Solar and battery offer

Oxfordshire County Council has been looking at options for expanding take-up of solar and battery technology in the future.

One approach we are excited about is a similar model to that in the Energy Saver App trial, which would be based around a fixed monthly fee with no upfront costs. We would like to know whether this would be of interest to you.

Here are some additional details on how this might work:

The offer

• You would receive a solar and battery system for your home
• The solar panels would be gifted to you. A battery and inverter would be installed at your home, but would remain property of the provider.
• You would pay no upfront or installation costs – just a monthly fee to the council. The level of fee would depend on the size of system that could be installed.
• The system would be optimised for you to maximise your savings.
• The battery and inverter’s health would be monitored and replaced free of charge during its lifetime if needed

The benefits

• Residents in the Energy Saver App trial saw an average saving of £500 on their energy bills, after the subscription costs had been taken account.
• Residents in the trial were only exposed to energy prices for 40% of their household usage.
• Typically, participants received a 10 panel solar panel system and battery worth c. £7,000
• Cleaner, renewable energy that reduces your carbon footprint
• A managed battery service that uses AI to work out the best time for your energy to be sold back to grid via your energy supplier, balanced against your usage. This helps reduce your energy spend.
• A recommended energy tariff for your energy needs based on those available on the current market
• The knowledge that you are helping to provide greater resilience for the energy grid and support local green energy plans
• Greater energy independence from high electricity prices and energy shocks
• Potential improved EPC rating for your home from the solar panels

The cost

• No upfront cost for the solar, installation and use of the battery/inverter
• Average monthly cost of £60 – this varies depending on the size and energy needs of your property
• No surprises or hidden costs – you’d know all the details up front
• If you’re not projected to make a saving, we wouldn’t recommend the service

The process

• You’d connect your smart meter to an energy insights app, enabling the scheme to accurately predict whether a solar and battery system would be suitable for your home. It would also provide hints and tips on how to save energy in your home.
• A bespoke offer would be made, followed by a no pressure consultation, soft credit check, and free site survey to assess your home. If your property is deemed suitable, a final detailed offer and design would be made.
• If accepted you’d contract with Oxfordshire County Council for a monthly energy optimisation service, which you’d pay each month via direct debit. Installation of solar, battery and inverter would be carried out at no cost. You’d own the panels from the outset.
• Quality, MCS-approved installers that we’ve checked would install the equipment, taking on average about half a day, with minimal disruption to your energy and home. A handover pack would be supplied with all the information needed on your new system. We’d tell you how to get set up with a tariff for exporting your energy.
• You’d provide your details for a monthly direct debit payment, with your energy supplier providing the export revenue (called a Smart Export Guarantee)
• You’d be able to monitor your ongoing solar usage, savings and benefits via an app

What happens if I wanted to move house?

• You could transfer it to the new homeowner through a standard conveyancing process, with information provided on the savings.
• If the new homeowner didn’t want to take it on, you could pay to exit, with a scaling fee based on the length of time you’ve been in contract.
• You’d always pay less than the equivalent upfront purchase of a solar and battery system.

Would this affect my mortgage or need special insurance?

• No – there’s no impact from mortgage providers as the panels are wholly owned by you with no roof lease, and other equipment can be removed if necessary. Standard home insurance can cover your equipment from theft or loss.

Would this cost the council?

• The council would pay an annual service fee to the providers who would carry out the installation, maintain your battery and inverter, and operate the optimisation service. In return the exported energy helps balance the energy grid and the council would receive some additional benefit from this from the government. This relationship enables the upfront cost to be removed without removing any benefit to you from your panels, and keeps the monthly cost as low as possible.

What to do next

Please complete this short form to let us know if you’d be interested, and find out more if we are able to launch the offer. Please complete this form by 31 May 2026.