If your home uses a lot of electricity, you might assume solar panels will cost you more because you need a larger system.
That may be true.
But there is another side to the calculation.
The more electricity you already buy from the grid, the greater the opportunity there may be to replace some of that expensive electricity with energy generated at home.
For households with electric vehicles, heat pumps, home offices, hot tubs, air conditioning or simply a busy family home, electricity consumption can be considerably higher than average.
So, could solar and battery storage actually make more financial sense for high energy users?
In many cases, it is certainly worth investigating.
What Is a High Energy User?
There is no single definition of a high energy household.
A four-bedroom property is not automatically a high energy user, just as a two-bedroom home is not necessarily a low energy user.
What matters is your actual electricity consumption.
Higher consumption can come from many different sources, including:
- Electric vehicles
- Heat pumps
- Electric heating
- Hot tubs
- Swimming pools
- Air conditioning
- Home offices
- Large families
- Multiple appliances
- Electric cooking
- Workshops or outbuildings
- Large properties
- Multiple EVs
If your electricity bill is significantly higher than you would like, it is worth understanding where that energy is being used and whether some of it could be generated yourself.
Why Can High Electricity Usage Make Solar More Interesting?
The basic principle behind solar is simple.
Every unit of solar electricity you generate and use yourself is a unit you potentially do not need to purchase from your electricity supplier.
For a household with relatively low electricity consumption, there may be a limit to how much solar generation can be used effectively.
A high energy household has more demand.
That can create more opportunities to consume solar electricity directly.
Imagine two homes with identical solar systems.
One uses very little electricity during daylight hours.
The other has people working from home, an EV on the driveway, air conditioning running and appliances operating throughout the day.
The second household may be able to use significantly more of its solar generation directly.
And that can change the financial case.
Why Using Your Own Solar Electricity Matters
Solar panels can generate electricity that is either:
- Used immediately by your home
- Stored in a battery
- Exported to the grid
Exporting unused electricity can provide additional value through an eligible export tariff.
However, the electricity you avoid purchasing from the grid may be worth more to you than the amount you receive for exporting it.
That means self-consumption, using your own solar generation within your property, can be an important part of the financial return.
High energy users often have a natural advantage here because there is simply more electrical demand available to absorb the generation.
Where Does Battery Storage Fit In?
Solar panels generate electricity during daylight hours.
Unfortunately, household electricity consumption does not always follow the same pattern.
You might generate plenty of electricity at lunchtime but use the most energy at 7pm.
Without a battery, excess daytime electricity may be exported.
With battery storage, some of that electricity can instead be saved and used later.
For a high energy household, this can potentially be particularly valuable.
Your solar panels generate during the day.
Your battery stores available excess.
Then, as generation falls later in the day, your home can draw from the stored electricity before purchasing more from the grid.
The goal is simple:
Use more of the electricity you generate yourself.
Does a High Energy User Need a Bigger Battery?
Potentially, but not automatically.
This is where system design becomes extremely important.
If your household uses a lot of electricity, it might be tempting to assume that the biggest battery available will provide the greatest savings.
That is not necessarily true.
Battery sizing should consider:
- Your annual electricity consumption
- Your typical daily consumption
- Daytime versus evening usage
- Solar system size
- Expected solar generation
- Your electricity tariff
- EV charging
- Seasonal consumption
- Your budget
An oversized battery that rarely fills or empties effectively could represent money that would have been better spent elsewhere in the system.
Equally, a battery that is too small could fill quickly and leave significant excess solar generation available for export.
The right battery is the one that fits your energy profile.
High Energy User Example, The EV Household
Imagine a family with two electric vehicles.
Their electricity consumption is already considerably higher than it was when they drove petrol or diesel cars.
They regularly charge at home.
If one or both vehicles are available during daylight hours, solar electricity may contribute directly towards charging.
If the cars are away during the day, a suitable smart tariff might allow them to charge overnight at a cheaper rate instead.
Meanwhile, solar can supply other household electricity requirements during the day.
The important thing is designing the entire setup together.
Solar, battery storage, EV charging and electricity tariffs should not necessarily be treated as four completely separate decisions.
High Energy User Example, The Heat Pump Household
Heat pumps can significantly increase electricity consumption because they move part of a property’s heating demand onto electricity.
This can make solar attractive, but there is an important limitation.
Heat pump demand is generally highest during colder months.
Solar generation is generally lowest during those same months.
So it would be unrealistic to suggest that a standard domestic solar installation will simply power your heat pump throughout winter.
However, across the year, solar can still contribute towards the home’s increased electricity requirements.
And during brighter periods, the combination can work particularly well.
Again, annual energy modelling matters more than a simplistic promise.
High Energy User Example, Working From Home
If one or more people work from home, your electricity consumption may naturally align very well with solar generation.
Computers, monitors, appliances, cooking and other electrical loads are being used during daylight hours when your panels are producing electricity.
This can increase direct self-consumption without requiring electricity to be stored first.
For some households, that may mean investing in more solar generation provides greater value than simply purchasing the largest possible battery.
It depends on the numbers.
What About Hot Tubs and Swimming Pools?
These can be significant electrical loads.
Pumps, filtration systems and heating can consume substantial amounts of electricity, particularly if they operate regularly.
Where possible, some electrical loads can be scheduled to run during stronger solar generation periods.
Instead of exporting excess solar electricity and then purchasing electricity later, you are effectively shifting consumption into the period when your roof is producing energy.
Smart energy use can be just as important as the equipment itself.
Could a Larger Solar System Make More Financial Sense?
For high energy users, potentially yes.
If you have the roof space and enough electricity demand to make use of additional generation, installing more panels can be worth considering.
This is particularly relevant if you expect your electricity usage to increase further.
For example, perhaps you currently have one EV but expect to buy a second.
Or you are planning to replace a gas boiler with a heat pump.
Or your home is being extended.
Solar panels are designed to remain on your property for decades, so designing only around today’s electricity consumption may be short-sighted.
Should You Just Fill the Entire Roof?
Not necessarily.
There is a difference between maximising useful generation and simply installing as many panels as physically possible.
Your installer should consider:
- How much electricity you can use
- How much can be stored
- How much is likely to be exported
- Available export tariffs
- System cost
- Expected generation
- Future consumption
- Available roof orientations
Sometimes using multiple roof elevations can help spread generation throughout the day.
For example, east-facing panels can contribute earlier, while west-facing panels may continue generating later into the afternoon.
For a household consuming electricity throughout the day, that can be useful.
Can Battery Storage Help Even When Solar Generation Is Low?
Potentially, yes.
Modern home energy systems are increasingly about more than simply storing excess solar.
Depending on your battery, inverter and electricity tariff, it may be possible to charge your battery from the grid during cheaper off-peak periods.
The stored electricity can then potentially be used when grid electricity is more expensive.
This can become particularly useful during winter when solar generation is lower.
It means your battery may continue playing a role in managing energy costs throughout the year, rather than sitting largely unused until summer returns.
The financial benefit depends on the difference between your tariff rates and the efficiency and operation of the battery.
Solar Plus Battery or Solar Alone?
For high energy users, this should be calculated rather than assumed.
Solar alone can work extremely well for households with high daytime electricity consumption.
If your demand is concentrated in the evening, battery storage may allow you to use more of your daytime generation later.
For many households, the answer may be a combination of both.
But we would never recommend adding thousands of pounds of battery capacity simply because a homeowner has a high electricity bill.
The battery needs to provide enough additional benefit to justify the investment.
What About Export Payments?
High energy users may still export electricity, particularly during bright summer days when solar generation exceeds household consumption.
Depending on your supplier and tariff, eligible exported electricity may receive a payment.
This adds another potential benefit to the system.
However, we believe solar should primarily be designed around the household itself rather than simply maximising exports.
Export tariffs can change.
Your own electricity consumption is something you have much more influence over.
Does High Usage Mean Faster Solar Payback?
It can, but not automatically.
Higher electricity consumption creates more opportunity for self-consumption.
But payback still depends on:
- System cost
- Generation
- Electricity prices
- Export rates
- Battery cost
- Battery usage
- Your tariff
- Maintenance and future equipment costs
- How long you remain in the property
A household using 10,000 kWh per year does not automatically achieve twice the return of one using 5,000 kWh.
The relationship is more complicated than that.
What matters is how effectively the solar system reduces the amount of electricity you need to purchase.
Start With Your Annual Electricity Consumption
If you are a high energy user considering solar, this is one of the first numbers you should find.
Look at your energy supplier account and identify how many kilowatt-hours of electricity you have used over the last 12 months.
Then consider what caused that consumption.
For example:
Daytime use:
Home working, appliances, EV charging, air conditioning.
Evening use:
Cooking, entertainment, EV charging, heating.
Overnight use:
EV charging, heating, hot water.
Understanding these patterns makes it much easier to determine what combination of solar and storage could work for you.
Think About Your Future Energy Use Too
High energy users should also consider whether consumption is likely to increase or decrease.
Are you planning:
- Another EV?
- A heat pump?
- An extension?
- A home office?
- Air conditioning?
- A hot tub?
- A swimming pool?
Or perhaps children will soon leave home and your electricity consumption is likely to fall.
All of this matters.
A solar system should ideally be designed around the next several years of your life, not simply the last electricity bill you received.
The Cheapest Solar Quote May Not Be the Best for a High Energy Home
If you use a lot of electricity, there can be a temptation to choose a smaller system simply because the initial quote is cheaper.
That can reduce the upfront investment.
But it could also mean purchasing considerably more electricity from the grid for years because your solar system is undersized.
Equally, an installer should not use your high electricity bill as an excuse to sell you every panel and battery they possibly can.
The right answer sits between the two.
You need enough generation and storage to provide strong value without paying for equipment you cannot use effectively.
Is Solar and Battery Storage Worth It for High Energy Users?
For many high energy households, the financial case can be particularly interesting.
If you are already spending significant amounts on electricity, solar gives you the opportunity to produce some of that energy yourself.
Battery storage can then potentially help you use more of what you generate.
The result can be less reliance on grid electricity and greater control over when and how you purchase energy.
But there is no standard high-energy solar package.
A household with two EVs needs a different system from a home with a heat pump.
A home worker has a different consumption profile from someone who is away all day.
And a family expecting their electricity usage to increase needs a different conversation from one expecting it to fall.
The question is therefore not simply:
“Do high energy users need more solar?”
It is:
“How much of your existing electricity bill could the right solar and battery system realistically replace?”
That is the figure that matters.
At Novus Energy, we design systems around your actual electricity consumption, when you use energy and how your household is likely to change in the future.
If you are a high energy user, send us your annual electricity consumption and we can show you what solar and battery storage could potentially look like for your property.
Get in touch with Novus Energy today for your free, no-obligation solar quote.
Simply fill out the form below or give us a call on 01422 768113.