Generate your own energy

Want to make a big green change? Think about generating your own energy. Find out how...

Green energy technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines and ground source heat pumps, are becoming more and more popular. They’re sometimes called renewable energy sources, because they never run out.

But bear in mind that, even with government grants, most require an upfront commitment of several thousand pounds. So make sure you’re following all our other green tips first (such as using less electricity in the first place). They’re also unlikely to give you all the energy you need, so you can’t ditch your electricity supplier altogether.

You can find a detailed guide to green energy sources on the Energy Saving Trust website. You may be able to get government grants for some of these systems – find out more at the Low Carbon Buildings Programme.

Why not try Tesco's renewable energy service: Tesco Home Efficiency? It gives you the opportunity to purchase solar electricity or solar hot water at really competitive prices. 

Solar energy

Solar electricity or photovoltaic (PV) cells convert sunlight into electricity.

PV systems come in a variety of shapes and colours to suit any home.

Solar thermal systems take a different approach. They use energy from the sun to heat water, which is then pumped into your hot water cylinder or boiler. They’re much easier to install and cheaper than PV systems.

A solar water system will pay back the initial set-up cost quicker than a PV system.

The savings: solar water heating

This can provide you with about a half to a third of your hot water needs. When installed in a gas heated home, a solar heating system could cut about £65 a year off your bills and reduce your CO^₂ emissions by 325kg.

They cost about £3,000 to £5,000.

The savings: PV systems

These can meet around half your home’s electricity needs, saving around £250 a year. As the cost of electricity increases, the savings get even better and reduce the payback time.

With some systems, you can even sell back any electricity you don’t use (for example, when you are at work or on holiday) to your electricity provider, which helps you save even more.

A typical domestic PV system can save around 1.2 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year – almost 30 tonnes over its lifetime.

They usually cost between £7,000-£10,000 to install.

Wind turbines

Wind turbines turn wind into electricity and can either be freestanding or mounted on your roof.

The electricity they produce can be stored in a battery or connected to the grid (so you can sell any excess electricity you generate back to your electricity provider).

To generate electricity from wind turbines, you need to be in an area that is away from buildings and trees. If you’re in a town or city, the wind may not be fast enough.

The savings

Small domestic wind turbines can potentially provide 30-35% of an average home’s electricity needs, and pay for themselves in 8-10 years.

Costs range from £1,500 to £25,000 depending on size.

Ground source heat pumps

Ground source heat pumps use the natural heat from the ground to keep your home warm and cosy – and reduce your energy bills.

They work by pumping a mixture of water and antifreeze around lengths of pipe buried in the ground, absorbing heat from the earth. It’s then pumped into your underfloor heating or radiators for space heating or into water storage for your hot water supply.

You need to have enough space outside your home for the pipes, although vertical pumps are becoming popular, which need less space.

The savings

When installed in an electrically heated home, a ground source heat pump could save you £1,000 a year on heating bills and almost seven tonnes of C0^₂ a year.

A typical system costs between £6,000 and £12,000 to buy and install, depending on size (with vertical ones being more expensive).