Three reasons why switching to solar energy is a great idea

Over the last few decades, the UK has increasingly invested in renewable energy to help make our future more sustainable and limit the impacts of climate change.

In 2019, more electricity came from renewable sources than fossil fuels for the first time and we began providing all our customers' homes with 100% renewables-backed electricity¹. And research by Carbon Brief showed that in the third quarter of 2019, 40% of the UK's power was provided by solar, wind, biomass and hydro plants, compared to 39% from coal, oil and gas power stations. This marked a significant step in the transformation of the country's energy landscape.

As well as being greener and kinder to our planet, solar energy and wind power are now the cheapest forms of electricity in two-thirds of the world. Here are three more reasons why you should consider installing your own solar energy panels at home:

Creating your own power means you will only need to draw electricity from the grid on times when you use more than you generate. Plus, when you generate more energy than you use, you can sell the excess back to the grid, cutting your bills even further.

Depending on the size, shading and location of your house, the number of panels you install, and how energy efficient you are indoors, the Energy Saving Trust estimates that panels could save you anything from £95 a year to £240 a year on your electricity bills.

Batteries mean you can store the solar power you generate during the day when the sun is shining to power your home in the evening and overnight. So you'll rely on the grid less and could cut your bills even further.

Solar power can help to mitigate the effects of climate change and reduce air pollution. Transferring your energy to a source that doesn't emit any greenhouse gases will be a big step in the right direction for our planet.

A 3.5kWp system in the south of England can generate around 3,700 kilowatt hours of electricity a year , which can save approximately 1 tonne of carbon dioxide every year.

There are some great tips here for more easy ways to cut your carbon footprint in the home by being more energy efficient.

With solar panels you'll be able to generate your own electricity. During certain times your solar system may be producing more energy than you're using and with battery systems, you can store this extra energy, to power your home at night meaning you’ll rely less on importing energy from the grid to power your home.

So switching to solar energy is a great idea for you, your family, your bank balance and the planet. Our blog, How solar panels work, provides more detail on what a difference solar energy could make for your home and busts the popular myth that you need endless sunshine for them to work.

You can find out more about switching to solar energy here. But solar energy is just the start. We can help you with many other ways to make your home more sustainable.

^{1. Electricity sourced from E.ON’s renewable generation assets, supply agreements with independent UK wind generators and the purchase of renewable electricity certificates. The electricity supplied to your homes comes from the National Grid. Find out more at eonenergy.com/renewable}