personal finance

'Remarkable journey!' Man, 76, cuts energy bill 'as low as £1.50 a day' with key changes


Dereck Sawyer and his wife invested in measures that have helped save them around £1,300 each year on their energy bills.

The 76-year-old managed to reduce his energy bills to “as low as £1.50 a day during the summer months”. 

He implemented measures such as loft insulation, installing a smart meter, and using energy-efficient appliances like an air fryer.

Combining all these tactics has helped the pair save £1,300 on their annual bills.

Their biggest payoff, however, came from having solar panels installed in 2011, The Sun reported.

The solar panels have allowed them to generate their own electricity as well as sell excess electricity back to the grid.

The pair initially invested £12,000 into their solar panels but are now making the money back.

Derek estimated that he has made a profit of £17,000 from selling electricity, resulting in an overall profit of £5,000.

His solar panels have also helped him reduce his electricity bills by a significant amount – he estimated he has made an excess of £20,000.

He said: “It’s been a remarkable journey.

“I generated more money that I expected… and along the way have found other ways to reduce electricity [bills].”

Derek fitted a diverter on his boiler which uses electricity rather than gas to heat water, further reducing energy costs.

In summer they generate 25kwh hours a day and in winter one to two a day.

A homeowner in South Wales slashed the cost of his energy bills by a staggering £100 a month in winter after investing in solar panels.

Readers Also Like:  Homes for UK first-time buyers – in pictures

Geraint is from Tonteg, South Wales, and lives in a three-bed semi-detached house in the valleys. He paid £9,000 for the panels and installation, but Geraint was able to apply for the £1,000 eco grant from Rhondda Cynon Taf council. This reduced his total bill to £8,000. 

While he noted that not everyone has the means to spend thousands on solar panels, and that “more needs to be done” to make renewable energy more affordable, he is still in awe of the savings he has made.

Geraint told Express: “The solar panels have slashed the cost of my energy bills, and even on a cloudy day I can go off-grid if we’re not using any large appliances that day.

“My energy bills would have been around £220 a month before September 2022, but, with the panels installed, my monthly bill in the peak of winter came down to around £120, which is a huge reduction.”



READ SOURCE

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies.