What's Cheapest Method ?

[Averon]

Hi, I've just had solar panels installed. My house is all electric and has cheap off peak power during the night. I'm wondering is it cheaper to run things such as washing machine, tumble drier during the day using solar or still using my machine during the night when off peak. Confused !

[Ecolocker]

Hi Averon,

Depending on the size of your solar panel array and what time of year it is will determine how much electricity it produces. You should generate enough electricity during the day by your panels to realise increased savings by using your electrical appliances during daylight hours, where you will utilise this cost free electricity.
As you get paid by government for the FIT regardless of what you actually feedback in to the grid, I would recommend trying to utilise 100% of the electricity the panels generate, this way you can to maximise your investment. To put it bluntly, regardless of the price you are paying for your low rate electricity in the evening, it won’t be as cheap as the free stuff during the day (just don’t use more than what the panels are generating for long periods at a time).

Kind Regards,

Richard.

[Averon]

Many thanks Richard

[GemmaRowlands]

It depends how your contract works - does the energy you don't use during the day get sold if it's not used? Or would it be stored until the evening when there is no more light to bring the power to you? Depending on the answer to this, it may not really matter when you use it, although it would make more sense to do as much as possible during daylight hours when you are certain that you are generating power.

[Mark Haslam]

You should definitely be trying your best to use all of the power generated by your panels. That way it's much easier, and you should find that you're paying for a lot less alongside. I would have thought that it was more likely that you'd want to do things like washing etc during the day so wouldn't need as much at night anyway?