On May 21st 2018, we started installing our 3rd and final solar system. This time, on the house. We already had a thermal solar system for domestic hot water and the small 2kw solar pv system on the workshops, but when the tree in the front garden was removed, it exposed the roof and we felt it would have been negligent if we didn’t utilise it. So we did.
We have 15 x 285w solar panels, with Enphase microinverters under each one. The system is restricted to 3.75kwh output.
Whilst it took a few days to install and another week or so for the energy management to go live, we’re looking at today as the anniversary.
So, some numbers. In total, we have generated 8569 kwh of electricity which is free for us to use as and when we require due to the big old battery we installed at the same time. In fact, the 10kw battery we installed, wasn’t big enough so we upped it over winter to 15kw. That means on days like these, when we’ll generate over 25kwh, we can store most of it for the evenings and over night.
Lockdown has also seen increased energy use as we’re all at home but thankfully the weathers been good. Great for getting out in the garden as well as generating more solar than normal for April and early May.
We pay just over 17.4p/kwh from our energy supplier. The value of the energy we have generated is £1559 (ish) and we have used over 80% of that and rising. Initially, we were still sending energy back to the grid when the battery was full. But now we have the larger battery, we send much less to the grid and save more money. We are aiming for 90% use this year but that may be difficult due to not using the electric car as much since lockdown.
So, to date we have saved around £1250 over two years.
£50 a month. £1.60 a day.
And we do it with solar power. It’s free and as sure as sunrise, just falls from the sky every day.
Forever.
#SolarLove
Kevin