Ways of energy storage in photovoltaic installations

The efficiency with which the photovoltaic installation will work and how much electricity it produces depends largely on the amount of solar energy supplied. It is usually the case that in the spring and summer season there is an overproduction, while in autumn and winter, when the insolation is much lower – with deficiencies. A solution that will allow you to maintain a stable energy reserve throughout the year is a photovoltaic with an energy storage. What are the ways of storing electricity from solar panels?

Transfer of surplus to the network

Photovoltaic installations connected to the power grid are equipped with a bidirectional meter, which enables sending the surplus of energy produced in summer to the electricity distributor. In winter, when the panels are not able to produce enough electricity to meet the needs of the household, the pedestal can recover 70-80% of the surplus produced without paying for it. In the case of solutions such as home photovoltaics, energy storage in the grid is possible for a maximum of one year from the moment of its transmission.

Energy storage, i.e. own battery

Certainly, the system enabling partial use of surplus electricity in periods of increased demand is convenient. However, the fact that the user can recover a maximum of 80% of the energy produced raises the question of the cost effectiveness of this method. The alternative turns out to be photovoltaic batteries, which enable the storage of all produced energy and the free use of it. The surplus is then not discharged into the grid, but directly into lead-acid or lithium-ion cells. Both the parameters and capacity of such batteries should be optimally matched to the needs of a household or company in order not to generate unnecessary costs.

Storing current in supercapacitors

A third way to store electricity is to use supercapacitors, which are special batteries that can store energy with a much higher density. They are characterized by a much greater durability and a smaller drop in performance than in the case of traditional batteries.

What shall I choose?

As you can see, you can create your own energy store in many different ways. It is worth choosing the one that will pay off the most in a given case and will allow you to freely use the energy reserve, without the need to incur high costs.