Generating Power With Solar Energy: Everything You Need to Know
Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular as a sustainable energy source, and generating electricity using solar panels is a common method. Solar panels consist of solar cells that capture sunlight and convert it into direct current.
Because the generated direct current can't be used directly in your home, an inverter is always necessary. This inverter converts the direct current into alternating current, the form of electricity you use every day.
In recent years, the cost of solar panels has fallen, making it increasingly attractive to invest in this technology. A set of 10 solar panels currently costs an average of €5,000 (excluding VAT), making the investment in sustainable energy increasingly affordable. Want to learn more about solar panels? Check out our comprehensive solar panel magazine for more information and tips.
Saving Energy at Home: How It Works
Solar panels often generate more power than you need at any given time, especially on sunny days. The excess power can be fed back into the grid, allowing other households to use it.
Another option is to store this power in a home battery. Such a battery stores the generated energy when you produce more than you use, for example, on sunny days or when your appliances require less energy.
With a home battery, you can use the stored power when your solar panels are generating little or no energy, for example, during the winter months or on cloudy days. Using a home battery in combination with solar panels makes you less dependent on the energy grid, which contributes to more sustainable and affordable energy consumption.
Cost of Energy Storage
Buying a home battery is an investment. Home batteries come in different sizes, depending on the amount of energy you want to store. Some batteries can store as little as 3 kWh, while others can store larger ones with capacities of up to 20 kWh. In some cases, you can connect multiple batteries together to create a larger storage capacity, which is called a modular system.
According to Milieu Centraal, the average cost of storage capacity is between €650 and €1,000 per kWh. A 6 kWh home battery will therefore cost between €4,000 and €5,000. These prices have fallen in recent years as technology becomes increasingly efficient, making the investment increasingly attractive.
Why Store Energy?
Storing energy offers several advantages, both financial and practical:
- More self-use of generated power : By storing your own solar power, you can use it later and you need to buy less power from the grid.
- Lower energy costs : You save on your energy bill because you are less dependent on the grid.
- Reduced load on the energy grid : By using more of your self-generated electricity, you contribute to a reduced load on the national energy grid.
- Better energy security : You almost always have access to electricity, even when the energy grid is under pressure or during outages.
- Ready for the future : You are prepared for changes in legislation and solar energy regulations, such as the phasing out of the net metering scheme.
When to Choose Energy Storage?
Many households choose to feed the electricity they don't need directly back into the grid, taking advantage of the net metering scheme. This scheme allows you to offset the electricity fed back into the grid against the electricity you draw from it.
However, energy storage is becoming increasingly popular, especially because more and more energy suppliers charge feed-in costs for the electricity you supply to the grid.
By choosing energy storage, you can make better use of the generated power, because you use more of it yourself and are therefore less dependent on the grid. New technologies are also making energy storage increasingly affordable, making it increasingly attractive to invest in a home battery.
Personal Energy Advice
Are you unsure whether a home battery is suitable for your situation? It can be difficult to determine the best option. That's why we offer personalized advice. Our expert energy advisors can talk with you and discuss the possibilities and benefits of energy storage in your situation.
After the consultation, you will receive tailor-made advice, so that you can make well-considered choices about your energy consumption.
A smart combination of solar panels and a home battery allows you to optimize your energy consumption and contribute to a more sustainable future.
