Latest news with #GreenMatch
Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Times
Solar energy: could you save up to 94% on bills in first year?
With solar panels becoming more affordable, now may be a good time to invest The UK leads Europe in one key area – high energy bills – and unfortunately they aren't forecast to fall. One sure way to shore up stability is to generate your own power. Solar panels are a rare bright spot in a complex, expensive market. The UK's energy price cap for electricity is currently £1,849 per year for a typical dual-fuel household on a standard variable tariff – a 6 per cent increase from the previous cap. Generating your own electricity puts the power back in your hands. Solar panels, or photovoltaics (PV), convert sunlight into electricity and because sunshine is free – a rare exception to life's basic needs – your bills drop considerably. They also help the environment, boost your home's value, protect against blackouts and can even earn you money. Britain has taken a shine to solar. More than 1.5 million households now have panels and adoption is rising.* One clear reason is that they're becoming more affordable. According to Green Match, the installed price of residential systems dropped by 26 per cent from 2013 to 2022. Meanwhile, the cost of solar PV modules alone – not including installation – has fallen by 90 per cent since 2000. That means return on investment is quicker for homeowners. Solar panels work well in the UK's weather, even in winter. They don't need heat or direct sunlight – though thick cloud will limit power generation. Installations are generally quick and straightforward. Price is right: the cost of solar PV modules has fallen by 90 per cent since 2000 Smart home energy brand Hive – whose eco-tech range includes heat pumps and EV chargers – now offers solar panels and batteries through partners that supply and install them, and which sync with the Hive app. Register online and an installer will get in touch to assess your energy usage, roof size, type and direction. Once agreed, they'll set an installation date. The installation partner, Sunsave, even offers a fixed monthly payment option.** Solar with Hive offers two main types of solution: the most common and cost-effective is mounted panels that attach to rails with a small gap behind to keep them cool, improving efficiency. The other option uses integrated panels that sit flush with the roof and is most suitable for new builds. A standard 400W panel is 1.65m by 1m, with a depth of 4cm. Most come with a 25-year guarantee, giving plenty of time to make sun-powered savings. Sunny money: if you produce surplus energy, you can sell it back to the National Grid Crunching the solar energy numbers With the right solar system, the electricity you generate can power your home appliances, car and even heating, if you have a heat pump. If you produce more than is needed, you can earn money by selling it back to the National Grid, reducing your energy bills and increasing your solar savings. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG), such as British Gas's Export and Earn Plus tariff, pays for surplus energy exported to the grid. Combining Hive's Solar Saver offer with a British Gas SEG tariff can reduce electricity bills by up to 94 per cent in the first year.*** After that first year you can continue to be on the SEG. The solar system you choose depends on factors like home size, budget and annual energy use. Hive estimates that in the UK a typical two or three-bedroom home requires a 4-5kW system with around 10 to 13 panels, costing between £7,500 and £8,500. A larger four-bedroom home may need a 6kW system with 13 to 16 panels, priced between £9,500 and £10,500.**** Customers with a British Gas electricity tariff can sign up to the Hive Solar Saver offer: a 25 per cent discount on electricity for the first 12 months. Adding a battery energy storage system (BESS) to your solar system can further lower electricity bills. BESS allows you to store energy for use when your panels aren't generating power, such as at night or during overcast days, reducing reliance on grid electricity during peak times. A typical home battery is about the size of a slim washing machine and can be installed in garages, on external walls or in utility rooms. For a standard three-bedroom house, a package including eight panels and a 5.32kWh battery costs £8,105 through installer Effective Home. Once the system is installed, the Hive app offers real-time insights into its performance. Simple and straightforward to use, the app has a dashboard that displays the amount of solar electricity your panels are generating, how much has been stored and how much sold. It provides data by day, month or in total. Syncing the app with your electricity tariff gives real-time information on energy costs, past bills and savings in pounds and pence. Solar power represents a forward-thinking energy solution. It's time to take charge and put the power back in your hands. To understand what savings you could make with solar power and book a free solar survey, go to * Source: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, April 2025 **Centrica Hive Limited can introduce you to Sunsave UK Limited for a fixed referral fee. This will not affect the amount you pay. Sunsave UK Limited is registered at 71-75 Shelton Street, London, WC2H 9JQ and authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 1008450). Sunsave UK Limited is a credit broker not a lender and can introduce you to Sunsave Energy Limited (FRN 979494) for finance. Subject to status, T&Cs apply. *** Based on a medium demand (2,700 kWh) property in London, with south-facing 10-panel 4kW arrays and a battery providing 35 per cent of the home's electricity needs. Excess energy is sold back to the grid at 15.1p per kWh using the British Gas 'Export & Earn Plus' SEG tariff. Saving includes 'Hive Solar Saver' discount of 25 per cent on electricity unit rate in first year and savings will vary after that. We will give at least one month's advance notice of the offer ending on the BG website. Typical bill calculated using national average April-June 2025 price cap rates. Actual savings will depend on location, installation, aspect and electricity use. For full details please see Hive Solar Saver terms and conditions **** Some of the products promoted are from our affiliate partners from whom we receive compensation. While we aim to feature some of the best products available, we cannot review every product on the market. Although the information provided is believed to be accurate at the date of publication, you should always check with the product provider to ensure that information provided is the most up to date.
Scottish Sun
14-05-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Boiler button you need to switch to activate ‘summer mode' and save £20 a month on energy bills
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HOUSEHOLDS should be aware of a button they need to switch on to help save £20 on their energy bills now that the weather is warmer. Customers can save cash by turning pressing the "summer mode" button on their boiler. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Customers should switch their boiler to summer mode Credit: Alamy The button can be found on most modern boilers and works by turning off the central heating but not hot water. Typically the mode can be activated by clicking on the sun or tap icon on your boiler. If unsure, customers should look at their boiler manual for the "summer" or "hot water only" mode. You can even look up your manual online by searching for the exact model. If that fails you could consult a professional for help on the matter. This is a better method than turning off your central heating completely, as that can lead to valves and pumps seizing up due to lack of movement. Boiler expert Nils Hoogervorst, of solar energy supplier GreenMatch, said using summer mode can help customers save £20 a month. He told readers of The Daily Mail that it can help "decrease energy bills by more than 10 per cent." If you are keen to use summer mode it is best to wait until temperatures are consistently 14C outside. Energy bills tend to fall over the summer as households use their central heating less when it's hot outside. Simple energy saving tips Analysts at Cornwall Insights said the cost of energy bills will fall to £1,683 from July, representing a drop of almost 9% on April's £1,849 cap. But this is just a prediction and Ofgem is set to reveal the exact figure at the end of May. There are plenty of other hacks that customers can use to help conserve energy over the summer. For example, you can ditch using your tumble dryer and opt to dry your clothes outside. HELP WITH YOUR ENERGY BILLS If you are worried about rising costs you should be aware of help available. The government's Household Support Fund has reopened for applications, and it could see you get up to £500 to help with food and energy costs. To claim, you will need to live in the council handing out the support. You can find what council area you fall under by visiting You can also get temporary credit from your supplier, but you will have to pay this back. In many cases suppliers offer around £10 to £20 if you run out and can't top up straight away to ensure that you don't go without heat or lights. Beware that when you do top up, this amount will be deducted. You may also be able to get a fuel voucher through a little-known scheme. This is a code given to you in a letter, text message or email which you can use to add credit to your gas card or electricity key. Exactly how much it is can vary, but in many cases it's £49, and you won't have to pay it back.
The Sun
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Boiler button you need to switch to activate ‘summer mode' and save £20 a month on energy bills
HOUSEHOLDS should be aware of a button they need to switch on to help save £20 on their energy bills now that the weather is warmer. Customers can save cash by turning pressing the "summer mode" button on their boiler. The button can be found on most modern boilers and works by turning off the central heating but not hot water. Typically the mode can be activated by clicking on the sun or tap icon on your boiler. If unsure, customers should look at their boiler manual for the " summer" or "hot water only" mode. You can even look up your manual online by searching for the exact model. If that fails you could consult a professional for help on the matter. This is a better method than turning off your central heating completely, as that can lead to valves and pumps seizing up due to lack of movement. Boiler expert Nils Hoogervorst, of solar energy supplier GreenMatch, said using summer mode can help customers save £20 a month. He told readers of The Daily Mail that it can help "decrease energy bills by more than 10 per cent." If you are keen to use summer mode it is best to wait until temperatures are consistently 14C outside. Energy bills tend to fall over the summer as households use their central heating less when it's hot outside. Simple energy saving tips Analysts at Cornwall Insights said the cost of energy bills will fall to £1,683 from July, representing a drop of almost 9% on April's £1,849 cap. But this is just a prediction and Ofgem is set to reveal the exact figure at the end of May. There are plenty of other hacks that customers can use to help conserve energy over the summer. For example, you can ditch using your tumble dryer and opt to dry your clothes outside. HELP WITH YOUR ENERGY BILLS If you are worried about rising costs you should be aware of help available. The government's Household Support Fund has reopened for applications, and it could see you get up to £500 to help with food and energy costs. To claim, you will need to live in the council district handing out the support. You can find what council area you fall under by visiting You can also get temporary credit from your supplier, but you will have to pay this back. In many cases suppliers offer around £10 to £20 if you run out and can't top up straight away to ensure that you don't go without heat or lights. Beware that when you do top up, this amount will be deducted. You may also be able to get a fuel voucher through a little-known scheme. This is a code given to you in a letter, text message or email which you can use to add credit to your gas card or electricity key. Exactly how much it is can vary, but in many cases it's £49, and you won't have to pay it back. 4 ways to keep your energy bills low Laura Court-Jones, Small Business Editor at Bionic shared her tips. 1. Turn your heating down by one degree You probably won't even notice this tiny temperature difference, but what you will notice is a saving on your energy bills as a result. Just taking your thermostat down a notch is a quick way to start saving fast. This one small action only takes seconds to carry out and could potentially slash your heating bills by £171.70. 2. Switch appliances and lights off It sounds simple, but fully turning off appliances and lights that are not in use can reduce your energy bills, especially in winter. Turning off lights and appliances when they are not in use, can save you up to £20 a year on your energy bills 3. Install a smart meter Smart meters are a great way to keep control over your energy use, largely because they allow you to see where and when your gas and electricity is being used. 4. Consider switching energy supplier No matter how happy you are with your current energy supplier, they may not be providing you with the best deals, especially if you've let a fixed-rate contract expire without arranging a new one. If you haven't browsed any alternative tariffs lately, then you may not be aware that there are better options out there.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Save £20 a month on your energy bills by flicking on your boiler's 'summer' mode switch
Households can knock off about £20 a month from their energy bills now the good weather has arrived – by pressing the 'summer mode' button on their boiler. This little-known setting is fitted as standard on modern boilers that provide the hot water and power the central heating to the home. By flicking on summer mode you instantly disable the central heating system but without affecting the hot water. The setting can be identified by a sun or tap icon on the boiler unit. If unsure, consult its instructions manual and look up 'summer mode' or 'hot water only' options. By choosing this option rather than turning off your boiler entirely, its pumps and valves remain operational. But if you turn off a boiler completely you risk seizing the system – which requires a visit from an engineer who may charge as much as £500 to fix the fault. For most homes, summer mode can be used when outside temperatures are consistently at least 14C (57F). Boiler expert Nils Hoogervorst, of solar energy supplier GreenMatch, says: 'Flicking your boiler to summer mode can decrease your energy bills by more than 10 per cent – providing savings of up to £20 a month.' If unable to find your boiler instructions you can get a copy of the manual online by searching for the model. Details can often be found on a name plate on the inside panel covering the boiler. An annual boiler service is also important to ensure it remains safe and efficient – and less likely to break down. Getting a service in the summer months, when central heating is not required, means it will be working when most needed during the winter. A boiler service costs £100 on average, according to trades website Checkatrade. When energy prices spiked most households slipped energy price cap tariffs, but it is now possible again to switch to fixed rate energy deals that can save you money. This is Money's recommended partner uSwitch lets you compare the best energy deals for you, based on your home and gas and electricity costs. > Compare the best energy deals with uSwitch* By entering your address and energy usage, you can search for energy deals that can cut your costs and suit how you live. Switching energy provider can also help the planet, if you move to one of the green deals offering electricity from renewable sources and more environmentally-friendly gas.
