Solar power has become a popular choice for homeowners, businesses, and even entire communities as the world continues to embrace renewable energy.
For South Africans, it has become a lifesaver during load shedding and a cost saver as the price of Eskom-supplied energy increases yearly.
Modern Solar panels can generate a significant amount of energy, especially on sunny days that we're blessed with across the country, but what happens when your solar system produces more electricity than you need?
Excess solar energy can be a valuable resource, and there are several ways you can put it to good use rather than letting it go to waste, but if you don't know about it, you'll never take advantage of it.
If you're interested in maximising your solar investment, check out some of these options for using excess solar energy, ranging from storing it for later use to selling it back to the Grid and more.
Let’s dive into the possibilities.
1. Store Excess Solar Energy with Batteries
One of the most popular ways to make use of excess solar energy is to store it in batteries. By installing a solar battery system, you can store the energy generated during the day and use it later when the sun isn’t shining, such as at night or on cloudy days.
This helps reduce your reliance on the Grid, increases your energy independence, and ensures you have power when you need it most.
Solar batteries work by capturing surplus energy produced during the day and storing it in a battery for later use. Many solar energy systems now come with battery storage options, such as the Tesla Powerwall or LG Chem RESU, which can be integrated into your existing setup.
The benefits of battery storage include:
- Energy Independence: You can rely on stored solar energy instead of purchasing electricity from the Grid.
- Reduced Energy Costs: By using stored energy during peak pricing hours or during power outages, you can minimise your electricity bills.
- Backup Power: Solar batteries can provide power during grid outages, keeping your home, home office or business running.
However, battery storage systems can come with a significant upfront cost, and their effectiveness may depend on factors like the size of your solar system and energy consumption.
2. Sell Excess Solar Energy Back to the Grid
If you live in an area with a net metering program, you can sell your excess solar energy back to the Grid. Net metering is an arrangement where utilities credit you for the surplus electricity your solar system generates and sends back to the Grid.
This means that when your system is producing more energy than you need, you can feed it into the Grid and receive credits for future energy usage.
The benefits of selling excess energy include:
- Earning Money: In many regions, utility companies will compensate you for the energy you send to the Grid, either through direct payments or credits on your energy bill.
- Lower Electricity Bills: The credits you accumulate from sending excess energy to the Grid can be used to offset the cost of energy you consume when your solar system isn’t generating power.
- Sustainability: By sharing your excess energy with the Grid, you contribute to the overall renewable energy supply, supporting a cleaner energy grid.
Before pursuing this option, checking if net metering is available in your area and understanding the rules and compensation structure is important. Some regions will offer generous programs, while others may have less favourable policies.
3. Power Electric Vehicles (EVs)
If you own an electric vehicle (EV), using your excess solar energy to charge it can be an excellent way to make the most of your renewable energy.
Connecting your solar system to an EV charging station can reduce the amount of electricity you need to draw from the Grid to charge your car.
Some people have even designed their homes with solar carports that provide shade for their vehicles and generate solar power to charge their EVs.
The benefits of using excess solar energy to charge an EV include:
- Reduced Fuel Costs: Charging your EV with solar power instead of Grid electricity can save you money on fuel costs, especially as gas prices continue to rise.
- Sustainability: Using energy to charge your EV further reduces your carbon footprint, making your driving even greener.
- Energy Efficiency: You can fully harness your solar energy by using it to power your car, reducing waste and maximising the efficiency of your home solar system.
4. Use Excess Energy for Heating or Cooling
Another way to put excess solar energy to good use is to use it for heating or cooling your home. Solar thermal systems, for example, can capture excess solar energy to provide hot water for your home, pool or hot tub.
In warmer months, solar-powered cooling systems, like solar air conditioners or fans, can be powered by solar energy to keep your home cool.
The benefits of using solar energy for heating and cooling include:
- Lower Utility Bills: Using solar energy to heat your water or power your air conditioning can significantly reduce your energy bills, particularly during extreme temperature months.
- Sustainable Heating and Cooling: These systems use renewable energy to reduce your dependence on fossil fuels for heating and cooling, helping to combat climate change.
- Energy Efficiency: Solar-powered heating and cooling systems can increase the overall energy efficiency of your home.
You could also use your extra energy to run fans to dry out the wood, so you always have dry firewood around or cool your greenhouse if you're into gardening and growing your own food.
5. Power Home Appliances
You can use your excess solar energy to power various home appliances, especially those that tend to use a significant amount of electricity.
By redirecting the surplus energy to power appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and even home automation systems, you can reduce your reliance on grid power and cut down on your electricity bills.
The benefits of using solar power for appliances include:
- Lower Energy Bills: Running energy-intensive appliances with solar energy can significantly cut down on your electricity costs.
- Reduced Carbon Footprint: Powering your appliances with solar energy reduces your carbon emissions, as you're not relying on fossil fuel-generated electricity.
- Energy Efficiency: Redirecting your excess solar energy to appliances ensures that no energy goes to waste.
If you have all this energy available, why not let your friends, family or neighbours take advantage, too? You could charge their EV and encourage them to do their laundry at your place, or if you're really sitting with a surplus, you could do something more energy-intensive like Bitcoin mining.
6. Invest in a Solar Water Pump
If you live in a rural or agricultural area, an innovative use for excess solar energy could be powering a solar water pump for irrigation or other agricultural needs.
Solar-powered water pumps can be a sustainable solution for providing water to crops, livestock, or other needs.
With excess solar energy, you can run these pumps during the day when solar power production is high, ensuring you’re making full use of the energy your system generates.
The benefits of using solar water pumps include:
- Sustainability: Solar-powered pumps are an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuel-powered pumps, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering operational costs.
- Cost Savings: Once installed, solar water pumps require little maintenance and incur low operational costs, especially if you already have excess solar energy to power them.
- Energy Efficiency: By using excess solar energy for pumping, you ensure that you’re not wasting energy and maximising the utility of your solar system.
Don't waste your watts
Excess solar energy doesn’t have to go to waste. There are many ways to utilise the surplus energy generated by your solar system, from storing it for later use to powering vehicles and appliances or even contributing to your community.
By exploring options like battery storage, net metering, or powering home systems and electric vehicles, you can maximise the value of your solar investment, save money on energy bills, and reduce your carbon footprint.
Whether you want to increase your energy independence, make your home more sustainable, or help out your community, there’s no shortage of ways to put excess solar energy to good use.
The future of solar energy is not only about generating power; it’s about using that power wisely and efficiently.
Create the ideal home.
Future-proofing your home should not have to be a stressful experience; with professional guidance, you can create a space that's not only functional but also adds value to your home and quality of life.
If you're still unsure about your renovation plans and want to speak to a professional, please feel free to reach out to our team for a consultation, and we'll be happy to walk you through some of the options and even create a 3D model of possible ideas.
Once you're ready to move from the idea phase to the building phase, our team will be ready to support you, source materials from high-quality suppliers and help you build your dream space.
