A Connexion reader from Finistère has written to tell us how he reduced his energy bills with a years-long renovation project that embraced renewable solutions.
Anthony Powell says: “My main reason for embarking on the project was to do my bit to ameliorate climate change – think global, act local.
“I then realised that, as a by-product, I would be saving money and that with a fixed income in retirement it was sensible to have as few monthly outgoings as possible.”
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Anthony at homeAnthony Powell
Mr Powell started by installing a solar thermal systemin his house, which is over 100 years old.
“I purchased the kit from Leroy Merlin about 13 years ago for about €3,000 and installed it myself – it included a very well insulated tank of 250 litres. I chose these as this system is 90% efficient at conveying the sun’s energy, compared to about 25% for electric solar panels.”
A solar thermal system converts the sun’s energy to heat – heating up the water in the tank, which can then be used in the home.
Mr Powell had 16 solar electric panels installed on his roof, mainly on the south-facing side.
“I then proceeded to improve the insulation in the house as much as possible – internal cavity insulation and gradual replacement of the windows and doors with triple glazed units,” he explains.
Mr Powell immediately noticed a drop in energy consumption and bills.
In 2020, he installed some extra solar panels, and replaced an earlier heat pump with a more modern and efficient system.
“The heat pump had three internal units which easily heated or cooled the whole house. It could be controlled by an app, so that each space could be set at different temperatures and have different schedules.”
Mr Powell says the total amount he has invested in the project is “difficult to say”Anthony Powell
The final piece of the jigsaw, he said, was installing a 20kWh battery storage system this year, allowing the house to use only solar power or electricity at off-peak rates.
Mr Powell says the total amount he has invested in the project is “difficult to say”.
“I would have had to replace a lot of the things anyway, such as windows and doors: I just spent more to have triple glazed instead of double glazed, for example.
“And adding solar panels would be a lot cheaper now than then because the price has plummeted and planning regulations have changed. However, let’s say €30,000 spent over 15 years.
“As for payback, it is immediate because the house has increased in value by at least €30,000 due to the improvements, and would sell quicker.
“The previous owner was using 9,000kWh of electricity a year; my net use is 0, so I’m saving about €1,800 a year on electricity bills, plus about €700 on wood.”
According to comparison site Lesfurets.com, the average monthly electricity bill for two people in a 50m² home with average insulation powered entirely by electricity was around €130 in 2025.
People living in France should prepare to pay an average of around €50 more on home energy bills next year.
