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What do you do when you want more solar panels, need somewhere to test new home battery systems, and have a part of the garden that's almost unusable during a hot summer? Apparently, you build a solar pergola. That's exactly what I've been doing over the last few weeks, and the finished result is a 3kW solar pergola built from six 500W bifacial JA Solar panels. And I'm rather pleased with how it turned out. Watch the full 3kW Solar Pergola video on YouTube DIY… Sort Of I shou

The home battery market is getting increasingly interesting. EcoFlow, Anker SOLIX and others have been pushing hard into smaller, modular solar and battery systems — and now Jackery has entered the ring with the SolarVault 3 Pro. I've been living with the system for around six weeks, so rather than simply looking at a specification sheet, I've been able to see how it actually performs with real solar panels, real household loads and typical British weather. And there are some

Portable power stations are incredibly useful when you need electricity away from home. The problem is that for many of us, once the camping trip, holiday or day out is over, that expensive battery goes back into the garage or shed and sits there doing absolutely nothing. The DJI Power 2000 has an interesting answer to that problem. I've been testing the new DJI Power 2000, a 2,048Wh portable power station with up to 3,000W of AC output. But those aren't the specifications th

You can spend £10,000, £15,000 or even £20,000 on a solar and battery system. Everything works perfectly when it is first installed — but what happens six months or two years later when something goes wrong? Who do you call? Your installer? The manufacturer? And what happens if neither wants to take responsibility? That's the subject of my latest video. My Experience with SolarEdge Support I've been running a 10kW SolarEdge inverter with three SolarEdge batteries for several

One of the questions I get asked most often about plug-in solar is surprisingly simple: Can I add a plug-in solar and battery system if I already have residential solar and batteries? The answer is yes — but there are a few things you need to understand if you want the two systems to work happily together. That’s exactly what I explore in my latest video. Watch: Can Plug-in Solar Work With Existing Solar & Batteries? Why add plug-in solar to an existing system? If you can eco

In July, my electricity account didn’t end with me receiving a bill. It ended with Octopus owing me £126.42. That is probably the best monthly electricity result I have recorded. It happened during my first complete month after switching from Intelligent Octopus Go to Octopus Flux. On the face of it, that makes Flux look like the obvious winner—particularly for a home with solar panels and battery storage. But the headline figure hides an important complication. Flux made my

EcoFlow has sent me an early pre-production Stream AC5000, giving us one of the first opportunities in the UK to get hands-on with their latest home battery system. Rather than rushing into a full review, this video is all about first impressions, the new features, and how it compares with the existing EcoFlow Stream range. 📺 Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/wiF0fmvTIsY The Stream AC5000 is built around a 5kWh battery, designed to connect into your home via a fuse

If you've been following the progress of plug-in solar in the UK, you'll know that the publication of the independent DESNZ safety report was a huge milestone. After months of testing and analysis, the report concluded that plug-in solar systems can be used safely in UK homes, provided they meet certain technical requirements. Now, just a few weeks later, another important piece of the puzzle has arrived. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has published t

For years, plug-in solar has been one of the most controversial topics on this channel. Supporters have pointed to the success of balcony solar systems across Europe, while critics have questioned whether UK wiring, sockets and consumer units were ever designed to allow electricity to flow back into the home through a standard plug. The debate has often been driven by opinion. Now, for the first time, we have something much more valuable. We have evidence. The UK Government h

When the UK experienced its hottest day of the year, most solar owners were expecting record-breaking generation. After all, more sunshine should mean more electricity... right? Not necessarily. During the heatwave I noticed something unusual with my own solar system. Despite clear skies and bright sunshine, my SolarEdge inverter wasn't producing the level of power I expected. At first glance everything appeared normal, but a closer look at the live data in Home Assistant rev

Octopus Energy has launched Charge Pack, a new service designed to optimise home batteries for customers on Intelligent Octopus Go. The announcement has immediately drawn comparisons with Axle Energy, a company that already pays homeowners to support the grid using their battery storage systems. But are these two services actually competing with each other? And which one is likely to make you more money? I've spent time digging through the details, reading the FAQ, and compar

While exploring the Octopus Energy API ahead of the company's event on 22nd June 2026, I came across something interesting that has not yet been publicly announced. A new export tariff appears to have been added called Prime Outgoing Octopus 12M Fixed. Before we go any further, it's important to be clear that at the time of writing this article, Octopus Energy has not officially announced this tariff. Everything discussed here comes from information currently visible within t

The headlines are everywhere. Ofgem is proposing to write off around £500 million of household energy debt. At first glance, that sounds like good news. Families struggling with the cost of living could finally get some relief after years of soaring energy prices. But the more I looked into the numbers, the more I realised there's a much bigger question that nobody seems to be asking: If household energy debt is heading towards £7 billion… who actually pays for it? The Debt D

When I built my first plug-in solar system for under £300, the response was incredible. The most common question wasn't about the solar panels, the wiring or even the microinverter. Instead, people kept asking one simple question: "That's great for your house Jon, but what would it generate at mine?" It's a fair question. Solar generation depends on where you live, the direction your panels face, the angle of installation and how much sunlight your property receives throughou

When we installed our air source heat pump 18 months ago, the reactions were predictable. According to some people online, our house would never be warm enough. The electricity bills would be astronomical. The neighbours would complain about the noise. And apparently my wife would eventually demand the return of a "proper" gas boiler. Fast forward 18 months and two full winters later, and the reality has been very different. Rather than relying on opinions, I've been collecti

Mention the phrase "net zero" and you'll often get a strong reaction. For some people, it's an essential goal that will help tackle climate change, improve energy security and modernise the UK's energy system. For others, it's become synonymous with higher costs, more regulations and government interference. But what if both sides are arguing about the wrong thing? What if the real problem isn't the idea itself, but the way it has been presented to the public? That's the ques

One of the most common questions I’ve been asked since publishing my £300 plug-in solar setup is simple: “Can you add a battery?” It’s a great question — because on the surface, plug-in solar systems and battery storage don’t naturally go together. Most plug-in systems are designed to feed power straight into your home, not store it for later. But as with most things in the home energy space… there’s always a workaround. So in my latest video, I decided to test exactly that.

When news broke that E.ON had agreed to buy OVO Energy, it would be easy to dismiss it as just another corporate acquisition. Another energy company getting bigger.Another deal in a market that’s already seen plenty of consolidation over the past few years. But I don’t think this story is really about the deal itself. I think it raises a much bigger question about the future of the UK energy system — and who should ultimately control it. The UK Energy Market Is Changing Again

One of the most common comments I receive whenever I post about solar is: “You haven’t factored in the opportunity cost.” And it’s a fair point. If you spend £20,000 on a solar and battery system, that same money could have been invested instead. Over time, that investment might grow significantly, so how do you know whether solar was really the better financial decision? Rather than arguing opinions in the comments section, I decided to build something to actually test it pr

When most people think about solar power in the UK, they picture a huge installation project involving scaffolding, installers, roof surveys, and a bill running into the thousands of pounds. But recently there’s been growing interest around something much simpler — plug-in solar. So I decided to test it for myself. Could I build a fully working 800W micro solar setup for less than £300, and more importantly… would it actually work in the real world? The Setup For this project