Clare & Paul's solar house

Grid Connected Solar Electricity

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Select bottom of page for annual records since system installed :-

This page gives details of the 3.67kWp system using 10 Sanyo 180w HIT(now Panasonic)PV panels and 6 Sunpower 327w panels all connected via power optimisers to a Solaredge grid connect inverter.
Total generated to date (from 3-3-04) = 48,117 kWh

Total generated in 2024 = 2,919 kWh (updated weekly)

Last week total generation= 46 kWh, Best week so far = 132 kWh, Best day so far = 23 kWh
From Mid Jan 2024 I changed from deemed export on my Feed in Tariff to measured export using the smart meter and last week exported 27 kWhs
Weekly average amount imported = 210 kWh, last week = 210 KWh
Click the following for 2024 data daily kWhrs and Weekly kWhrs table and Cumulative totals graph and Monthly comparison data graph last couple of years with 1.8kWp system shown for reference and 2005-2016 historical monthly data graph and Annual comparison graph (data from 2015 onwards again for reference) and Weekly Import v Generated totals graph .

Data up to 2016 below was for 1.8kWp system which was expected to produce 1,600 kWh. The 6 new Sunpower panels installed by B-line have expanded system to 3.67kWp and which should produce a new total of 3,447 kWh.

The table below compares the monthly generation against the PV-GIS predicted output. Red figures are below predicted level and green figures are above.

Annual total generation (% compared to PV-GIS)

2023 generated 3429 kWhrs (96%)
2022 generated 3651 kWhrs (102%)
2021 generated 3442 kWhrs (96%)
2020 generated 3740 kWhrs (104%)
2019 generated 3545 kWhrs (99%)
2018 generated 3655 kWhrs (102%)
2017 generated 3403 kWhrs (95%)
2016 generated 1546 kWhrs (97%)
2015 generated 1588 kWhrs (100%)
2014 generated 1595 kWhrs (100%)
2013 generated 1526 kWhrs (95%)
2012 generated 1514 kWhrs (95%)
2011 generated 1578 kWhrs (99%)
2010 generated 1562 kWhrs (98%)
2009 generated 1531 kWhrs (96%)
2008 generated 1547 kWhrs (97%)
2007 generated 1619 kWhrs (101%)
2006 generated 1640 kWhrs (102%)
2005 generated 1619 kWhrs (101%)

The house is now all electric as the gas boiler was replaced in Aug 2022 with a Zero Emisions Boiler from Tepeo see ZEB data page, and the gas hob replaced by an induction hob which is far more efficient and controllable.
The hot water comes from a Mixergy cylinder connected to my solar thermal system, see Solar thermal page for data on Mixergy electricity usage.

I am signed up to Good Energy for FiT programme in which they pay me for ALL generated units and Octopus for export.
We are on Intelligent Octopus Go tariff which gives use cheap electricity for 6 hours overnight which is used to charge up the ZEB, top up the hot water and generally charge the electric car, but car chrging can also occur outside the 6 hour window, but still at the cheap rate. Octopus also pay 15p/kWh for export which is far better than the deemed 50% I used to get with the Feed in Tariff which was only for the original 1.8kWp system.

The Feed in Tariff replacement scheme is the Smart Export Guarantee which requires a smart meter which can measure import and export, but you are only paid for the electricity that is exported.

Our house has featured in 2 national magazine articles, Click on magazine name to view article Organic Life and New Consumer

PV system balance of components pictured below. Left picture shows original inverter with DC disconnect below left and AC output through data transmitter & AC spur on right. Centre photo Readouts for Hot water Temp (top) & Watts / kgCO2 / kWhrs (below). Right photo shows new inverter for extended system.