From Andrew Till / Mr. EV
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Autumn has arrived… and my solar panels are feeling it. 🥶 In this video I walk through how our 13.5 kW east–west array and 20 kWh Alpha ESS battery have actually performed in October and November – the first properly cold months since the system went in.

I share real numbers from our apps (Alpha, MyEnergi Zappi, Rointe radiators and Intelligent Octopus Go) to show:
• How quickly the batteries now run down on cold, dark mornings
• What we generated in October (458 kWh) and November (255 kWh)
• How much electricity we used overall vs last year, including EV charging
• How much of that was cheap-rate “load shifted” from the battery at ~7p/kWh
• The impact of new double/triple glazing and cavity wall insulation
• Why the radiators are still the big energy hogs

I compare November 2024 vs November 2025 bills. Last year we spent about £512 on electricity for the month; this year, with solar and batteries, it’s effectively been cut to around half once export and cheap-rate charging are taken into account – despite using a very similar amount of energy overall.

I also chat about next steps: whether to put money into more battery storage or a heat pump, and why a heat pump probably makes more sense than doubling our battery capacity.

If you’re thinking about solar panels and home battery storage, especially with UK energy prices staying stubbornly high, hopefully this gives you a realistic look at what to expect in autumn and early winter. As always, this isn’t a hard sell – just our real-world figures and experience.

Greg Jackson (from Octopus) interviewed with Martin Lewis:

Spear & Jackson Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner:

@TimAndKatsGreenWalk (taking about air-to-air heat pumps and more):
https://www.youtube.com/@TimAndKatsGreenWalk

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☀️ Heatable solar installations: £150 off — https://misterev.co.uk/solar (or quote MISTEREV150)
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🐙 Octopus Energy: £50 off — https://misterev.co.uk/octopus
⚡️ Octopus Electroverse: £5 credit — https://misterev.co.uk/electroverse

📹 Filmed using DJI Osmo Pocket 3: https://amzn.to/40bhP35, iPhone 16 Pro: https://amzn.to/4aJpOJV

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro
00:56 – Our Solar + Battery System
03:38 – Autumn Energy Use & Earnings
04:46 – Comparing to Last Year’s Bills
06:09 – Total House Consumption
08:02 – The Real Cost of Electric Radiators
12:20 – Battery Performance in Cold Weather
14:28 – How Load Shifting Saves Money
15:53 – Solar Generation in October & November
19:05 – Free Electricity Days with Octopus
23:23 – Our Small Hot Water Tank
24:06 – Recap
24:30 – Wrapping Up
25:16 – Getting a Quote from Heatable