What is solar photovoltaic self-consumption?
Photovoltaic self-consumption consists, basically, of the production of electricity for own consumption by means of solar panels photovoltaic.
These panels transform the sunlight falling on them into electricity thanks to the photovoltaic effect. The current generated is direct current, and therefore not suitable for the equipment in our home, which is why we need to use a inverter to transform it into alternating current in order to be able to consume this energy.
Apart from the modules or panels and the inverter, there is other protection and measurement equipment that ensure the correct operation of the installation, as well as accessories that can improve the overall performance of the installation: anchors, wiring, optimisers... Everything adds up to an installation of the highest quality and performance.
The service life of an installation is typically between 25 and 30 years. When the performance decreases by about 10-20%, it is recommended to carry out a thorough inspection and to renew the equipment that requires it.
Types of photovoltaic self-consumption installations
There are two types of photovoltaic self-consumption installations: grid-connected and off-grid. The latter can operate without requiring grid back-up, although they are sometimes installed when the grid exists or in the company of a generator set.
The most common and recommended formula at present is the grid-connected installation. Due to its high cost, off-grid installations are only carried out where there is no grid, where the grid is very deficient or if consumption is very limited and predictable.
self-consumption installations connected to the grid
Grid-connected installations are designed to cover part of the electricity consumption and to reduce the energy costs as much as possible, they can be classified as follows:
- Direct self-consumption: You directly consume the energy produced by your self-consumption electricity installation. The energy you do not consume is fed directly into the grid., If you need more energy than your installation produces, you would also take it from the grid. With this method you can save up to 50% on your electricity bills.
- Self-consumption with batteries or storage system: You directly consume the energy produced by your self-consumption electricity installation, and the energy that you do not consume is stored in batteries for later needs. In this way, you consume more solar energy than from the electricity grid, and you can save up to 80% on your electricity bill.
If at any given time more energy is produced than is consumed, this surplus is either diverted to batteries for later use or fed into the grid. In the latter case, you will be compensated at around 0.05-0.06 [€/kWh] if the installation meets the conditions for this.
There is also the possibility of installing a hybrid inverter and purchasing the battery at a later date, although this is more expensive than making the entire investment from the outset.