One month with a solar battery - real statistics

https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/09/one-month-with-a-solar-battery-real-statistics/

A blog post about my London-based solar panels and battery.

160 points · 17 comments · view on lemmy.world

17 Comments

poVoq@slrpnk.net · 24 pts · 3y (5 replies)

Some interesting data, although given the high initial cost of installation I feel those "we paid only 1£" are a bit misplaced.

Anyways, I finally scraped together some money and also got a 5kw LiFePO4 battery system yesterday. Still need to install everything DIY, but I will probably hook up some statistics monitoring system as well as the new hybrid inverter has a cool integration with the Home Assistant software.

solariplex@slrpnk.net · 5 pts · 3y (1 reply)

I've been thinking of getting a hybrid inverter (rather than manually moving loads between grid power and inverter/solar power). How much did it set you back?

poVoq@slrpnk.net · 5 pts · 3y

Slightly above 1000€ 😖 (made by FoxESS like the battery system)

Don't take it as a general recommendation as I have yet to test it, but spec wise it seems to be a relatively good value for money.

cybermatrix@slrpnk.net · 2 pts · 3y (2 replies)

I'm curious what type of Statistics monitoring system you aiming for @poVoq. I have ordered a 3.7kw panels + special type inverter for direct heating of a boiler and a secondary boiler/other item. And i am intrigued what the monthly differences are in kWh generation and would like to track those. Only I have no idea what I can hook up between the panels and inverter to log.

poVoq@slrpnk.net · 3 pts · 3y (1 reply)

The hybrid inverter I got has a ethernet connection that can be connected to Home Assistant: https://github.com/nathanmarlor/foxess_modbus

Not sure yet how I will analyse that exactly, but it might be nice to automatically publish some stuff to a website via it.

the_third@feddit.de · 2 pts · 3y
[ removed ]
Igotz80HDnImWinning@kbin.social · 13 pts · 3y (6 replies)

TIL electricity bills in London are a fuck ton cheaper than in the US even before the solar installation.

poVoq@slrpnk.net · 16 pts · 3y (4 replies)

I doubt it's the cost of electricity itself, but rather that the average European uses a lot less electricity (mainly due to more energy efficient appliances and no AC use).

Riven@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 3y (2 replies)

Smaller houses probably help too

the_third@feddit.de · 4 pts · 3y (1 reply)
[ removed ]
frezik@midwest.social · 0 pts · 3y

American houses are very well insulated for the most part. Triple pane windows are only marginally better than double.

Size is the biggest thing here.

frezik@midwest.social · 0 pts · 3y

The appliances are basically the same--no, American appliances don't generally run on 120v--but I'll bet average house size is the biggest thing.

lewis6991@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 3y

Atm it's about roughly 35-40 cents per kWh. That's much higher than most places in the US which Google is telling me is 16 cents per kWh.

danielquinn@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 3y (5 replies)

"Our solar power feeds into our local grid for our neighbours to use. We sell the electricity at market rates - which change every 30 minutes. This made us £13."

Some more details on this would be interesting. We're currently with Octopus and get just 15p/kWh when we sell back to the grid, but have to pay 25p/kWh when we buy from the grid.

What kind of rates (average?) are you getting, and who's your supplier?

the_third@feddit.de · 3 pts · 3y
[ removed ]
lewis6991@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 3y (2 replies)

Dam, we're with octopus and we pay 30p/kWh for import.

danielquinn@lemmy.ca · 1 pts · 3y (1 reply)

We signed into a fixed term contract just before the process exploded. That contract ends in October though, so we'll be paying 30p/kWh soon enough.

Bryannotthemessiah@mastodon.green · 1 pts · 3y

@danielquinn @lewis6991 octopus go is 29kwh then 10pkwh 12.30am to 04:30

0421008445828ceb46f496700a5fa6@kbin.social · 2 pts · 3y

SDGE charges $0.50/kWh and gives you $0.05/kWh in return

TokenBoomer@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 3y
[ removed ]
CptOblivius@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 3y

I've been looking to get solar installed. Unfortunately not much for options around me. Prices are not viable.