What Can You Do with Excess Solar Power?

It is not surprising that solar panels are becoming increasingly popular as they are an excellent way of generating clean and renewable energy that doesn’t produce greenhouse gases. Because they don’t rely on fossil fuels, they help to protect the planet and secure future clean and renewable energy. What’s more, they are cost-effective, saving you money on your electricity bills at a time when everyone’s household budget is being squeezed. 

There will be times when you generate more power than your home needs and the challenge then is to decide how to utilise this excess electricity. Although it isn’t always sunny in the UK it is still possible for your solar PV system to generate too much energy. Often, this extra energy is wasted which is a very inefficient way of using renewable energy and a missed opportunity for the householder to reap further rewards from their solar PV system. 

Here are a few of the options to consider when your panels generate excess solar power.

Store excess solar power in a battery

Solar batteries allow you to store the excess energy generated by your solar panels to use at times when your solar PV system’s output is lower. They can be particularly useful for off-grid applications or when there is very little sunlight. You can use the stored energy from solar batteries to power your home at times when your solar panels are unable to do so, such as at night, on cloudy days, or during power outages. This gives you increased energy independence which is very beneficial in today’s uncertain times. Not only can a solar battery ensure that you have a constant supply of power, but it can also enable you to sell surplus electricity back to the grid. Storing your surplus solar energy in batteries can also help to reduce your electricity bills by allowing you to use stored energy during peak hours when electricity prices are higher. Furthermore, using solar batteries helps to reduce the need for fossil fuels and decrease carbon emissions. Storing solar energy can help make the electricity grid more efficient by reducing the need for expensive and inefficient peaker plants. Peaker plants, often powered by fossil fuels are used to balance the grid and meet the demand for electricity during peak periods, such as hot summer days or cold winter days.

Send excess solar power back to the grid

As a homeowner with solar panels, you may be able to receive payments for any excess solar energy you send back into the grid. To give you an idea of the amounts we are talking about, on average, 20 to 40 percent of a solar energy system's output is sent to the grid. 

Net metering which is used in many countries is a billing mechanism that credits solar energy system owners for the electricity they add to the grid. Each country’s regulations include different technologies. In the UK, however, we have a slightly different way of using a net metering structure. Solar power is sold back to the grid via the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG).

As the main form of net metering in the UK, the SEG scheme pays customers for excess energy generated from renewable sources such as solar and wind. The government-backed scheme can earn solar panel owners a rate per unit of electricity they send to the grid. The SEG can significantly benefit solar energy generators with expected annual earnings of £80 - £165. However, the amounts paid can vary depending on the size of your system and the tariffs offered by energy suppliers. The additional income when combined with the savings solar panels generate can considerably accelerate the return on your initial solar PV installation investment. Customers must apply directly to an SEG tariff supplier to be paid. You can choose a different energy supplier for the SEG scheme if you wish. If you are signed up to the scheme and your solar panels are connected to the National Grid you can either choose to store or sell your excess solar energy.

Since January 2020, the Smart Export Guarantee scheme has offered small-scale low-carbon energy generators the opportunity to sell solar energy to the grid in the UK. Energy suppliers can also offer an SEG tariff for other types of renewable energy such as hydropower and wind power. 

There are some criteria, however, that you must meet to take advantage of the SEG. For example, your solar panels cannot exceed a capacity of 5MW (million watts). There are equivalent rules for hydropower and wind power. Your installation must be installed to Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) standards. This includes using certified products and a registered MCS professional installer. Payments will commence from the date that you apply for them. Another must-have is an export meter or smart meter to measure your energy production and send readings to your SEG supplier.

If you decide to sell your excess energy back to the grid this can be a quick and easy way to make the most out of your solar panels as long as you understand what criteria and documentation you need. Selling your excess solar energy back to the grid helps to reduce the need for fossil fuels and decrease carbon emissions as well as increasing grid stability. Your excess energy provides an additional source of electricity which will help to stabilise the grid during peak times. 

Use excess solar energy to power your home

You can use excess energy to power your home at a time you need it, using solar battery banks. This is especially useful when weather conditions are not ideal for solar energy generation. 

Use excess solar energy to charge your car

You can use excess solar energy to charge electric vehicles with onsite charging stations. It’s worth installing an Electric Vehicle Car Charger in your home as any excess energy you have can be used to charge up your car.

Donate excess solar energy to charity

You can donate excess electricity to charity to help reduce your carbon footprint. 

Octopus Energy has launched a trial that allows solar customers to donate the value of their surplus energy to help people facing fuel poverty.

The initiative is called Octopus Solar Sharing and is a “world-first” scheme that enables households with excess solar energy to contribute to the fuel poverty charity, the National Energy Action (NEA) charity or to Octopus’s Octo Assist fund, a £30 million pot which is dedicated to helping customers in need.

Normally energy suppliers let their customers sell their surplus energy back to the grid, but Octopus Solar Sharing is offering a new way of supporting important causes instead of keeping the profits. 

While energy suppliers usually let customers sell their surplus energy back to the grid, Octopus Solar Sharing offers a new way to support important causes instead of keeping the profits.

For every kilowatt-hour donated, Octopus will add 15p directly to the chosen charity.

Use excess solar energy to heat water

You can use excess solar energy to heat water in a storage tank or power a heat pump. 

It’s sensible to use any excess electricity whenever possible when the costs for exporting it back to the grid are low. You will need an immersion diverter to divert excess solar energy into heating your hot water tank. Immersion diverters monitor your solar PV system's electricity generation, your home's demand, and when your system is exporting energy to the grid. 

You can also use the energy generated by your solar panels to power a heat pump system. If you combine a heat pump with solar panels the system becomes much more sustainable, your carbon footprint will be reduced, and operational costs will be lower. 

Use a device like eddi

An eddi is a solar power diverter that helps you use the energy you generate from solar to heat your home. 

You can use this device to monitor your energy usage and ensure you're taking limited power from the grid. It automatically diverts excess power from your solar panels to your heating system instead of exporting it to the grid. This means you can use green energy to heat your home and be less reliant on the grid. You can use an eddi to send energy to up to two heating appliances at once as well as prioritise which appliance gets the energy. Energy can be diverted to immersion heaters, storage heaters, underfloor heating, electric heaters, and any other electrical resistive load up to 3.7kW with a mechanical thermostat. 

Conclusion

As you can see the excess electricity generated by solar panels need not be wasted. Using solar power is both a practical and long-lasting solution for sustainable energy. Making sure solar panel installations are as efficient as possible and investing in energy storage are vital to making the most of solar power’s potential. Additionally, embracing energy-efficient practices and exploring new applications can further develop the use of solar power. If we all continue along this path, we can create a cleaner and more sustainable future for generations to come.