a time-of-use tariff
Smart tariffs such as Economy 7, Octopus Agile, or similar time-of-use plans let you export solar power at higher rates during peak demand and import cheap electricity overnight. This can add £100–£200 per year to your savings compared to a standard flat-rate tariff (Ofgem, 2026). You need a smart meter to access most of these tariffs, and some require a smart export meter as well.
- Export solar at 5–15p/kWh under the Smart Export Guarantee.
- Import cheap power at 5–10p/kWh overnight.
- Requires a smart meter (free installation from your supplier).
5. Add a solar diverter to your hot water
A solar diverter sends excess solar power to your immersion heater instead of exporting it to the grid. This can cover 50–70% of your annual hot water demand, reducing your gas or electricity bill for water heating (Energy Saving Trust, 2026). The device costs around £400–£800 installed and works with any standard hot water cylinder. It is particularly effective in summer when solar generation is high and heating demand is low.
- Covers 50–70% of annual hot water demand.
- Installed cost £400–£800.
- Works with standard hot water cylinders only (not combi boilers).
6. Pair solar with an air-source heat pump
An air-source heat pump running during daylight hours can cut your heating bill by 40–60% when paired with solar panels. The heat pump uses electricity to extract heat from outside air, and solar generation offsets a large portion of that electricity use (MCS, 2026). The combined system costs £7,000–£14,000 but attracts the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of £7,500 (until 2028). Air source heat pump running costs with solar panels
- Heating bill reduction of 40–60% with solar pairing.
- Upfront cost £7,000–£14,000 (after £7,500 grant).
- Best suited to well-insulated homes with underfloor heating or large radiators.
7. Use smart plugs and timers
Programmable smart plugs and timers automatically switch on appliances like dehumidifiers, fans, chargers, and small heaters during solar generation hours. This removes the need to remember to start appliances manually. A pack of four smart plugs costs around £30–£60 and can save 10–20% on your grid imports by shifting small loads (TrustMark, 2026). The savings are modest individually but add up across multiple devices.
- Cost £30–£60 for a pack of four smart plugs.
- Reduces grid imports by 10–20% from small loads.
- Set schedules via an app to match your solar generation curve.
8. Monitor your generation and consumption
Real-time monitoring systems show exactly when your panels are generating and how much power your home is using. This data helps you identify the best times to run high-load devices like washing machines or ovens. Most modern solar inverters include a monitoring app, and standalone energy monitors cost £50–£200 (MCS, 2026). Without monitoring, you are guessing at your generation patterns and likely missing savings.
- Free with most modern solar inverter systems.
- Standalone energy monitors cost £50–£200.
- Identifies peak generation windows and high-consumption devices.
9. Optimise your solar panel tilt and orientation
South-facing panels at a 30–40° tilt produce 15–25% more electricity than east/west-facing arrays over a year (Energy Saving Trust, 2026). If you are installing new panels, this orientation maximises generation during the middle of the day when you can use the power. For existing panels, you may be able to adjust the tilt if your mounting system allows it. East/west arrays still work well but shift generation to morning and afternoon, which may suit households that are home at those times.
- South-facing at 30–40° tilt gives 15–25% more output.
- East/west arrays shift generation to morning and afternoon.
- Check if your mounting system allows tilt adjustment.
10. Claim the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)
The Smart Export Guarantee requires licensed energy suppliers to pay you for surplus solar electricity exported to the grid. Rates vary by supplier but typically range from 5p to 15p per kWh, adding £100–£200 per year to your savings (GOV.UK, 2026). You need a smart meter or an export meter to qualify, and you must apply to a participating supplier. This is not a substitute for self-consumption, but it turns unavoidable exports into cash.
- Earn 5–15p per kWh exported.
- Adds £100–£200 per year to total savings.
- Requires a smart meter or dedicated export meter.
Cutting your electricity bill with solar comes down to using what you generate rather than sending it to the grid. The most effective order of action is to shift appliance use to daylight hours, add a battery for evening power, and then layer on heat pumps, EV charging, and smart tariffs as your budget allows. Solar panel payback period calculator for UK homes
Frequently Asked Questions
You can cut your electricity bill by up to 60% without a battery and over 80% with a solar battery, according to the Energy Saving Trust. The exact saving depends on how much solar power you use directly.
Running appliances during peak sun hours (10am to 3pm) costs nothing and can reduce grid imports by up to 60%. This is the cheapest and fastest way to cut your electricity bill with solar, as confirmed by the Energy Saving Trust.
Yes, a 5–10 kWh solar battery typically pays for itself within 5–8 years through reduced electricity bills, according to MCS data. Combined with solar panels, it can increase annual savings to over 80%.
A 5–10 kWh solar battery costs between £4,000 and £8,000 installed in the UK, including VAT at 0% under the current scheme. Prices vary by brand and capacity, with lithium-ion models being the most common.
Yes, you can cut your electricity bill by 40–60% without a battery by shifting energy use to daylight hours. Running appliances like washing machines and dishwashers between 10am and 3pm is the most effective no-cost strategy, says the Energy Saving Trust.
