From Andrew Till / Mr. EV
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After weeks of rain, the sun finally came out — and it reminded me why installing solar panels and a home battery might be one of the best decisions we’ve made.
At the same time as we filmed this, global gas prices doubled in just two days following the Iran conflict. Because gas still sets the electricity price in the UK, that affects everyone’s energy bills — even if your electricity is technically renewable.
But there is one way to shield yourself from that volatility: generate and store your own electricity.
In this video I take a look at:
• How our solar panels performed this February
• The actual savings from solar and battery storage
• Why our February electricity bill halved compared to last year
• What’s changed in the house (heating, insulation and habits)
• Current Octopus Energy prices and export rates
• A quick update on the pond
• And a small issue we had with the Zappi charger
On sunny winter days our system can generate around 30 kWh, which at current electricity prices saves almost £9 in a single day. Over time those savings add up — and crucially they protect us from rising energy costs driven by global events.
I also look at the numbers since installation and the question everyone asks: how long will the system take to pay for itself?
If you’re considering solar panels or battery storage, hopefully these real-world figures help you decide whether it might make sense for your home too.
Videos referenced:
☀️ @GaryDoesSolar is a brilliant channel. This is his video about duck curves and why export rates are likely to continue dropping: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4loz5EAHVUY
📊 Ed Conway makes some fantastic explainers on Sky News (really!). Here’s one about the sudden increase in gas prices, although it’s worth watching his analysis on every topic as many of his videos are very relevant to EVs/green tech as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENy5sS_uoqM
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Please use my referral links:
☀️ Heatable solar installations: £150 off — https://misterev.co.uk/solar (or quote MISTEREV150)
🔋 Heatable battery installations: £75 off — https://misterev.co.uk/battery (or quote MISTEREV75)
🐙 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 The sun returns… and a reminder about energy
02:17 Why wars send energy prices soaring
03:12 What we’re covering in this video
03:52 Our solar and battery setup
04:39 Solar performance this February
06:03 February bills: 2025 vs 2026
06:49 Electric radiator energy use
08:12 Total costs since installing solar
10:05 Octopus price changes explained
13:15 Pond project update
13:58 Our heating decision
14:31 Zappi charger problem (fixed!)
20:47 Final thoughts
