Where to start? Solar, ASHP, or do nothing?
We have been on our new home almost 3 months now.
It's a large (350sqm) barn conversion, with almost the same sqm in outbuildings/barns. The barns all have new roofs but are yet to be converted into a usable space.
We have 1 barn which is south facing, 21m by 5m, and I'm eyeing this up as prime solar estate. The other barn is east, 17m by 5m.
We currently run the heating (underfloor downstairs + radiators upstairs) and hot water on oil, then electricity for e erything else. Costs still tbc as we haven't been here long but EPC is C as the conversion is pretty new with good insulation, zone controlled heating.
What I'm struggling with when it comes to solar is we don't actually know what our real usage is, for the following reasons:
We have only been here a few summer months
We're likely going to get an air source heat pump but we don't know how much electricity this will use (probably going to need 16kw pump).
We don't yet have our EV charger installed but we have 2 EVs.
We haven't yet converted the barns into a gym/games room etc so more electricity to come.
What do we do? Predict our energy usage and go for the solar install and ASHP and hope we're well covered?
Convert everything and live in the house for a bit first so we know our costs?
Or any other suggestions? Goal is to just zero our bills as best we can.
We've had 1 solar quote so far and I was pretty underwhelmed. They didn't seem to have done any sort of sophisticated calculation to predict what we may need based in future plans and suggested a measely 12 panels when I think we have space for about 35 on one barn alone!
Plot photo attached.