I've saved
£1,337
in 17 months.
Solar + battery + Octopus Agile + VPP. My grid import is 1,443 kWh/yr — 50% below the UK average. Every number is real and live.
Right now at my house
Home Assistant · updates every 30 seconds
Today's weather & predicted solar
Cardiff forecast from Home Assistant · solar prediction from Solcast
Yes. Right now it's —% cloud cover and my panels are still forecast to make —W.
Solar panels run on daylight, not direct sunshine. On an overcast day they still produce 10–25% of peak from diffuse light — and UV passes straight through cloud. That's why solar works well even in cloudy Cardiff.
I wanted proof.
Not a salesman's spreadsheet.
After getting panels installed in January 2025, I wired up Home Assistant to track every watt. The results surprised me. My annual grid import dropped to 1,443 kWh — against a UK average of around 2,900 kWh.
The key wasn't just the panels. It was pairing them with a Fox ESS battery, Octopus Agile, and Predbat — which plans every charge slot automatically. Then I added Axle Energy VPP — getting paid £1/kWh when the grid needs extra power.
Now I design these systems for other homeowners. Every number on this site is real.
£1,337 recovered
Since 25 January 2025 · £8,500 invested · 17 months running
Pays back in roughly 8 years
Four things working together
Solar Panels
8 × AIKO 455W N-Type ABC. Generates from 7am, peaks midday, fades by evening.
Fox ESS Battery
10.3kWh stores surplus solar. Discharges in the evening covering peak demand.
Octopus Agile
Half-hourly pricing. Predbat charges at 5p overnight. Sometimes rates go negative.
Predbat + VPP
AI-plans every charge slot 48hrs ahead. Axle VPP earns £1/kWh during grid events.
What I recommend
After designing hundreds of systems
What could solar save you?
Takes 10 seconds. Enter your monthly bill.
Guides & real results
Ready to go solar?
I design systems and put homeowners in touch with The Solar House — the team who fitted my own setup. Just honest, data-driven advice.