‘How we cut our annual energy bills from £2,000 to £100’

For Neil and Joanna Fellows, making their home a smarter, greener space wasn’t about filling it with complicated gadgets or completely changing the way they live. It was about finding ways to use less energy and save a bit of money along the way. Living in Barnsley, West Yorkshire, with their 11-year-old twin daughters, the family has had a range of technology installed in their home, including smart devices such as a heat pump, an EV charger and an Alexa that runs the lights. Despite initially not being totally sure about what the transition might look like, the Fellows have discovered that going all-electric has benefited the whole family. “We’ve got smart tech in every room of the house, linked to our lighting, TVs, game consoles and home security system,” says Neil. “It basically automates everything in our lives, from our lights to choosing a playlist in the car. Smart controls in the Fellows’ home make the most of their energy saving tech “When you don’t have to grapple with three different remotes to turn on the TV and soundbar, it just makes life easier. Although perhaps not so much when the girls keep adding puppies to the family shopping list!” As well as being switched on when it comes to smart tech, the family has slashed their energy bills by choosing Octopus Energy to create a green-energy ecosystem throughout their home. “A couple of winters ago, we realised our 30-year-old boiler was in need of replacement,” says Joanna. “We were concerned about both the environmental impact it was having and the safety aspect. With energy prices going through the roof, our bills felt very out of control too, so we started looking into energy-saving alternatives, including fitting a heat pump. “We’d recently replaced our gas cooker with an induction hob, and we drive an electric car, so the boiler was the last thing in our home that needed gas. Going completely electric just made sense.” Home batteries charge at night, when electricity is off-peak, then power the heat pump and the rest of the house during the day By utilising the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme and a greener home grant offered by their mortgage provider, the cost of installing a heat pump was comparable to replacing the boiler. In June 2025, Octopus conducted a survey to assess the right type of heat pump for their five-bedroom detached house, with installation being completed over five days in November. “The whole process went so smoothly – it was outstanding,” says Neil. “Octopus’s engineers consulted us at every stage, there was incredible attention to detail, and everybody involved was respectful and professional. They even brought in electric heaters so we wouldn’t be cold while the work was being done.” “We were impressed with the aftercare, too,” adds Joanna. “At one point we had a power cut, and the heat pump didn’t come back on. But because it’s connected to our Octopus account, it only took one phone call, and they rebooted it remotely.” “We were a bit concerned about the noise the heat pump might make, but we were surprised by how quiet it is – it kind of purrs,” says Joanna. “We were also worried that the heat pump wouldn’t be as effective as warming up our house, but it works absolutely magically. Octopus engineers installed the heat pump and 21 solar panels “It gives off a different kind of heat – nice and warm instead of stiflingly hot. Being able to control it via the app is handy, too.” Thanks to the care and attention they’d experienced from Octopus’s engineers, the family chose the energy provider to install 21 solar panels on their roof, complete with an integrated home-battery system that would allow them to conserve electricity. Finally, Octopus fitted an EV charger to charge the family car and transform their house into a fully electric home. “We’re so pleased we took that leap to going gas-free,” says Neil. “We’ve generated around £1,000-worth of electricity this year via our solar panels, which goes straight into our Octopus account. During the colder months, when we’ll generate less solar power, we’ll have credit stored up and ready to use.” An added saving from going fully electric is that they now pay a single standing charge as they no longer have one for gas. Charging the car overnight costs a mere £4.70, while excess solar electricity is sold back to Octopus Neil adds: “We make extra savings by charging the car overnight, and it costs just £4.70 for a full charge. We fill our batteries overnight too, when the tariff is off-peak, then run the house off them in the daytime. We can even sell any excess energy we don’t use back to Octopus via their export tariff, and receive a higher rate. “Previously, our yearly bill for gas and electricity, including charging our EV, was around £2,000. Our bills so far this year have been about £100. Thanks to those savings, it’s been estimated that we’ll break even on the cost of the solar panels and batteries within six years. “We intend to stay here a lot longer than that – and meanwhile, we’ve got peace of mind that we’re relatively protected from rising gas prices. In summer we enjoy watching the app and seeing how much energy the solar panels are generating. Which is a bit sad, I know!” Today, the couple has no regrets about their move to greener living, and hope that one day their daughters will follow suit. “If we can show them what options are out there in terms of greener smart homes now, hopefully they’ll take that on board and do the same when they’re older,” Joanna says. “And when that happens, they can add all the puppies they like to their shopping list …” Find out how you can potentially save money through greener energy choices with Octopus Energy