Guides
Short, decision-focused reads. No weekly news dump — just what helps you choose and save.
Home charging basics
Wallbox vs 3-pin, power needs, and the questions that stop expensive mistakes.
EV vs petrol: what actually drives cost
Why home tariffs and depreciation matter more than the “fuel is free” slogan.
Public charging reality check
When public charging is fine — and when it destroys your EV savings.
Road trip charging
How to plan long-distance stops so rapid charging is a coffee break, not a gamble.
UK off-peak EV tariffs compared
How EV tariffs work, rates we checked on supplier pages, and a checklist for choosing one.
How much does a home EV charger cost to install?
Published prices, what pushes quotes up, and the grants of up to £500 that remain in 2026.
EV winter range: what to really expect
Real-world cold-weather data, what it means for UK winters, and how to cut the loss.
Charging an EV in Guernsey and the Channel Islands
Guernsey Electricity tariffs, public chargers, and Jersey's Evolve network, with sources.
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?
Cost per charge and per mile at the October–December 2026 price cap and on EV tariffs, with worked examples.
Electric car tax (VED) in 2026/27
What electric cars pay from April 2026, the £440 supplement over £50,000, and the planned pay-per-mile eVED.
Granny charger (3-pin plug) charging: time and cost
How long a 3-pin plug takes, miles added per hour and overnight, what it costs, and how to use one safely.
Home battery storage: Powerwall cost and is it worth it?
UK battery prices from £3,947 to £7,999+ installed, 0% VAT, and honest payback maths on an EV tariff.
How much does it cost to charge a Tesla in the UK?
Model 3 and Model Y costs per 100 miles at home, on EV tariffs and at Superchargers.
EV running cost per mile vs petrol in the UK
Pence per mile for EVs at home and on public chargers, against petrol and diesel at today's pump prices.
Intelligent Octopus Go vs other UK EV tariffs
Rates, off-peak hours, exit fees and car compatibility for the main UK EV tariffs, checked today.
Home energy guides
Solar, heat pumps, batteries, small wind and tariffs. Calculators are on the home energy hub.
Solar panel payback in the UK
Our main solar panels guide, with the matching calculator.
How much do solar panels cost in the UK in 2026?
What a home solar system costs in the UK in 2026, what pushes quotes up, how 0% VAT on installation works until March 2027, and the extra costs to budget for.
Do you need planning permission for solar panels?
When home solar panels need planning permission in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Guernsey and Jersey, plus building regulations and network registration.
What size solar panel system do I need?
How to size a home solar system in the UK from your electricity use, roof space and location, with PVGIS generation figures and when to go bigger for an EV or heat pump.
The Smart Export Guarantee: getting paid for your spare solar
How the Smart Export Guarantee works, who qualifies, what export tariffs pay, how to apply, and how export payments work in Guernsey and Jersey. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
East, west, flat or shaded: is your roof good enough for solar?
How much roof direction, pitch and shading cut solar output in the UK, whether east-west, flat-roof and garden systems pay back, and when optimisers help.
Heat pump vs boiler running costs
Our main heat pumps guide, with the matching calculator.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme: who gets the £7,500 heat pump grant
Who qualifies for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales, how much you get, the extra £1,500 for off-gas homes, how to apply and the common pitfalls.
Electricity tariffs for heat pumps: how time-of-use cuts running costs
How heat pump time-of-use tariffs like Cosy Octopus work, what share of heating you can shift, and whether they beat the price cap. With Guernsey and Jersey options.
Air source vs ground source heat pumps: which suits your home?
Air source vs ground source heat pumps compared: installation cost, space needed, efficiency, running costs, the £7,500 grant and when ground source is worth the extra.
Do you need planning permission for a heat pump?
When an air or ground source heat pump needs planning permission in Great Britain, Guernsey and Jersey, plus noise, siting, building rules and listed buildings.
Heat pump sizing, flow temperatures and radiators
Why heat loss surveys, low flow temperatures and radiator sizing decide how much a heat pump costs to run, with worked SCOP figures and questions to ask installers.
Home battery savings in the UK
Our main home batteries guide, with the matching calculator.
How much does a home battery cost in the UK?
What a home battery costs in the UK in 2026, how 0% VAT applies until March 2027, the cost per kWh, warranties, lifespan and what a fair quote should include.
What size home battery do I need?
How to size a home battery in kWh from your evening use, solar surplus and tariff, with worked examples for typical UK homes and the cost of oversizing.
Is a home battery worth it without solar panels?
How a standalone home battery saves money on a time-of-use tariff without solar, worked savings and payback, VAT, and the risks if tariff gaps narrow.
Tariffs for home batteries: overnight, three-rate and export tariffs
Which UK electricity tariffs suit a home battery: overnight EV rates, three-rate import-export tariffs like Octopus Flux, and flat export rates. How each one earns.
Home batteries in Guernsey and Jersey: do the numbers work?
Home battery savings in Guernsey and Jersey using Super Economy 12, Economy 7 and buy-back rates, with worked figures with and without GST. Checked 27 Oct 2026.
Small wind turbine payback
Our main small wind turbines guide, with the matching calculator.
How much does a home wind turbine cost?
What a domestic wind turbine costs in the UK in 2026, with and without VAT, what drives the price, running costs, savings and why payback is often very long.
Planning permission for home wind turbines
When a domestic wind turbine needs planning permission in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Guernsey and Jersey, and what an application usually needs.
How windy does your site need to be for a wind turbine?
Why wind speed decides whether a home turbine pays, how output rises with the cube of wind speed, how to check your site, and why towns and gardens rarely work.
Are roof-mounted wind turbines worth it?
Why building-mounted wind turbines on homes usually produce little electricity, the structural and noise risks, and better ways to spend the money.
Wind turbine or solar panels: which is better for your home?
Wind vs solar for UK homes compared on cost, output, payback, planning, maintenance and seasonal fit, with Energy Saving Trust figures and when to combine them.
EV tariff vs price cap break-even
Our main energy tariffs guide, with the matching calculator.
The energy price cap explained: October to December 2026
What the Ofgem price cap is and is not, the October–December 2026 unit rates and standing charges with and without VAT, the next announcement dates and what to do.
Economy 7 vs smart time-of-use tariffs
How Economy 7 compares with smart EV, heat pump and battery tariffs, how to work out your break-even night share, and worked figures using Jersey Economy 7 rates.
Fixed vs variable energy tariffs: how to decide
How to compare a fixed energy tariff with the variable price cap, exit fees, the April 2027 VAT change, and a simple method to judge whether a fix is good value.
Standing charges explained
What gas and electricity standing charges are, the October–December 2026 capped rates with and without VAT, Guernsey and Jersey equivalents, and how to cut them.
Guernsey and Jersey electricity tariffs compared
Guernsey Electricity and Jersey Electricity domestic tariffs compared for 2026, including Super Economy 12, Economy 7 and 20, standing charges, GST and buy-back.
Compare public charger prices: Prices change, check before you charge. The price shown in the operator’s app or on the charger is the one you pay.