“Would I recommend solar? Absolutely!” – £115,000 a year savings for Cotswold households

Since the partnership began, more than 2,200 Cotswold households have explored whether solar could work for their home through MakeMyHouseGreen, with 95 homes going on to have solar installed. 

Together, those installations are now estimated to save households a total of around £115,000 on their energy bills every year, while reducing carbon emissions by approximately 86 tonnes annually. 

The Council launched Cotswold Home Solar in 2023 to make it easier for residents interested in solar to understand their options and make an informed decision by giving households access to reliable information and a trusted route to installation. 

Through MakeMyHouseGreen, residents can use an online calculator to explore how many panels their property could accommodate and receive estimates tailored to their home, before deciding whether they want to progress further. 

Cllr Mike McKeown, Cabinet Member for Climate Change at Cotswold District Council, said: “We set up this partnership because we knew many residents wanted to make greener choices but could find navigating the solar market daunting.  

“Three years on, it’s great to see so many households making that change and feeling the benefits. Helping residents reduce their energy bills while cutting carbon emissions is exactly the kind of practical action at the heart of our council priorities to respond to the climate emergency and support our communities.” 

One resident already seeing the benefits is Andrew Mitchell from Upper Rissington, whose solar panels were installed just over a year ago. While his decision to install solar was initially driven by environmental considerations, he soon realised there could be significant financial benefits too. 

Andrew discovered MakeMyHouseGreen through the Council website while comparing installers. He chose the company to install 14 integrated solar panels alongside battery storage and an EV charger. 

Andrew said: “We went into it without really knowing what the savings would be, but we felt solar was the right thing to do. 

“I found MakeMyHouseGreen through the Council website and, from the first conversation, they were exceptionally helpful. They liaised with our builder, kept us informed and handled all the paperwork afterwards. The installation itself was incredibly quick and the whole process was completely seamless.” 

Since then, Andrew has switched to an electric vehicle, which he charges overnight using a cheaper tariff. His household can also export surplus electricity generated by its panels back to the grid. 

Comparing his previous combined electricity and petrol costs with what he pays now, Andrew estimates his household is around £2,150 a year better off. 

He added: “Would I recommend going solar? Absolutely. It’s a significant investment initially, but for us the benefits have been very clear. We estimate that after around six and a half years the savings will have covered the cost of the solar installation.” 

Llewellyn Kinch, CEO and co-founder of MakeMyHouseGreen, said: “Over the past three years we’ve helped hundreds of Cotswold households understand whether solar is right for them and supported many through to installation. It’s great to see the savings residents are now making, alongside the significant reduction in carbon emissions.” 

Residents interested in finding out whether solar could work for their home can visit the Cotswold Home Solar page on Cotswold District Council’s website at: Cotswold Home Solar - Cotswold District Council