Self-consumption optimization: How do I best use my solar power?

Prior PV
2024-09-12 11:57:00

The decision to install a photovoltaic system (PV system) on your own roof brings with it numerous advantages. One of the biggest advantages is the possibility of using self-generated solar power and thus significantly reducing your own energy costs. However, the profitability of a PV system depends heavily on how much of the electricity generated is actually used by yourself. In this guide, we will show you how you can optimize your own consumption and maximize the benefits of your solar system.

1. What does self-consumption optimization mean?

Self-consumption optimization means using as much of the self-generated solar power as possible directly in the household instead of feeding it into the public grid. The advantage is that the electricity you generate yourself is significantly cheaper than the electricity you get from your energy supplier. In addition, the feed-in tariff is continuously falling, so that selling the electricity to the grid is becoming less and less worthwhile. The aim is therefore to keep the proportion of self-consumption as high as possible in order to save energy costs in the long term.

2. Using solar power correctly: time control and load management

To maximize self-consumption, you should make sure to use the solar power you produce yourself when your photovoltaic system is at its highest output - that is, during the day when the sun is shining. But it is often at these times that many household appliances are not in use, which means that the excess electricity is fed into the grid.

This is where time-controlled devices and load management come into play. Many modern household appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers or tumble dryers have a timer function that allows you to program the start time so that they run exactly when the PV system is supplying electricity. This means that electricity consumption can be shifted to the sunny hours of the day.

Smart energy management systems can help you to control electricity consumption even more efficiently. These systems monitor the energy flow in your household and automatically control the devices so that as much solar power as possible is used. Some of these systems can also be combined with heat pumps, electric car charging stations or battery storage to further optimize self-consumption.

3. Power storage: Use solar power at night too

A power storage system is one of the most effective ways to increase self-consumption. It stores the surplus electricity generated during the day and makes it available to you when the sun is not shining - i.e. in the evening and at night.

A storage system enables you to use your PV system much more efficiently, as you can use your own electricity even outside of sunny times. However, power storage systems are still a costly investment. You should therefore check whether purchasing a storage system makes economic sense in your case. A rule of thumb is that a storage unit makes sense if self-consumption without storage is less than 30%. With a storage unit, self-consumption can be increased to up to 70% or more.

4. Charge an electric car with solar power

Do you own an electric car or are you planning to buy one? Then there is another way to optimize self-consumption: charge your electric car with the power from your PV system. Depending on the size of the system and your driving profile, you can generate a significant portion of the power you need yourself.

Here, too, the charging time is crucial. It is ideal to charge the car during the day when the solar system is active. Some wall boxes also offer the option of controlling charging at specific times or only charging when solar power is available. In combination with a power storage unit, you can even use solar power to charge your vehicle at night.

5. Combining heat pumps and photovoltaics

Another interesting option for optimizing your own consumption is the combination of photovoltaics and heat pumps. Heat pumps use environmental energy (e.g. geothermal energy or air heat) to generate heat for heating and hot water. Since they use electricity, a PV system can supply this electricity and thus make the operation of the heat pump more cost-effective.

The following also applies here: The use of the heat pump should ideally be shifted to the sunny hours of the day. Modern heat pumps offer appropriate control options for this. By combining heat pumps and photovoltaics, you can reduce your heating costs and increase your own consumption at the same time.

6. Further tips for optimizing your own consumption

  • Energy-intensive devices: Avoid using energy-intensive devices such as the tumble dryer, oven or dishwasher in the early morning or evening hours when the solar system is not working. If possible, move them to lunchtime.
  • Replace household appliances: Efficient, modern devices use less electricity and help to increase your own consumption. Old, power-hungry devices should be replaced if possible.
  • Use a smart meter: A smart meter helps you monitor the electricity consumption in your household and better understand when and how much electricity you use. This allows you to take targeted measures to increase your own consumption.

Conclusion

Optimizing your own consumption is an important factor in fully exploiting the potential of your photovoltaic system and reducing energy costs. By using time control, smart load management, power storage and coupling with electric cars or heat pumps, you can significantly increase your own consumption. With the right strategy and the right technologies, you can make optimal use of the solar power you generate yourself and save costs in the long term.