Just last year, more than 500 subsidy applications for solar power technologies in the household were successfully completed in the New Green Savings grant program. This year is expected to double. "While the development of solar power in the Czech Republic was rather stagnant due to the absence of a clear state strategy, whether it is at all for this kind of small power plants at family houses. After the abolition of the obligation to license and the introduction of support under New Green Savings, the interest of households in their own electricity production is growing again, " said Petra Písková (Solar Association). However, the installation of home photovoltaics does not always have a real economic return. This is especially true if the household does not consume all the electricity generated on the site and it then flows into the distribution network. Experts therefore recommend that the home solar system be well planned and dimensioned.
The basis is a good design of the photovoltaic system
In order to make the home photovoltaic system economically the most efficient, it is necessary to consume as much electricity as possible. Otherwise, electricity goes unnecessarily into the distribution network and thus reduces the economic efficiency of the domestic power plant. "The new green savings scheme conditions specify the obligation to consume at least 70% of the electricity produced on site. Optimally, however, this value should be much higher and close to one hundred percent, " says Luboš Vrbata (E.ON).
It is also important to dimension the entire photovoltaic system properly. This is especially true for more demanding installation with a battery and a warm water storage tank. Too small a solar system produces little energy and its use is not worth it. It is also a common mistake to install an unnecessarily large domestic solar power plant. Companies can offer complex three-phase systems to their homes. They usually supply electricity to all three phases of the home distribution, no matter at what stage the local appliances are involved. The cheap home-produced electricity flows out of unused phases unnecessarily and free of charge to the distribution network.
You receive a subsidy for a solar system for water heating, even in a battery variant
The simple and yet economically most effective way to use solar energy is to heat water and produce its own electricity using photovoltaic panels. The advantage of such a solution is mainly simple installation and the use of New Green Savings subsidies and an interesting economic return. It is possible to obtain a subsidy of up to CZK 60,000 for such a system.
The simplest systems for water heating alone are economically less demanding, and almost everybody should reach the investment. The third system already includes a battery for energy storage, the installation is more expensive, but a higher level of support can be obtained. Accumulation systems are more suitable for more consuming households, such as multi-family homes or two-generation houses.
In the case of a battery power plant, it is good to consider how much electricity the household needs for its operation, whether it is lit by electricity or also uses more energy-consuming appliances. "Energy storage systems are more suited to households with higher energy consumption, such as large families or two-generation houses. The installed capacity of the power plant should be in line with the consumption at the site, " said energy adviser Karel Murtinger (Ekowatt).
Solar energy is used by almost a dozen Czech households
According to a survey by E.ON, which Ipsos carried out on a sample of 1500 respondents this year, 8% of Czech households use solar energy. Most of the energy from the sun is used to heat the water, with only two percent of Czech households producing electricity. But that could change in the near future. "The current trend is increasingly focused on the installation of so-called solar energy storage systems. It is also expected to develop solar tiles or windows that will be able to produce electricity. Today, there are several promising startups and market leaders such as the American company Tesla, who are sure to talk about the future of small decentralized energy, " Petra Písková, the home-energy trends , describes.
Source: tz, edited editorially