Installing solar panels is a huge investment, not only for the planet but for your bank account too. That’s why it is important to maximise your use of the renewable energy that you are generating. And the easiest way to reduce the amount of energy you export, and import is by including some solar accessories in your installation to make use of your surplus energy.
There are many ways you can save money on your energy bill with Solar. That’s why at Deege Solar, we offer a variety of smart devices at the point of installation to ensure our customers are gaining the most from their solar PV system. And here is a list of our favourite solar panel accessories/solar PV upgrades to consider for your system.
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Solar Battery Storage
Probably the most valuable, yet most expensive Solar PV accessory, is the solar battery. The battery storage industry has boomed in the last few years, so much so that homeowners are now installing battery storage without solar panels.
There are many benefits of installing a home battery including power cut protection, and the ability to charge your battery from time-of-use tariffs. Most importantly with solar and storage, you can cover up to 90% of your annual electricity demand, reducing the amount of electricity you are importing from the Grid. So if you are looking to maximise your solar savings and reduce your export, then a battery is the most favourable solar PV accessory.
Currently, installing a solar battery to an already existing installation as an upgrade (this is known as retrofitting) is subject to a 20% VAT charge. However, when you install solar panels with a battery, you can benefit from the current 0% vat on Solar. This is why at Deege Solar we offer Solar PV Packages including both from the start.
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Solar Car Charger
There are many benefits of installing a home EV Charger, including convenience and boosting your property’s value. But what if I told you that you could also use your home charging point to charge your electric car from green energy?
If you are an electric car owner, or are considering purchasing an electric vehicle in the future, then a solar-compatible EV charger is the perfect accessory to your solar panel system. A solar-compatible EV charger such as the myenergi zappi, can use your excess solar to charge your electric car from solar energy. What’s more, you can also use it regularly as a home charging point, and charge your car from time-of-use tariffs such as Octopus Go.
Adding a solar car charger to your installation is the perfect way to future-proof your home and increase your solar savings. In fact, you can save around £600 a year by charging your car with solar energy.
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Immersion Divertor
An immersion diverter is a smart device that is installed next to your hot water tank. This Solar panel accessory will allow you to use any excess energy coming from your solar panel system to heat your hot water tank. This is a great way to reduce the amount of energy you are sending back to the Grid, and ensures you can come home to a nice free hot bath or shower.
An immersion diverter, such as the myenergi eddi costs around £650 to install, and have a quick payback time of around 2 years.
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Bird Protection
Whilst installing solar panels will attract sunshine, they may also attract a few feathered friends. Unfortunately, birds love to nest underneath solar panels, which not only causes a disturbance but also potential damage to your system. Luckily, installing bird-proofing solutions such as wired mesh, or the solar skirt, is a simple yet effective solar accessory to keep birds from nesting underneath your array.
Most homeowners make the mistake of protecting their solar panels from birds at a later date. However, it is most cost-effective to install bird protection at the point of initial installation, so you don’t have to pay scaffolding fees twice.
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Panel Optimisers & Monitoring
If like many of our customers, you are interested in the data, savings, and ability to remotely control and view your PV system’s data, then it may be worth considering upgrading your solar panel monitoring. Whilst all our solar PV systems come with a monitoring platform for free, the transparency and capabilities vary per system and brand. By installing power optimisers such as Tigo or Solaredge, you can gain module-level monitoring on your system, whilst also letting you review historical performance and see how much money you’ve saved.
This is of course only one of the many benefits of upgrading to Solaredge. Other benefits include more solar and more savings throughout the year. This solar PV upgrade is mainly for those who are a bit more Tech-savvy.
Solar PV Accessories to Maximize Your Savings
If you are a UK home or business owner looking to install a solar panel system and are interested in any of the solar panel accessories listed above then don’t hesitate to call one of our energy advisors on 01322 479369 today. Our award-winning solar installation team also provides retrofitting services in and around London and Essex if you are looking for a solar PV upgrade such as battery storage or bird proofing.
