Green electricity from your own roof is unbeatably cheap. It is also the perfect choice for a sustainable and self-determined lifestyle. For more and more homeowners, their own solar system is now the central element in an intelligently networked home. Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into electricity that can be used throughout the household. The more solar power is consumed directly, the more money is saved.
Self-consumption and self-sufficiency rate
When it comes to self-supply with solar power, the terms self-consumption rate and self-sufficiency rate are often used. Both values are important for calculating the profitability of a photovoltaic system.
The self-consumption rate indicates how high the proportion of self-consumed solar power is in relation to the total solar power produced. Depending on the consumers in the house and the consumption behavior of the residents, this value can vary greatly, and the size of the photovoltaic system also plays a major role.
The self-sufficiency rate describes the proportion of the electricity required in the household that can be covered by the solar generators (Solargeneratoren) or that still has to be purchased from the energy producer. The higher the self-sufficiency rate, the more independent the homeowner is from the energy supplier.
Modules on the roof, green electricity in the house
At the beginning of your own solar power plant are of course the modules. They convert the light of the sun into electrical energy. Glittering blue cells on the roof are a thing of the past. Today, solar modules are also available with dark blue or black cells, which ensure an aesthetic look and a cohesive overall picture. Incidentally, solar modules are 95 percent recyclable. It doesn’t always have to be a south-facing roof. The modules are now so powerful that they are also worth installing on roofs that face east or west.
A water tank or batteries: Storing solar power
The solar power from your own roof can also be used for showering and for providing hot water. An intelligent heating element ensures that water in a buffer tank is heated using excess solar energy. In this way, no kilowatt hour is lost and the self-consumption rate for solar power is increased even further.
Solar power can be used particularly efficiently if the solar system is also combined with battery storage. This ensures that solar power is available even when the sun is not shining. The combination of the solar system and battery storage saves up to 80 percent in electricity costs and helps with sustainable living.