If you’re a homeowner or business owner with solar panels, we might have the solution to help you make the most of your solar energy. If you have a solar panel system, you can actually use your surplus energy to save money on utility bills and reduce your carbon footprint. At Green Light Electrical, we offer two popular options for maximising the use of excess energy: solar battery storage and a solar power diverter. While both serve to increase your energy independence, they work in different ways and have distinct advantages.
What is Solar Battery Storage?
Solar battery storage is a system that stores the excess electricity your solar panels generate during the day. This stored energy can then be used later when the sun isn’t shining, like at night or on a cloudy day.
How Does Solar Panel Battery Storage Work?
When your solar panels produce more electricity than your home is using, a solar battery takes that surplus energy and stores it for future use. When the solar panels aren’t generating enough power, your home draws electricity from the battery instead of from the grid. Once the battery is full, any additional excess power is then exported to the grid.
Pros:
- Versatility – The stored energy can power any electrical appliance in your home, from lights and TVs to refrigerators and washing machines.
- Energy Independence – A solar battery significantly reduces your reliance on the grid, giving you greater control over your energy usage and bills.
- Backup Power – Many solar battery systems provide backup power during a power outage, keeping essential appliances running.
- Cost Savings – By using your own stored energy, you avoid buying expensive electricity from the grid during peak hours. You can also use smart tariffs to charge your battery with cheap, off-peak electricity from the grid and use it during more expensive peak times.
Cons:
- High Upfront Cost – Solar batteries are a significant investment, with a higher initial cost than a solar diverter.
What is a Solar Diverter?
A solar power diverter is a device that redirects surplus solar energy to a specific appliance, most commonly an electric immersion heater, to heat your water. It doesn’t store the energy for later use but rather uses it in real-time.
How Does a Solar Panel Diverter Work?
A solar diverter continuously monitors the energy being generated by your solar panels and the energy being used in your home. When it detects that more electricity is being generated than consumed, it automatically sends the excess power to your immersion heater. This uses the free solar energy to heat your hot water, reducing the need for your boiler or other heating systems to kick in.
Pros:
- Cost-Effective – Diverters are much cheaper to buy and install than solar batteries, making them a budget-friendly way to increase your solar self-consumption.
- Quick Payback – The savings on hot water can lead to a faster return on investment compared to a battery.
- Simplicity – It’s a straightforward device with a single purpose, to heat your water, and requires minimal maintenance.
- Reduces Boiler Usage – By using solar power to heat your water, you take the workload off your gas or electric boiler, potentially saving you money and extending its life.
Cons:
- Limited Use – Its primary function is to heat water. It can’t power other appliances or provide backup during a power cut.
- No Energy Storage – The diverter uses energy as it’s generated, so if you’re not using it to heat water, the excess is still sent to the grid. It can’t save energy for use at night.
- Specific Requirement – It only works if you have an electric immersion heater with a hot water tank. It’s not suitable for homes with a combi boiler.
Solar Battery Storage vs Solar Diverter: Which is Right for You?
Ultimately, the right choice for you depends on your budget, energy needs, and how you want to use your surplus solar power.
If your main goal is to get a quick return on investment and you already have a hot water cylinder with an immersion heater, a solar power diverter is an excellent and cost effective option. Overall, a solar diverter is ideal for homeowners who want to save money without a significant upfront cost.
On the other hand, a solar battery is a more significant investment, but it offers far greater flexibility and energy independence. It’s the right choice if you want to power more than just your water heater. A solar power battery allows you to use your stored solar energy to run any appliance in your home, day or night, and can even act as a backup power source during an outage. If your aim is to drastically reduce your reliance on the grid and maximise your self-consumption of solar energy for all your needs, a battery would be the best option for you.
Get in Touch with Green Light Today
After nearly two decades of experience in the industry, we understand the importance of making smart and well-informed decisions when it comes to energy consumption. Which is why, as well as solar panels, our range aims to provide supplementary products to help you make the most of your solar energy.
At Green Light Electrical, we offer solar battery storage for homeowners, solar diverters, and solar battery storage for businesses, too!
To find out more, get in touch with our friendly and expert team in all things solar at Green Light today, or start your quote using our simple online form.
We look forward to making your solar power go further, giving you power, independence, and a lower carbon footprint.
