Is it necessary to retrofit a solar storage system
Nov 20, 2022
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In the meantime, many homeowners have installed electricity storage and solar powered generator systems. But some may only have a photovoltaic system and have not yet considered purchasing a storage system. Of course, electricity storage can also be retrofitted later, and this brings with it several advantages. But to what extent is retrofitting worthwhile at all?
Is it worth retrofitting an electricity storage system?
Whether retrofitting an electricity storage system is worthwhile depends on several factors, requirements, and circumstances. In general, however, an electricity storage system is worthwhile simply because of its economic and ecological advantages.
When does a retrofit make sense?
Retrofitting would make sense if the solar system was installed after 2013.
Before 2013
Solar systems have a feed-in tariff. This means that more than half of the electricity produced is sold to the grid. That worked great before 2013. After all, solar energy cannot be fully exploited without storage. The electricity must be used immediately. Otherwise, it is wasted.
When the owners work during the day, the maximum amount of sunlight is not used at all, and of course, there is hardly any energy in the evenings. This is then switched to the usual mains power, the costs of which can be completely offset by selling self-produced solar power. With old PV systems, storage is not worthwhile.
But since 2013, the payments have fallen sharply, and you pay not only the high acquisition costs of the PV system but also the largest part of the grid electricity bill. A memory definitely makes sense for systems that were set up after 2013. Self-consumption is more important here since not much is earned from the sale.
Thus, the self-produced solar power is stored and can be used at any time. Accordingly, less mains electricity is required – the electricity bill goes down.
Best season for retrofitting: summer
If you decide to retrofit a power storage system, it is best to do so in the summer. In summer, less electricity is generally required, and the heating is also off. The assembly can be completed at this time, and the storage tanks can fill up directly from the maximum solar radiation. People typically choose to build systems that store electricity with 12v lithium battery.
Economical advantages
The economic advantage of an electricity storage system is self-consumption. The self-produced electricity is no longer fed into the grid but stored in the LiFePO4 batteries and is available at all times. So when the owners are at work during the day, all the solar power is provided for later use. Self-consumption is even doubled, and no energy is wasted.
Without storage, self-consumption was 15-30% - with storage, this can be increased to 60-80%. As a result, less mains power is required, resulting in lower costs. The savings on electricity bills are slowly offsetting the acquisition costs of the system and the storage tank, which have a very long service life and can last up to 40 years with proper maintenance.
You become independent of the public power grid with a power storage unit. Therefore, the energy generated from free and environmentally friendly solar energy is used entirely. In addition, the value of the property increases due to photovoltaics.
Ecological Benefits
The use of photovoltaic systems and electricity storage is, of course, also a contribution to environmental protection. The storage wastes no energy. Instead, it can be fully exploited. As a result, less electricity from power plants is used, which saves resources.
The production of the systems and battery storage releases CO2, but there are hardly any CO2 emissions during the entire period of operation. The electricity generated is climate-neutral and renewable.
Upgrading memory: prerequisites
However, a few prerequisites should be considered before deciding to upgrade the memory. Technical factors also determine whether an electricity storage system is worthwhile. If these are met, nothing stands in the way of the installation.
Technical requirements
Size/storage capacity of the power storage
The storage capacity must be calculated precisely based on the size of the solar system and energy consumption.
If the capacity is too low, the solar energy is not fully exploited, and the self-consumption does not reach the optimum, so more public electricity has to be purchased. The costs for PV storage are not compensated because the electricity costs from the public grid are not reduced enough.
If the capacity is too high, the memory is not fully used. So you pay for capacity that is ultimately not used at all. Here, too, price equalization is made more difficult.
Model
Retrofitting works with almost all solar systems. However, the model and its technical details, which are related to the age of the system, must be taken into account here. Does the solar system have an AC or a DC connection? Accordingly, a suitable memory must be found.
With the AC connection, the storage is only connected to a pure sine wave inverter. This means that the direct current has already been converted to an alternating current when it enters the power storage unit. This makes the storage more flexible and independent of the photovoltaic system, which is more suitable for retrofitting.
With a DC connection, on the other hand, the storage is mounted directly behind the modules, which achieves a stronger effect and higher performance. However, this is more suitable for new installations of solar systems with storage because when retrofitting, the inverter may have to be replaced, which drives up the costs even more.
Age of the solar system
Plants that are too old are also an obstacle. In the case of solar systems that have already passed most of the guaranteed service life, the performance slowly decreases. Storage is no longer worthwhile here. However, you can think about the future purchase of a new photovoltaic system with already integrated storage.
What must be considered during installation?
Ø When choosing your power storage, you should choose the right capacity, pay attention to long service life, and look at the guarantees. The storage should suitably have either AC or DC connection. A consultation is recommended.
Ø The storage should be installed in a cool place in the building all year round since the storage cells do not age as quickly at low temperatures.
Ø The installation should be documented in detail by the electrician better to understand the structure in case of possible repairs.
Ø The device must be reported to the Federal Network Agency.
Ø In the best-case scenario, the storage tank should be serviced every 4 years.
How much does the memory upgrade cost?
The cost of a storage upgrade depends on the storage capacity. The larger the capacity, the lower the price per kilowatt hour. A typical single-family house usually requires between 5 and 10 kWh, which is around 1,500-2,000 dollars per kilowatt hour. The acquisition costs of solar power storage usually start at 10,000 dollars. Of course, the prices vary among the different providers. It is always advisable to compare prices.
Retrofitting can result in additional costs if the system or its equipment is too old or does not have the right connection. In this case, accessories such as inverters must be purchased new.
Financial support
But you are not alone when it comes to retrofitting a storage system. KfW offers various subsidy programs for devices that use renewable energies, with which loans can be taken out for the devices – even for retrofitting.
There are some tax benefits when retrofitting photovoltaic storage. However, only if the system has a DC coupling and at least 10% of the electricity is sold through the feed-in.
Whether retrofitting an electricity storage system is worthwhile for the individual depends on the age of the existing photovoltaic solar power system and its feed-in tariff. Storage is worthwhile for the environment.