Solar Panels & Battery Storage Case Study: Cleveleys Family Cuts Grid Imports 72% | Thermova

6.4 kWp solar PV array: 16 × 400 W monocrystalline panels (8 on each pitch), 25-year performance warranty
Hybrid solar inverter capable of running essential loads during a grid outage (back-up gateway included)
10 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery: 6,000-cycle warranty, indoor-rated, mounted in the garage
Smart EV charger integrated with solar and battery for surplus charging only when the sun is out
Live monitoring app showing real-time generation, consumption, battery state-of-charge and grid flow
MCS-certified design and install with full DNO notification handled by Thermova
0% VAT applied under the UK Energy-Saving Materials VAT relief

How long did the solar and battery installation take? 2 working days. Scaffolding up Monday morning. Panels and rails fitted Monday. Inverter, battery, EV charger and commissioning Tuesday. Scaffolding down Wednesday morning. The system was exporting to the grid by Tuesday afternoon. This is typical for a Thermova solar and battery installation in Lancashire: a 1.5 to 2-day job for most domestic systems on a single roof, sometimes longer for complex multi-roof or in-roof installs.

Year-one performance data

System commissioned April 2025. Twelve months of metered data follows.

Metric	Year-one result
Solar generation (total)	5,420 kWh
Self-consumption (direct)	2,180 kWh
Self-consumption (via battery)	2,000 kWh
Total self-consumption	4,180 kWh (77% of generation)
Exported to grid (SEG)	1,240 kWh
Grid imports (post-install)	1,620 kWh
Grid imports (pre-install)	5,800 kWh
Grid import reduction	−4,180 kWh (−72%)
Annual CO₂ saved (avoided imports)	807 kg
Annual CO₂ saved (grid export offset)	239 kg
Total CO₂ saved per year	1,046 kg (≈ 1 tonne)

A few notes for transparency:

Generation figure comes from the inverter’s CT clamp on the AC output.
Self-consumption split comes from the hybrid inverter logging direct PV use vs. battery discharge.
CO₂ figures use the latest UK grid factor of 0.193 kg CO₂e per kWh.
Generation per kWp worked out at 847 kWh/kWp, consistent with a split-pitch Lancashire roof and in line with typical UK domestic yields.

What the system saved on bills

Item	Amount
Electricity import bill (pre-install)	~£1,624 (5,800 kWh × 28p)
Electricity import bill (post-install)	~£454 (1,620 kWh × 28p)
Bill reduction	−£1,170/year
SEG export income (1,240 kWh × 15p)	+£186/year
Total year-one financial benefit	£1,356

The household didn’t change behaviour to get those numbers. They didn’t time the dishwasher or move the tumble drier to noon. The battery did the time-shifting automatically, storing midday surplus for the family’s 4 to 9 pm peak usage. That said, with smart-tariff scheduling and EV charging optimisation, year-two savings are projected to climb to £1,500 to £1,700.

What it cost, and the payback maths

Item	Cost
6.4 kWp solar PV	£6,800
10 kWh battery + hybrid inverter	£6,400
EV charger integration	£1,000
Total install (0% VAT)	£14,200

Simple payback: £14,200 ÷ £1,356 = 10.5 years at year-one savings. With electricity prices likely to rise and the family’s EV usage growing, the realistic payback is closer to 8 to 9 years. After payback, the system continues generating for at least another 15 to 17 years under the panel warranty. Total lifetime savings come in well above £30,000 at current tariffs, more if grid prices rise (which is the safer assumption).

What 1 tonne of CO₂ a year actually means

The Cleveleys system saves around 1,046 kg of CO₂ per year. To give that some scale:

Equivalent to about 4,000 miles in a UK petrol car (more than the family’s annual EV mileage offset)
Roughly 1.2 return flights London to Madrid
The annual carbon sequestered by about 50 oak saplings growing to maturity

Across 25 years of system life, that’s 26+ tonnes of avoided CO₂, without anyone in the household doing anything different.

Frequently asked questions

How much do solar panels and a battery cost in Blackpool or Lancashire?

A typical Thermova solar and battery installation in Lancashire ranges from £8,500 to £18,000 depending on system size, roof type and battery capacity. The Cleveleys case study above (6.4 kWp PV + 10 kWh battery) cost £14,200 with 0% VAT applied. Thermova provides a fixed-price quote after a free home survey, with no estimates that move at install stage.

How much can I save with solar panels and a battery in Lancashire?

For a typical 3-bedroom Lancashire home, solar alone saves £400 to £800 per year. Adding a battery typically adds another £400 to £700 per year by storing daytime generation for evening use. The 4-bed Cleveleys case study above saved £1,356 in year one, a stronger result driven by higher household consumption and an EV.

How long does solar panel installation take in Lancashire?

Most Thermova solar and battery installations take 1 to 2 working days. The Cleveleys install above ran to two days because the battery and EV charger were fitted alongside the panels. A solar-only install is usually a one-day job.

Do solar panels work on the Fylde Coast?

Yes. The Fylde Coast averages around 1,560 sunlight hours per year. Solar panels generate from daylight, not direct sunshine, so output is steady through cloudy weather. The Cleveleys system generated 5,420 kWh in its first year, equal to 847 kWh per kWp, in line with typical UK domestic yields.

Is there a grant for solar panels in Lancashire?

There is no direct cash grant for retrofit solar PV in 2026, but solar and battery installations qualify for 0% VAT under the UK Energy-Saving Materials VAT relief until 31 March 2027, saving 20% on the install cost. The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) also pays you for any electricity you export to the grid (typically 10 to 15p/kWh, with the best fixed-rate deals reaching 25p).

Do I need a battery, or are solar panels enough on their own?

Solar alone works well for households with steady daytime electricity use, such as work-from-home households, retired couples, or anyone running heat pumps in the day. For most Lancashire families with a 4 to 9 pm peak usage pattern, adding a battery roughly doubles the financial benefit by capturing midday surplus for evening use.

What is the Smart Export Guarantee?

The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a government-backed scheme paying solar PV owners for electricity exported to the grid. Rates vary by supplier from around 5p to 25p per kWh depending on the tariff and whether you bundle import and export with the same supplier. The Cleveleys household earned £186 in year one from SEG export payments alone.

Is your Lancashire home suitable for solar and battery?

The Cleveleys install is one specific roof, but the principles scale. Most Lancashire and Fylde Coast properties tick at least four of these boxes: • South, south-east, south-west, east or west-facing roof with reasonable pitch • Limited shading from chimneys, trees or neighbouring buildings • Annual electricity use above 3,000 kWh (where battery economics start to bite) • A 4 to 9 pm peak usage pattern (where a battery shifts the most value) • EV ownership or planned heat pump install (where solar pays off hardest) You don’t need a south-facing roof, you don’t need a new build, and you don’t need to be heavy on daytime use. Thermova’s free home survey models all of this against your actual postcode and consumption.

Next step

Get a free Thermova solar and battery quote

Every Thermova solar and battery installation includes a full performance projection, covering modelled generation, self-consumption, SEG export, payback and CO₂ savings, before you commit to anything. We use real Lancashire weather data and your real consumption profile, not generic UK averages. Book your free home survey and you’ll get the same data shown above, projected for your own roof and household.

→ Get your free Thermova solar and battery quote: thermova.uk/contact
→ Read the Air Source Heat Pump Case Study (linked separately)
→ See the Combined Heat Pump + Solar + Battery Case Study (linked separately)

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