As the solar energy industry rapidly grows, various innovations in the field of new devices, efficiency, energy conversion, storage, and usage are developing in parallel. Not only in the direction of solar power plants and panels installed on rooftops but also portable solar systems or those for smaller living spaces like apartments, where solar energy can be used on balconies. Projects of so-called solar communities are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the USA.
To achieve the global goal of reducing CO2 emissions and transitioning to renewable energy sources, it is important that there are various and economically sustainable models on the market that will allow everyone to benefit from solar energy. Otherwise, the Sun could be reserved only for a few and for the elite.
Therefore, new sources and solar systems are available on the market today (mostly in online stores in Croatia) that are accessible to lower and middle classes, which do not require connection to the supplier’s grid, nor the services of designing and installing solar systems. Off-grid solar systems are essentially a combination of solar panels, solar batteries, and much more to generate, store, and use energy without access to the grid.
Ideal with Geraniums
If solar panels cannot be installed on rooftops, the most popular option is balcony solar systems, for which installation does not require professional installers. There are many kit options available on the market according to the size of the space and household budget. They can be ordered online and are essentially plug and play. Each kit should contain solar panels, a mount, an inverter, a charge controller for arrays of panels over twelve watts, and possibly an energy meter for optimizing the setup over time. The larger the panel, the lower the price per watt, but the initial cost is also higher.
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25 percent savings on electricity bills should be expected by everyone who plugs in the so-called balcony solar panels into their sockets each year, it is estimated.
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The concept is the same as with other panels: when illuminated by the Sun, they generate direct current that flows from them to the electrical grid in the house or apartment. Some kits include a grid inverter that converts this direct current into alternating current before synchronizing with the grid. Excess energy can also be stored in a battery. Electricity is first consumed within the house, and the surplus goes to the city grid. It should be emphasized here that in Croatia it is illegal to connect to the HEP grid and sell electricity without permission.
A typical balcony solar panel can produce up to 400 watts of power, and another option is to use two 160 W solar panels that can provide from 10 W to 190 W, depending on the weather and time of day. The price of balcony panels depends on the user’s lifestyle, but the average is less than two thousand euros, with some DIY kits costing between 400 and 800 euros. Manufacturers claim that balcony panels can reduce CO2 emissions in households by up to 600 kilograms and save 25 percent on electricity bills each year. However, this claim should be taken with caution as savings largely depend on individual habits and the panels’ exposure to the Sun.
Just a Socket
One of the currently most popular manufacturers is the German company We Do Solar, whose basic package price for balcony solar panels is 1299 euros with a 25-year warranty. After purchase, only an outdoor socket on the balcony is needed to plug in the portable solar panel. Upon first contact with the Sun, the devices will first consume solar energy, and all consumption data can be tracked by the customer on a mobile app. After installing the panels, the app allows for real-time checking of the amount of green energy produced and how much CO2 has already been saved.
Although there are many advantages to using solar panels on balconies, such as reduced consumption, minimal space required for installation, or mobility, as the panels are portable and can be carried everywhere, they are still not a perfect solution for self-sufficiency. Their weak autonomy is conditioned by the nature of the system, which for obvious reasons can only cover a small part of domestic energy needs. Additionally, it takes some time to recoup the investment; a rough estimate is between five to ten years.
Generators and Communities
As a sort of backup option, solar generators are also available on the market in case of power outages. A backup battery with a range of two to ten thousand watt-hours can power an entire house for up to eight hours. They can also serve as portable power plants if there is a need to disconnect from the grid or during travel. Some even have Wi-Fi capabilities, allowing device usage to be monitored from a smartphone. Ecoflow is an example of a plug and play system that includes an inverter and a charge controller, both integrated with a battery storage. Solar panels can easily be connected for charging. Ecoflow products can be found in Croatia at Bauhaus and Harvey Norman centers and in several specialized stores across the country.
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600 kilograms less carbon dioxide is emitted per year by a household, according to estimates from manufacturers of portable panels, which include their devices.
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For those who want solar energy but do not have enough space for either balcony or portable systems, a new trend is developing worldwide, known as solar communities. These encompass a sort of solar array in a centralized space, and interested parties can subscribe to a part of that array and receive ‘credits’ for the electricity their part produces. Such solar projects have recently become increasingly important.
In the USA, 41 states currently have at least one solar community, and the Biden administration aims for solar community energy to reach five million households by 2025, creating an estimated billion dollars in savings on energy bills. Currently, the biggest challenge for such projects is finding such communities in one’s residential area, but a solar subscription platform is being created to help consumers identify solar gardens in the near future. To expand this trend, some legal regulations need to be adjusted, and investors need to be attracted.
Instead of Window Glass
Another innovation is portable solar systems and smaller solar devices that can be installed in windows, but they can only cover small, specific energy needs, making them a good option for some individual devices, e.g., for charging mobile phones, but they cannot cover a larger part of the electricity bill. Portable solar systems, as great as they are for travel, camping, or mounting on vehicles like vans, are also attractive to potential thieves due to their practicality, as they can be easily and quickly removed and used on the go.
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The price of balcony panels depends on the user’s lifestyle, and those that anyone with some skills can install themselves, without hiring a professional, can cost between 400 and 800 euros.
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Unlike the Sun’s system, photovoltaic allows for the production of electricity by converting solar radiation into direct current through the photovoltaic effect. On the Planet Design website, there are detailed explanations and advantages of installing such systems that can be installed on balconies and carried with you. The panel consists of silicon cells that absorb photons of light, creating a physical reaction that produces direct current, which the inverter immediately converts into alternating current, necessary for energy conversion and optimization.
Tax Deductions
To be used, devices must be connected to the system or can be connected directly to the home network. In that case, the electricity supplier must be notified by sending a request for bidirectionality. The request serves to separate consumption within the photovoltaic system from the usual supply.
Planet Design states that if you decide to install a balcony photovoltaic system, in addition to reducing energy consumption on the bill, there are also tax incentives provided by national legislation. Tax deductions amount to 50 percent of incurred costs and can be utilized during tax filing.
The greatest charm of the mentioned solar mini-systems is that they are portable, save money, can be taken on vacation, do not require property ownership to be connected, and utilize energy with zero environmental impact, and can be used for various purposes as an alternative to generators.
