Judith is set to earn £2,300 a year from her solar panels – but her bill is estimated to be £1,700 annually
SAVVY homeowners can save thousands of pounds on energy bills without cutting down on usage, thanks to a clever scheme.
Judith Leary-Joyce, 75, not only saves but actually makes money through this home improvement and green energy initiative.
She had a ‘deep retrofit’ on the Victorian end-of-terrace in St Albans, Hertfordshire she has shared with husband John, for more than 47 years.
As part of the makeover to improve the property’s energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, the couple had two sets of solar panels installed.
This has saved more than £1,000 a year on their annual energy bill, plus ‘earns’ them cash by exporting surplus electricity generated.
It comes after the average energy bill jumped up to £1,849 a year last month.
Judith, author of Beginner’s Guide to Eco Renovation and blog EcoRenovationHome.com, told The Sun: “Solar panels may cost a lot upfront, but over time, you will recoup the cost.”
The couple got their first eight panels installed in September 2021 at a cost of around £6,000.
A few years later, in October 2024, they got a further 10 panels installed for £14,300 – and this included a battery.
With a battery storage system, energy from the solar panels is stored to provide power irrespective of the weather or the time of day.
“The decision to get solar panels was primarily down to me really caring about the planet,” said Judith.
“But at the same time, I like the idea of saving a shedload of money, too.”
Read more: The Sun