For many UK homeowners, summer is the most rewarding time of year for solar panels. Longer daylight hours and clear skies mean your system can generate significantly more electricity than during the winter months.
But here's the question many people don't realise they should be asking:
What happens if you aren't using all of that free electricity?
If your home is empty during the day, or you're out at work while your solar panels are producing their maximum output, much of your electricity could simply be exported back to the grid.
Exporting electricity isn't necessarily a bad thing - you may receive payments through the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). However, depending on your tariff, those payments can be considerably lower than the cost of buying electricity back later in the evening.
With many parts of the UK experiencing another hot summer, now is an excellent time to look at how you can make the most of every kilowatt-hour your solar panels generate.
Why Summer Produces So Much Solar Energy
Solar panels don't actually work because of heat, they work because of daylight.
Long summer days provide many more hours of sunlight than winter, allowing systems to generate considerably more electricity.
This often means homeowners are producing more energy than they need during the middle of the day.
For example, your solar panels may be generating electricity while:
Everyone is at work
Children are at school
Appliances aren't running
Your electric vehicle isn't charging
Your home battery is already full
Without somewhere to use or store that electricity, it is automatically exported to the National Grid.
Is Exporting Solar Electricity a Bad Thing?
Not at all.
The Smart Export Guarantee allows many homeowners to earn money for surplus electricity exported to the grid.
However, there's an important difference between selling electricity and using your own free electricity.
Imagine you export electricity during the afternoon for a few pence per kWh, then buy electricity back that evening at several times that price.
That's why increasing your own solar consumption known as self-consumption, can often provide greater long-term savings.
Five Ways to Use More of Your Solar Energy
1. Charge Your Home Battery
A battery stores excess solar energy during the day for use later.
Instead of buying electricity after sunset, your home can use the energy your solar panels generated earlier.
This is one of the most effective ways to increase self-consumption and reduce reliance on the grid.
2. Charge Your Electric Vehicle
If you own an electric vehicle, daytime charging can make excellent use of surplus solar generation.
Rather than exporting electricity, your car effectively becomes another way of storing your free renewable energy.
Many modern EV chargers can even prioritise excess solar generation automatically.
3. Run High-Energy Appliances During the Day
Simple changes can make a surprising difference.
Where practical, consider running:
Washing machines
Dishwashers
Tumble dryers
Pool pumps
Air conditioning
Dehumidifiers
during peak solar generation instead of in the evening.
4. Heat Your Water Using Solar
If you have a solar diverter, such as a myenergi eddi, surplus electricity can be redirected to your immersion heater before being exported.
This allows your solar panels to produce free hot water while reducing the need for gas or grid electricity.
5. Use Smart Energy Management
Today's energy systems are becoming increasingly intelligent.
Instead of homeowners manually deciding when to charge batteries or vehicles, modern systems can monitor generation, household demand and electricity tariffs automatically.
Some systems can even decide whether it's better to:
Store electricity
Charge an EV
Heat water
Export to the grid
Charge from cheaper overnight tariffs
This helps maximise the value of every unit of electricity your home generates.
Why Summer Is the Best Time to Review Your Energy Usage
Many people focus on winter energy bills.
However, summer often reveals how efficiently your solar system is really performing.
If you're exporting large amounts of electricity every sunny day, there may be opportunities to increase your savings without installing additional solar panels.
For many households, improving how existing solar energy is used can make just as much difference as generating more.
Looking Beyond the Heatwave
Heatwaves tend to highlight just how much electricity modern homes use for cooling, electric vehicles, home offices and everyday appliances.
As more homeowners electrify their homes, using more of your own solar generation will become increasingly valuable.
Battery storage and smart energy management aren't just about preparing for winter - they're about making the most of every season.
How UK Green Energy Installations Can Help
At UK Green Energy Installations, we help homeowners across Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire get more from their renewable energy systems.
Whether you're considering your first solar installation, adding battery storage to an existing system or exploring intelligent energy management solutions such as Sigenergy, our team can help you choose a solution that suits your home and energy usage.
If you're wondering whether your home is making the most of its solar generation, we'd be happy to discuss your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to unused solar energy?
If your home is not using all the electricity your solar panels generate, the surplus is usually exported back to the National Grid unless you have a battery, EV charger or another device that can store or use it.
Is it better to use my own solar electricity or export it?
In many cases, using your own solar electricity can provide greater savings than exporting it, because the cost of buying electricity from the grid is usually higher than the payment received for exported energy.
Is a home battery worth it if I already have solar panels?
If you regularly export surplus electricity during the day, a home battery can help you store that energy for use in the evening or overnight, increasing your self-consumption and reducing your reliance on grid electricity.
Can I charge my electric vehicle using excess solar energy?
Yes. Many smart EV chargers can be set up to use surplus solar electricity, helping you charge your car more cheaply while making better use of the renewable energy your home is already generating.
How can I tell if I am exporting too much solar electricity?
Most solar monitoring apps show how much electricity your system is generating, using, importing and exporting. If you are exporting a lot of electricity on sunny days, you may benefit from changing when you use appliances or adding battery storage.
Can smart energy management help me use more of my solar power?
Yes. Smart energy management systems can help decide when to store electricity, charge an EV, heat water or export power to the grid, making it easier to get more value from your solar panels.