The capacity to produce between 100 to 400 watts per meter signifies that these belts can absorb sufficient energy to maintain safe travel conditions. Rather than sending excess energy to the grid, for which you are paid between 4p and 15p per unit of energy, it may make sense to store the energy in the hot water tank, battery, electric car or automatically turn devices on. There are five main types of solar power diverters explained below: 1. It's a budget-friendly way to boost your self-consumption. Adding a solar battery to your system typically costs £2,000-£3,000 it's. TL;DR – There are actually two “120 % rules” in solar.
What is a solar power diverter?
A solar power diverter, also known as a photovoltaic (PV) immersion controller, is a smart device used with solar panels and a hot water immersion heater. It maximises the use of free and abundant solar energy by directing excess electricity generated by the panels to the immersion heater to heat water, rather than exporting it to the grid.
It's only useful if you've got an immersion heater, though. A solar power diverter is cheaper than other solar enhancements like battery storage, typically costing between £300 and £500 for the device and its installation. It's a budget-friendly way to boost your self-consumption.
A solar power diverter only works with electric water heaters, so it's not useful if you can't use electricity to heat your water. And like other solar components, it has a finite lifespan and will need to be replaced after around 12 years. Obviously, you need enough solar generation for a solar power diverter to be effective.
What is the difference between a solar diverter and a battery?
Solar diverters work by diverting energy to immediate household uses, such as heating water or powering a heat pump. Batteries, on the other hand, store energy for later use. Both systems can work in tandem for maximum efficiency, with eddi managing immediate demands and batteries providing power when the sun isn't shining.