Saving with npower solar
One of the key benefits of having solar PV panels is the savings you could make on your electricity bills, these are often by around 60% *. The exact saving will of course depend on your energy consumption and the size of the system you install. But for a typical three-bedroom household with an average annual electricity use of 3,300 Kwh1 and installing a 2 kWp solar system, the saving would be £299.232 – or approximately 60% of your electricity bill. Without solar, the electricity bill would be £496.843 .
This example is calculated as follows:
- Total electricity consumption: 3300kWh
- Average annual output from 2kWp PV system: 1700kWh4
- Average consumption of solar PV generated electricity by household: 850kWh
- Average excess electricity exported: 850kWh
- Value of solar electricity consumed by household: £125.71
- Income received from energy exported: £102.005
- Income from Renewable Obligation Certificates: £71.526
Total annual electricity saving: £299.23
| 1kWp | 2kWp | 3kWp | 4kWp | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Sanyo HIP-210NHE1 Hybrid PV Module (210W) | Sharp 170Wp Poly- crystalline PV panels |
Sharp 170Wp Poly- crystalline PV panels |
Sharp 170Wp Poly- crystalline PV panels |
| Installed Price (£s) |
From £8,885 | From £11,805 | From £16,345 | From £20,514 |
| Installed price per kWp (£s) |
From £8,461 | From £5,787 | From £5,341 | From £5,028 |
| Estimated Annual Output (kWh) |
892kWh | 1734kWh | 2601kWh | 3464kWh |
| Total of average annual household electricity usage (%) |
Approx 27% | Approx 52% | Approx 78% | Approx 105% |
| Annual CO2 saving7 | 382kg | 745kg | 1118kg | 1490kg |
- National average household consumption for electricity estimated at 3300kWh per annum.
- Savings based on installation of a 2kWp system generating 1700kWh of electricity per annum and includes income from exported electricity, ROCs and money saved for average annual electricity bill.
- npower’s standard domestic tariff prices for the Midlands distribution area as of 29th August 2008 (15.95p/kWh for first 728kWh and 14.79p/kWh thereafter).
Calculation is £116.12 + £380.40 = £496.52 including VAT at 5% paying by quarterly cash/cheque. Annual bills and prices shown will vary by region. - Based on average annual output of 2kWp polycrystalline panel system.
- Average solar PV export tariff rate, paid to customers on the buy-back scheme is 12p/kWh for every unit of electricity that they export back to us. (Prices as of March 2008).
- Based on RO (Renewable Obligation) – 1 ROC (Renewable Obligation Certificate) awarded for every MWh of renewable generated electricity. Price for obligation period April 2008 to March 2009 is £35.76 per ROC, as set by OFGEM.
- CO2 savings based on ‘long-term marginal factor’ (0.43kg/kWh) taken from Guidelines for Company Reporting on Greenhouse Gas Emissions annexes updated July 2005, Defra 2005.
- Although generation will exceed usage, solar panels will not meet all of household’s energy needs. Imported electricity from the grid will be required during night-time and cloudy days. Where generation exceeds usage, excess electricity will be exported to grid.
† Calls may be monitored and recorded for training and security purposes.
