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How to choose the right solar battery for your self-consumption system?

The high energy prices and the increase in the cost of living in the last months of 2022 and the beginning of 2023 have caused theSearch for maximum economic savingsin Spanish homes. One of the most efficient options to spend less on the electricity bill is the installation ofsolar panels. However, when choosing a facility you have to ask questions and get good answers. For example, how to choose the right one?solar batterysuitable for your self-consumption system?

The reason is that not all batteries for solar panels are the same and there are various factors to take into account when selecting them. A solar battery for self-consumption is a device in whichaccumulates the energy generated by solar panelsof a photovoltaic installation, but there are several types and they have different characteristics and features.

In addition, we must distinguish between a solar battery and a solar accumulator. A solar accumulator is a device that transforms chemical energy into electricity. In fact, a battery is made up of several accumulators, so although they look the same, they are different devices.

First, we will explain how solar batteries work, and then how to choose the most suitable one for your self-consumption installation for your home or business.

How solar batteries work

The use of solar batteries in a photovoltaic installation allows users to obtain greater profitability from said installation due to the accumulation of energy. This, in turn, allows greater energy independence in homes or businesses and significant savings on the electricity bill added to the use of solar panels.

We must also mention that there is not just one type of solar battery, but several, such as open lead acid batteries, AGM, lithium batteries, GEL batteries or so-called stationary batteries. And depending on the type, the useful life is longer or shorter (from a minimum of 3 years to a maximum of 15 years).

But how do solar batteries work in self-consumption systems?

1. First of all, the photovoltaic installationgenerates energyfrom sunlight, which solar panels capture.
2. Then, the solar batteriesstore energysolar photovoltaic energy that is generated. In this way, the batteries are charged with energy and stored for later use. The amount of electrical energy from each charge in the batteries is called the depth of charge.
3. Next, thedischarge of stored energyin batteries, which occurs when electricity generation is not sufficient to cover the energy consumption of the home or location where the installation is located.
4. And finally, at times when electricity generation is greater than consumption and solar batteries are fully charged, a surplus or excess energy is produced. Thus,This surplus is sold to the electricity grid.

Factors for choosing the best solar battery for self-consumption

Some of the most important factors you should take into account when choosing the best solar battery for your self-consumption system are:

• Thestorage capacity,that is, how much energy they are able to store, which is measured in Ampere/hour. This capacity is calculated as follows: the voltage is multiplied by the amperage of the battery cells. Among the parameters that influence the storage capacity are the amperage (intensity of the electric current), the voltage and the speed at which the battery discharges energy.
• Thedurabilityof the solar battery. To give a few examples, low-end lead acid batteries have a lifespan of between 3 and 5 years, while high-quality lithium batteries last up to 15 years with good quality. In relation to aspects such as the speed of energy discharge or discharge cycles, you should know that the useful life of solar batteries is shorter the more cycles there are. Likewise, the greater the depth of charge, the shorter the life of solar batteries for self-consumption.
• Thecompatibility with solar panels,and specifically, with the inverters. They are responsible for converting the direct current generated in the photovoltaic panels into sinusoidal alternating current, which is what allows the batteries to operate. In order for there to be compatibility between the batteries and the solar panels or inverters, it is necessary to ensure that they work at the same voltage. With the same voltage, problems in the installation and in the electrical network will be avoided, such as short circuits or low efficiency.
• Intended use of the photovoltaic installation,The choice of one type of battery or another will also depend on the intended use of the installation itself. This means that depending on factors such as usage cycles or depth of charge, solar batteries will last more or less.

And that's all for this explanation of everything you need to know to choose the most suitable solar batteries for a solar self-consumption installation. An important decision if you have solar panels in your home, building or business and you want to make the most of the performance they offer.

How much energy does a solar panel produce?

In a photovoltaic solar panel installation, savings are directly linked to the installation's ability to produce energy and use it for self-consumption, so one of the many questions our clients ask is, how much energy does a solar panel produce?

The answer to this question will depend on the type of panel and its power, as well as many other factors that we will detail below.

There are different types of panels available today, with different power ratings. Some panels have a high power rating (kW) simply because they are very large, rather than being technologically more efficient. A high-quality panel in relation to power is one that has a high power rating (kW) and takes up the same or less space than lower-quality panels.

But the amount of solar energy produced by a panel depends not only on its power, but also on:

The orientation of your roof: A good orientation means that sunlight directly hits your panels, increasing the production of electrical energy and therefore reducing the number of panels needed.

Shaded areas: It is important to determine whether your roof has any shaded areas, as this significantly affects performance. If a shadow affects a solar panel, the other panels will notice it, as they are connected in series, so the total intensity decreases.

Temperature: The temperature to which the panel is subjected also influences its production and performance. Too much heat can be harmful, although it is often thought otherwise.

These three factors determine the amount of solar radiation that the photovoltaic panels will receive. In addition, the geographical location is also a determining factor. A solar panel system will produce more in Murcia than in Asturias due to the amount of sun that is received in each province. However, this does not mean that a solar panel installation is only profitable in Murcia; in Asturias it will also be very profitable.

How is the energy output of a solar panel measured?

To estimate how many kWh a solar panel produces, we must take into account the three factors above along with the power of our panels and the peak hours of the day, that is, the hours in which it has received direct sunlight.

Calculate the production of your panels using the annual irradiation rates in your area. The more hours of light, the more your panels produce and the greater the savings.

This factor helps us to correctly size your installation. The more irradiation, the fewer panels and, therefore, the lower the cost.

The best advice is to do the calculation taking into account the daylight hours of a winter day, since this will be the minimum you can get and so on summer days you will have more light to store. Therefore, if we base the calculation of the daylight hours on a winter day in the centre of the peninsula (where there are fewer daylight hours), we have a minimum of 9. If a panel collects 400W for one hour, in one day we will obtain 3,600W, which is 3.6 kWh/day and 388 kWh/month.

If you want to obtain more personalized information about your case, you can request your free study, where you will find a realistic plan for your case and its cost. No obligation!

What is a solar thermos?

A solar electric water heater is one of the most important appliances in a home that is supplied with energy by solar panels to heat the water and keep it at a constant temperature.

This water heater automatically manages the excess energy generated by solar panels, adapting its consumption in real time, and transforms solar energy into hot water for the home.

It is an efficient water heater because it memorises consumption habits and uses them to heat and prepare water at the usual times of use, thus reducing electricity consumption outside of these periods. In addition, it has good thermal insulation; environmentally friendly injected polyurethane free of CFC and HCFC is used between the casing and the boiler. This results in a very low coefficient of thermal conductivity, which provides greater energy savings.

In addition, it allows comprehensive management via Wi-Fi through the G Control system using the free Elnur Gabarron Wifi Control app.

It is available with a capacity of 100l or 150l, and one of its great advantages is the possibility of installing this water heater both vertically and horizontally, with the inlets on the left.

Enjoy clean and sustainable heating without CO2 emissions.

The year of solar energy, 2023

The year begins with the January slope. It is a slope that is going up more than ever due to the general rise in prices in recent months, especially those of energy. We are forced to save however we can and, for that reason, many have been switching to self-consumption with solar panels for some time now. Why? Well, because it is a way to save immediately and also with a clean and sustainable source.

2023 will be the year in which it is most profitable to install solar panels, since a lot of factors come together to make it easier. Do you want to know what they are?

Although it may seem unbelievable, saving with solar panels is very easy and effective. Installation is very fast, usually ready in 2 days and the panels start producing energy immediately, so you will reduce your electricity bill from the first minute. It is an investment that pays for itself in the first few years with the same energy production (5 years or less) and then everything will be profitable. It is surprising, but installing a self-consumption system is the best financial investment possible today.

In addition, Spain is one of the sunniest areas in Europe, making it a perfect location for solar energy.

The energy transition is now, don't wait to switch to self-consumption.

What is solar self-consumption?

Solar self-consumption is taking advantage of the sun's energy through photovoltaic solar panels and supplying electricity to your home or business in a sustainable way.

Thanks to the electricity generated by solar panels, we can also supply our homes with heating and hot water, all with a single installation, with heat accumulators, thermal emitters or aerothermal energy from Elnur Gabarron, capable of adapting their power and taking advantage of surplus solar energy.

Orientation of solar panels, which is the best?

One of the aspects to take into account when optimizing the performance of our photovoltaic installation is the orientation of the solar panels, as well as their inclination.

It seems like an easy question to answer, but it is not. If we speak in absolute terms of annual electricity production:

The ideal orientation for solar panels is south (azimuth angle 180º). With this orientation, your house will receive the greatest amount of radiation throughout the day, which means that the effectiveness of the solar installation is greater.

But what if my solar panel installation is not facing south?

Absolutely nothing happens. Even if solar panels do not face directly south, they will still produce a lot of electricity, regardless of where you live. If the roof is deviated 45 degrees from the south, either in a south-east or south-west direction, the annual electricity production decreases by about 1-3%, which means it remains practically the same.

If, on the other hand, you install solar panels with an east-west orientation, the loss due to orientation of the solar panels increases and the electrical production is 20% less than in the south. If you have a house in these conditions, nothing happens. Your solar panel installation can still be profitable and will allow you to save hundreds of euros a year, although the savings are less than in optimal orientation conditions.

There are different options to minimize the impact of the orientation of your solar panels:

Install solar panels on other surfaces of the house such as the garden or garage, allowing you to adjust the orientation in the most effective way.

Modify the inclination of the photovoltaic panels to increase the performance of the self-consumption installation. Generally, the optimal inclination of the panels is around 30º if the orientation is south. If the house faces east or west and we reduce the inclination to 15º, the losses will only be 15% compared to peak conditions.

Install solar trackers or sunflowers, i.e. panels that rotate on their own axis and follow the position of the sun. These are expensive and heavy structures and are only profitable in special cases.

In conclusion, first of all, it is not necessary to live in the sunniest province or have a house perfectly facing south to take advantage of the economic benefits of solar energy and self-consumption. As can be seen from the previous section, the most important factor is how much you pay on your electricity bill, which depends, among other things, on your tariff, and above all, on what period you consume the most energy, in order to adjust your orientation to the hours of consumption. This can be done if you have a flat roof or land on the ground.

In any case, there are several solutions, in addition to always being clear that by installing solar panels on your roof you will save money and even if the orientation of the solar panel is not optimal for your consumption, solar energy and self-consumption are still profitable.

Split or ducted air conditioning?

Have you decided to install air conditioning in your home, business or company? When summer approaches and temperatures begin to rise, we realise the need to have a quality air conditioning installation, which allows us to enjoy the greatest possible comfort.

There are two types of air conditioning units: split or ducted air conditioners. Deciding which is best depends on knowing their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.

Ducted air conditioning

This is a system that centralizes the distribution of air through a false ceiling throughout the house. Ideally, ducted air conditioning has programmable grilles that regulate the air flow.

This air conditioning system allows you to zone the house, that is, regulate the amount of air and the temperature of each room in the house. In fact, each room has its own thermostat, which regulates the opening of the grille according to the air conditioning needs.

This total control of temperature and air flow ensures comfort in every space and also saves energy. In fact, some studies estimate the energy savings when using this air conditioning system at 50% of the total.

Another feature of ducted air conditioning is its discreet appearance, which often makes it imperceptible. With this system, we will only see small grilles through which the air circulates and, in addition, we will have the wall free to place whatever we want.

The fact that this air conditioning system is hidden in a false ceiling does not mean we have to worry about cleaning and disinfecting the ducts.

Air conditioning through Split

Split air conditioning is becoming more and more common in many homes, especially due to its low cost.

Its installation consists of two separate units, which function as a cooling source and as a cold air diffuser. This outdoor unit has a condenser and a compressor, which accumulates heat in summer.

Split units are a fixed air conditioning installation that produces very little noise and has a careful design that does not pose any problem for the decoration of a house.

In addition, the split units currently on the market have an inverter function, that is, they are also a heat pump and, therefore, we can also use them in winter.

We must bear in mind that split units only serve to air-condition the room in which they are installed. Therefore, if we want to enjoy air conditioning throughout the home, we should opt for a multi-split installation, with various units that are regulated individually in each room.

Therefore, ducted air conditioning such as the Split system (or its multi-split variant) allows us to effectively air-condition a home or workspace, but both systems have important differences that distinguish them in their specific use.

It is clear that a single split unit will not be enough to heat a house, so if we want to opt for this air conditioning solution we can install a multisplit, which covers all the rooms by means of various split units with the same characteristics. The great advantage of this system is that it allows us to heat the rooms we want using the same outdoor unit, which can be very economical.

In the case of ducted air conditioning, we will have to face works to complete its installation, if we do not have a false ceiling in the home. In addition, we must take into account whether the home has the necessary requirements for its correct operation. Of course, in exchange we will have a powerful and efficient installation, with an air output power established to meet our air conditioning needs.

Likewise, we must take into account the dimensions of the home or work space that we want to cool, since if we want to air-condition many spaces we will need numerous split units to achieve this. On the other hand, ducted air conditioning only requires an increase in power to effectively reach all rooms, even the most remote ones.

We must also assess the electrical consumption of the various split units that we need to install and that operate at the same time to air-condition a large space.

One of the factors that most influences our decision when choosing an air conditioning system is the final aesthetics of the installation. Although we must take into account the general decoration of the house and our own aesthetic criteria, we cannot forget that ducted air conditioning means that only a small grille will be visible in each room. On the other hand, split units will occupy part of the wall.

However, it must be acknowledged that nowadays we can find split air conditioning units for sale with a modern and careful design, which can adapt perfectly to many rooms.

If we analyse the differences highlighted so far between split and ducted air conditioning systems, we will realise that these are two equally efficient air conditioning options, but which are adapted to specific needs.

If we only want to air-condition the living room of our house or the office where we work, installing a Split air conditioning unit will be a perfectly valid option. It is also a recommended system for those rooms or homes that we use occasionally, and that we do not need to air-condition on a permanent basis.

In the case of very large homes or spaces where we move around constantly, ducted air conditioning will be a better option, both for the control of the installation and for its energy consumption.