What is Self-Consumption?
The percentage of solar electricity you use directly in your home rather than exporting to the grid.
Quick Answer
Typical self-consumption for a UK home without a battery is around 40%. Adding a battery can increase this to 60–80%. Shifting usage to daytime, running the dishwasher, washing machine, and EV charger during sunny hours, is the simplest way to improve self-consumption without additional cost.
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
Self-Consumption Explained
Self-consumption (or self-use) is the proportion of solar electricity that is consumed on-site rather than exported to the grid. Higher self-consumption means greater savings because using your own solar electricity avoids buying from the grid at the retail rate (around 25p/kWh), which is worth more than the export rate (around 13–15p/kWh). Self-consumption can be increased by running appliances during daylight hours, using timers, or adding battery storage.
How Does Self-Consumption Work in the UK?
Typical self-consumption for a UK home without a battery is around 40%. Adding a battery can increase this to 60–80%. Shifting usage to daytime, running the dishwasher, washing machine, and EV charger during sunny hours, is the simplest way to improve self-consumption without additional cost.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good self-consumption rate?
Without a battery, around 40% is typical. With a battery, aim for 60–80%. Higher is always better as self-consumed electricity is worth more than exported electricity.
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John Rooney is the founder of Solar Info and has been covering the UK solar energy market since 2023. He researches every battery and inverter brand against manufacturer datasheets, MCS and Ofgem data, and feedback from the MCS-certified installers in our directory before publishing.