Solar batteries for the home: kit cost, reviews, TOP8 budget systems. Solar panels for an apartment: how to install

Speaking about solar panels, each of us, first of all, means their use somewhere in the country or in our country house. But few people think that batteries that consume solar energy can be installed even on the roof apartment building, and in this case the solar system will have much more advantages.

This practice is very developed in many European countries, but the good news is that Russia is not lagging behind them. Dozens of houses in different regions countries are already equipped with solar panels, which have reduced lighting costs several times. Who is the pioneer? How to organize this system? Answers to this and other questions in the following sections.

What is a solar panel kit good for?

There is no need to talk about the complete exclusion of the central power grid from the lives of residents of an apartment building. Each apartment has a considerable number of electrical appliances, and a solar system is clearly not suitable for powering them. But street and entrance lighting, the operation of elevators, and heating may well be carried out using solar energy.

In addition to installing solar panels, it will be necessary to provide for the replacement of conventional incandescent lamps LED lamps consuming much less energy. And the use of motion sensors will allow you to turn on the lighting only when necessary, eliminating the operation of lamps throughout the night. Practice shows that such a system can reduce the price per 1 kW by an average of 70-90%.

Organization of a system for an apartment building

The higher the power of the purchased solar system, the higher its price, but on the other hand, the lower the cost of one individual element. A set of solar panels purchased by residents of the entire house will cost much less per person compared to a system installed in a country house. A system consisting of SB has the following advantages:

No need for additional installation space. A set of solar panels is mounted on the roof of the house and on its side, oriented to the south.
The energy accumulated during daylight hours can be used for lighting and operating elevators at night.
High-rise buildings eliminate one of the main disadvantages of installation on the roof - shadowing by objects located in the neighborhood. This contributes to good illumination of the installed panels and, as a result, high productivity.
The roofs of most houses are flat, which also simplifies the installation of batteries.

It turns out that the benefits of solar panels for an apartment will be much greater than for a country house. For example, in Switzerland a similar system for an apartment building was implemented 20 years ago. The SB kit installed on it is used for heating and heating water for domestic needs. In Russia, similar systems do not have such a massive scale, but they also exist. More details in the next section.

Solar houses in Russian regions

Let's start, perhaps, with the capital. House No. 15, located on Leontyevsky Lane, served as an experimental site on which a set of four solar panels was installed. Moreover, this idea was implemented 6 years ago. Today this is not the only solar house in Moscow. The administration of the Svyatoshinsky district also distinguished itself, on whose initiative 18 batteries were installed on the roof of the house at Bulgakova, 19. The generated energy is spent on lighting landings, attics, and entrances. According to the developer of the solar complex on Leontyevsky Lane, their system paid for itself in just 2 years.

In October of this year, an energy-saving house was commissioned in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, which is heated due to the fact that a set of collectors is installed on the roof of the house, heating water in boilers in the basement of the building. Similar systems have also been implemented in Kemerovo and Altai Territories. Residents of Yekaterinburg did not stand aside either. On its own initiative, the association of the house at 8 Rodonitovaya installed a set of collectors, which are planned to be used for heating the apartments. Of course, we are talking about an additional source of heat supply, but this is already a big breakthrough for the Russians.

The largest number of houses in which lighting is implemented using SB is found in the Caucasus. In the village of Essentukskaya, at least 7 houses have already been disconnected from the central power supply network thanks to installed solar modules, batteries and LED lamps. This allows apartment owners to save up to 2 thousand rubles monthly. And in Novocherkassk in July of this year they put into operation a house, supplies hot water which also provides security.

The article was prepared by Abdullina Regina

Solar panels on the roof of an Ekaterinburg house:

On the feasibility of using solar panels for country house in the absence of a central power supply, it’s not worth talking about. Such systems are fully paid for and extremely economical when compared with generators running on fossil fuels. But what about the apartment? How feasible are solar panels for apartment buildings or single apartments? We will try to analyze what are the features of installation and operation of such systems in this article.

Features of installation and operation of solar power plants in apartment buildings

IN last years It has become extremely fashionable to build “Eco houses”, including multi-storey complexes with low energy consumption, energy-efficient lighting LED lamps or geothermal heating. People's interest has also awakened in solar energy, as a renewable and endless source of electrical energy. Solar power plants have become so common in the suburbs of megacities and in the news media that there is probably not a single person left who has not at least heard about this technology. But use new technology in high-rise, apartment complexes there are often many restrictions:

the space available for installing a solar array is usually too small in relation to energy consumption per square meter of building area;
shading from nearby buildings;
high initial cost of equipment,

All this makes it impossible to implement solar systems into existing infrastructure. After all, it is sometimes impossible to justify the cost of introducing a new product to each resident of an apartment building. Therefore, in practice " solar houses» are designed long before they are built, selecting locations and infrastructure that best meet the requirements of energy supply systems. At the design stage, engineers will think through all the nuances, minimizing future energy costs for residents. Or solar panels are installed in homes to provide general needs, such as:

lighting of entrances and nearby areas;
power supply for security and communication systems;
uninterrupted power supply for electricians of boiler houses and other public systems.

It is much easier to justify such systems, and the costs of their initial installation are usually lower and pay for themselves faster, benefiting every resident.

The third option for using photovoltaic elements in apartment buildings is individual backup power supply systems installed by residents of individual apartments for their own needs. As a rule, the problems faced by apartment owners who dream of solar power plants are of the widest range:

impossibility of installing the system on the roof of the building due to the failure of the management company;
the absence of windows and, accordingly, adjacent walls (sometimes balconies) oriented to the south;
shading from trees and nearby buildings, and as a result, limited areas to accommodate an array of solar panels;
a ban on management companies installing foreign equipment on the façade of a house;
other restrictions on the installation of other equipment components.

But, despite the long list of restrictions, resourceful residents of multi-storey buildings still install backup systems that succinctly fit into the design of high-rise buildings.

Non-standard balcony design or mini-power station in the apartment?

The balcony located to the south and the radio engineering education of the owner of this apartment predetermined the future of its residents. Now they are not afraid of temporary blackouts or power outages. And the electricity bills will flash in smaller numbers. After all, on the balcony of this apartment, instead of the usual PVC panels, there are solar panels.

Four monocrystalline solar panels fit perfectly into the frame of a regular balcony, replacing its non-functional elements. Oriented almost due south, they are not shaded nearby standing houses, and produce almost the maximum possible energy. In this case, the batteries do not harm overall design buildings, without being conspicuous and laconically coexisting with other elements of the house.

In summer, such a system produces 1.0 -1.5 kWh per day and can provide energy for a small refrigerator or energy-saving apartment lighting. In winter, when insolation drops significantly, the system will perform the function of an uninterruptible power supply during a power outage.

Reasons for popularity alternative sources energy are quite understandable: there is an opportunity to save on fuel and make dreams of environmentally friendly life support systems come true. By skillfully using the energy of the sun, wind and water, you can country house turn it into a modern eco-house.

We will tell you how to install solar heating in a private home, and we will analyze with you how profitable it is. In order to thoroughly cover the issues of using daylight energy, we have described in detail everything popular options, which have received practical application and positive reviews users.

Taking into account our recommendations, you can build an effective solar system for a summer house or country house. To make difficult material easier to understand, we have supplemented the information visual diagrams, illustrations and video tutorials.

The intermediaries between the sun's rays and the energy-generating mechanism are solar panels or collectors, which differ in both purpose and design.

Batteries accumulate solar energy and allow it to be used to power household electrical appliances. They are panels with photocells on one side and a locking mechanism on the other. You can experiment and assemble the battery yourself, but it’s easier to buy ready-made elements– the choice is quite wide.

Solar systems (solar collectors) are part of the heating system of a house. Large thermally insulated boxes with coolant, like batteries, are mounted on raised panels facing the sun or roof slopes.

It is a mistake to believe that absolutely all northern regions receive much less natural heat than southern ones. Suppose there are many more sunny days in Chukotka or central Canada than in Great Britain located to the south

To increase efficiency, the panels are placed on dynamic mechanisms that resemble a tracking system - they rotate following the movement of the sun. The energy conversion process occurs in tubes located inside the boxes.

The main difference between solar systems and solar panels is that the former heat the coolant, and the latter accumulate electricity. It is possible to heat the room using photocells, but the design schemes are irrational and are suitable only for those areas where there are at least 200 sunny days a year.

Diagram of a heating system with a solar collector connected to a boiler and a backup source of electricity (for example, a gas boiler) running on traditional fuel (+)

Pros and cons of an alternative heating system

There are not many advantages of a solar heating system, but each of them is significant and can become a reason for private experiments:

Environmental benefits. This is a clean source of heat that is safe for the residents of the house and the surrounding environment and does not require the use of traditional types of fuel.
Autonomy. System owners are absolutely independent of energy prices and the economic situation in the country.
Economical. By maintaining the traditional heating system, it becomes possible to reduce the cost of paying for hot water supply.
Public availability. To install solar systems, you do not need permission from government authorities.

But there are also unpleasant moments that can spoil the overall picture. For example, determining the efficiency of the system will require a long period - at least 3 years (provided that there is enough solar energy and it is used actively).

Installation of solar modules only will require large investments: the cheapest silicon panels will cost at least 2,200 rubles. per piece, and polycrystalline six-diode elements of the first category - up to 17,000 per piece. Calculating the cost of 30 modules is quite simple (+)

Users note the following disadvantages:

high prices for equipment necessary to put the system into operation;
direct dependence of the amount of heat produced on geographic location and weather;
the mandatory presence of a backup source, for example, a gas boiler (in practice, a solar system is often a backup).

To achieve greater returns, you have to regularly monitor the serviceability of the collectors, clean them of debris and protect them from the formation of ice during frosts. If the temperature often drops below 0ºC, you need to take care of additional thermal insulation not only of the elements of the solar system, but also of the house as a whole.

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Solar energy for heating

The main purpose of energy storage photovoltaic cells is to provide electricity to the home. To include them in the circuit and achieve optimal functioning, it is necessary to assemble the circuit with a storage tank.

It is in it that the water will be heated, which, having reached a certain temperature, will fill the pipes and radiators in the rooms that require heating (living room, bathroom).

A system powered by solar energy, with a double-circuit tank that organizes heating and supply hot water in two directions: to heating radiators and to disassembly points (+)

Let's try to analyze the design features of solar panels and determine their potential role in the heating system.

The principle of operation of panels with photocells

There are three common types of elements for solar panels:

Monocrystalline. These are thin wafers of the purest silicon, cut from grown in artificial conditions crystal. The most productive variety with an efficiency of about 17-18%. Optimal temperature for operation – from 5 ºС to 25 ºС.

Polycrystalline. Made from wafers obtained by gradual cooling of silicon melt. The technology for their production is less labor-intensive, but the efficiency of photovoltaic elements made from polycrystalline is significantly lower - no more than 12%.

Amorphous. They are film. Manufactured by the evaporation phase method, as a result of which silicon in the form of a thin film is deposited on the polymer flexible basis. The cheapest production method is combined with low productivity, estimated at up to 7%.

For installation of autonomous heating systems in northern regions most suitable option considered to be assembled from monocrystalline elements. However, batteries with amorphous modules are easier to install, practically do not require a base and are much cheaper.

A monocrystalline module consists of series-connected elements combined into modules. Several modules form a solar battery. The dark surface of solar photovoltaic systems optimizes the absorption of solar rays

Task external elements- absorb and transform Sun rays. The released energy goes further and is concentrated in the storage tank. A small element produces about 100-250 W, and a prefabricated panel of 25-30 m² provides electricity to a small house. Installing a heating system will require 2-3 times more energy.

An inverter acts as a converter of direct current from solar “production” into electricity, since alternating current is required for the operation of household electrical appliances and lamps.

If we talk specifically about the heating system, then an electric boiler for heating water also works on alternating current. To provide light to your home at night, you will need batteries that store daytime supplies.

Inverter modules are installed in a place convenient for maintenance, although it does not require constant control and operates in automatic mode (+)

Efficiency of using photocells

The easiest way is to purchase and apply one of the simple schemes that have been proven over the years. However, circumstances sometimes dictate their own conditions. Let's say you have an excellent functioning working system with a solar generator, but for now it serves to supply electricity and provide the house with hot water.

It is clear that buying new equipment is unprofitable, so it is easier to increase power by purchasing a certain number of photoelectric converters. A budget option– silicon panels with productivity up to 23-25%.

It is necessary to connect a heating device that runs on electricity to the current source. A universal option is a boiler equipped with distribution wiring.

Polymer film elements on Russian market are much less common than silicon mono- and polycrystalline analogues. They are easy to install, but have low efficiency - only 6%

If the electricity supply is properly organized, it should be enough for both hot water supply and heating. There are examples when the house is fully provided with heat - it can be recognized by the roof, almost completely covered with panels.

Sometimes it is necessary to erect special free-standing structures if the roof area is not enough. It turns out that to increase power, additional free space is needed.

Even the most careful calculations will not help you determine the exact amount of potential energy and quickly create an effective, well-functioning system. The fact is that in practice obstacles arise, the appearance of which is quite difficult to predict.

Here are some of the factors:

Inconsistency of weather. The exact number of sunny days is unknown even in the southern regions. Reliably predict their number in northern regions almost impossible.
Irregularity of receiving electricity. For example, in the northern regions there are short daylight hours in winter, so a lot of recycled solar energy is spent on lighting. In addition, the intensity of solar radiation in winter period decreases significantly.
Periodic breakdowns. Like all technical systems, solar panels can fail from time to time due to damage to individual elements, contract connections, protective surfaces, etc.

Consequently, you can find out about the effectiveness only after a certain period of time, at least after a year. It may be necessary to increase the number of photocells or batteries, consider additional thermal insulation of the house, and reduce the heated area. Suppose that in the northern regions of Germany, in order to save money, bedrooms are often not heated at all.

Maintenance of installed photocells does not require special skills and consists of regular cleaning: removing snow in winter and debris in warm periods, washing glass surface water from a hose

Home power plant installation diagram

The easiest way is to contact a company that sells system components and offers installation services. Pros – a professional project taking into account individual characteristics, warranty on all products and installation, minus – high cost.

If you have relevant experience, you can independently assemble a mini-power station with solar panels for heating a private home.

The most effective is considered to be a hybrid scheme for the design of an air-solar system, in which photocells are used to generate energy, collectors for heating water, and an additional wind generator is installed. It can be replaced with a backup fuel source (+)

All parts for assembling the heating system are sold in specialized stores.

You will need to purchase the following components:

a set of silicon or film solar modules;
a rechargeable battery that stores energy;
charge controller that regulates the process of charging and discharging the battery;
an inverter that converts direct current into alternating current;
set of connecting cables.

It is desirable that the batteries be the same (taking into account the brand, capacity and even batch) and be able to store energy for 3-4 days. The duration of their operation depends on the room temperature - in cold conditions they quickly discharge. If the daily consumption is 2400 Wh, batteries with a total capacity of at least 1000 Ah are required.

When using car batteries, remember that their maximum efficiency is 70-75% (service life - 3 years), special devices for solar systems have the best performance - up to 85% (service life - 10 years). Some energy is lost during storage and conversion

The quality of the current generated by sinusoidal ones is higher than the current from a centralized network. A special feature of the equipment is the synchronization of the voltage phase, in which the transition from 12 V to 220 V is carried out without interruption in the functioning of household electrical appliances.

Inverter power – from 250 W to 6000 W and above. You can increase the output power by emptying parallel connection several devices. For example, 3 x 3000 W = 9000 W (+)

After installing all the elements of the solar system, it is necessary to connect an electric tank that heats the water to the inverter, and to the tank, in turn, a heating pipeline.

Collector heating system

The greatest efficiency and return can be achieved by installing collectors instead of solar modules - external installations in which water is heated under the influence of solar radiation. Such a system is more logical and natural, since it does not require heating of the coolant by other devices.

Let's consider the design and principle of operation of two main types of devices: flat and tubular.

Flat version for self-production

The design of flat installations is so simple that experienced craftsmen assemble handicraft analogues with their own hands, purchasing some of the parts in a specialized store, and constructing some from scrap materials.

Inside the steel or aluminum insulated box there is a plate that absorbs solar heat. Most often it is coated with a layer of black chrome. The heat absorber is protected on top by a sealed transparent cover.

Heating of water occurs in tubes laid in a snake and connected to the plate. Water or antifreeze enters the box through the inlet pipe, heats up in the tubes and moves to the outlet - to the outlet pipe.

The light transmittance of the cover is explained by the use of transparent material - durable tempered glass or plastic (for example, polycarbonate). To prevent the sun's rays from being reflected, glass or plastic surface matte (+)

There are two types of connection, one-pipe and two-pipe; there is no fundamental difference in the choice. But there is a big difference in the way the coolant will be supplied to the collectors - gravity or using a pump. The first option is considered ineffective due to the low speed of water movement; according to the heating principle, it resembles a container for a summer shower.

The functioning of the second option occurs due to the connection of a circulation pump, which forcibly supplies coolant. The energy source for operating the pumping equipment can be a solar-powered power system.

The temperature of the coolant when heated by the solar collector reaches 45-60 ºС, at the outlet the maximum value is 35-40 ºС. To increase the efficiency of the heating system, “warm floors” are used along with radiators (+)

Tubular collectors - a solution for the northern regions

The general principle of operation is reminiscent of the functioning of flat analogues, but with one difference - the heat exchange tubes with coolant are located inside glass flasks. The tubes themselves can be feather, sealed on one side and resembling feathers in appearance, and coaxial (vacuum), inserted into each other and sealed on both sides.

Heat exchangers are also different:

system for converting solar energy into thermal energy Heat-pipe;
a regular U-type coolant transfer tube.

The second type of heat exchanger is considered more efficient, but is not popular enough due to the cost of repairs: if one tube fails, the entire section will have to be replaced.

The Heat-pipe is not part of an entire segment, so it can be changed in 2-3 minutes. Failed coaxial elements can be repaired by simply removing the plug and replacing the damaged channel.

A diagram explaining the cyclical heating process inside vacuum tubes: cold liquid, under the influence of solar heat, heats up and evaporates, giving way to the next portion of cold coolant (+)

Having analyzed the technical characteristics of the collectors different types and summarizing the experience of their use, they decided that flat-plate collectors are more suitable for the southern regions, and tubular collectors for the northern ones. Installations with the Heat-pipe system have proven themselves especially well in harsh climates. They have heating ability even on cloudy days and at night, “feeding” on a minimal amount of sunlight.

Sample standard scheme connecting solar collectors to boiler equipment: pumping station ensures water circulation, the controller regulates the heating process

Method for increasing productivity

Usually, after experimenting with a small amount solar modules, owners of private houses go further and improve the system in various ways.

The easiest way is to increase the number of modules involved, accordingly, attract additional space to accommodate them and purchase more powerful related equipment

What to do if there is a shortage of free space? Here are some recommendations for increasing the efficiency of a solar station (with photocells or collectors):

Changing the orientation of modules. Moving elements relative to the position of the sun. Simply put, installing the bulk of the panels on the south side. During long daylight hours, it is also optimal to use surfaces facing east and west.

Tilt angle adjustment. The manufacturer usually indicates which angle is most preferable (for example, 45º), but sometimes during installation it is necessary to make adjustments taking into account geographic latitude.

Correct choice of installation location. The roof is suitable because it is most often the highest plane and is not obscured by other objects (assuming garden trees). But there are even more suitable areas - rotating sun tracking devices.

When the elements are positioned perpendicular to the rays of the sun, the system works more efficiently, but on a stable surface (for example, a roof) this is only possible for a short period of time. To increase this, practical tracking devices have been invented.

Tracking mechanisms are dynamic platforms that rotate with their planes following the sun. Thanks to them, generator productivity increases by about 35-40% in summer, and by 10-12% in winter.

The big disadvantage of tracking devices is their high cost. In some cases, it does not pay off, so there is no point in investing in useless mechanisms.

It is estimated that 8 panels is the minimum number at which the costs will be justified over time. You can use 3-4 modules, but under one condition: if they are directly connected to the water pump, bypassing the batteries.

Just the other day, Tesla Motors announced the creation of a new type of roof - with integrated ones. Elon Musk said that the modified roof will be cheaper than a conventional roof with collectors or modules installed on it.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Thematic videos will help you better imagine the design of home solar stations and will reveal some of the secrets of installing equipment.

Video #1. Available technical information about solar panels and charge controllers:

Video #2. Useful experience of using solar panels in the Moscow region:

Video #3. An example of a successfully operating solar station, completely assembled independently, providing both hot water supply and heating of the house:

As you can see, heating system solar-powered - a very real phenomenon that you can bring to life yourself. The field of alternative methods of obtaining energy is constantly developing, perhaps tomorrow you will hear about a new discovery.

Nowadays, almost everyone can collect and have their own independent source of electricity using solar panels(scientifically they are called photovoltaic panels).

Over time, expensive equipment is offset by the opportunity to receive free electricity. It is important that solar panels are an environmentally friendly source of energy.

In recent years, prices for photovoltaic panels have fallen tens of times and they continue to decline, which indicates great prospects for their use.

IN classic look such a source of electricity will consist of the following parts: directly, a solar battery (DC generator), a battery with a charge control device and an inverter that converts direct current into alternating current.

Solar panels consist of a set solar cells(photoelectric converters), which directly convert solar energy into electrical energy. Most solar cells are made from silicon, which is quite expensive. This fact will determine the high cost of electrical energy, which is obtained by using solar panels.

The most important technical parameter The solar battery that has the main influence on the efficiency of the entire installation is its useful power . It is determined by voltage and output current. These parameters depend on the intensity of sunlight hitting the battery.

Where is it advisable to place it?

Install solar panels in apartment buildings and connect them to the apartment electrical network, of course, is impractical.

Firstly, you are unlikely to be allowed to do this by the authorities supervising the operation of city electrical networks.
Secondly, a rather expensive panel and a complex control circuit, as well as inconvenience installation work V apartment building will make your innovation in the field of storage and production of electrical energy economically unfeasible.

But in a private house, cottage or country house, especially if they are located further than 1.5 km from centralized power lines, it is very advisable. Purchase and installation of solar panels, as well as minimum costs their maintenance will pay off in 5-10 years. Also, when deciding whether to install solar panels, you need to determine the average intensity of sunlight for your area (coefficient solar insolation). If you live in sunny areas then solar battery will work almost all year round, and therefore will pay off faster. For areas and areas with insufficient luminous flux, it may not be practical to install panels at all, especially if the industrial network provides electrical energy without interruption.

Price

Solar panels as an additional source of electricity for a private home or cottage have recently become very popular. Despite their still fairly high cost ( one panel with a power of 100-200 W will cost $100-150), their installation in many cases can be quite justified.

In 2016, solar panels fell in price in rubles by an average of 30%

Calculation of the cost of a solar power plant for a private home

Most universal solution To provide a private home or cottage with electricity, solar power plants (solar power plants) are used. Typically such a system consists of the following components:

solar panels (provide the conversion of light into electricity);
battery charge controller (correct battery charging mode);
rechargeable batteries(accumulation of electricity during the day and release in the evening and at night);
inverter (converting DC voltage to ~220 V, 50 Hz).

To calculate the cost of the necessary equipment, we will consider in more detail approximate energy consumption options with different levels of generated power and connected load.

Full autonomous system with monthly consumption of 270 kWh/month

For example, we can take the most common Appliances: boiler, refrigerator, TV and several energy saving lamps. A simple calculation of the power of these electrical appliances and the average time they operate from an autonomous network shows the approximate result of energy consumption during the day - 8-9 kW*h with an average daily power of 0.35 - 0.40 kW. The average monthly result will be about 270 kW/h.

To achieve these power outputs, our system must include the following components:

13 solar monocrystalline panels 180 Wt ($200 x 13);
13 solar panel mounts ($25 x 13);
10 batteries 12 V, 200 Ah ($ 130 x 10);
inverter 48 or 120 V, 2 kW ($300).

Total: $4,500.

To calculate the cost of components, average market prices were used, which gives a completely adequate idea of the level of financial costs. It is important to take into account that if the service life of solar panels can be 20 years or more with only a slight decrease in their efficiency, then the service life of batteries, on average, is about 10 years.

Autonomous system with monthly consumption 700 kWh/month

This option differs from the previous one in increased energy consumption, which may be necessary for a large family or in cases where the comfort of the inhabitants of the house is put first and only then - saving energy. For an example of calculating power consumption, let's take the following electrical appliances: boiler, refrigerator, 7 energy-saving lamps, 2 TVs, street lighting and pump. Approximate energy consumption during the day in this case will be 20-23 kW*h with an average daily power of up to 1 kW. With such indicators, the average monthly result will be about 700 kW/h.

Approximate cost calculation of components:

33 solar monocrystalline panels 180 Wt ($200 x 33 = $6,600);
33 solar panel mounts ($25 x 33 = $825);
20 batteries 12 V, 200 Ah ($ 130 x 20 = $ 2600);
inverter 48 or 120 V, 3 kW ($500).

Total: $10,525.

Backup system with monthly consumption of 150 kWh

This version of the system is designed to operate during short-term power outages from the main power grid, although it can also be used as a seasonal source of electricity, for example, in a country house to meet basic needs. As an example, to calculate energy costs, you can take into account the load from a refrigerator, a pair of energy-saving lamps, a TV and a pump.

With average energy costs of up to 5 kWh/day, the simplest system is sufficient, which includes the following components:

7 solar monocrystalline panels 180 Wt ($200 x 7 = $1,400);
7 solar panel mounts ($25 x 7 = $175);
2 batteries 12 V, 200 Ah ($ 130 x 2 = $ 260);
inverter 48 or 120 V, 0.5 kW ($100);
automatic transfer cabinet ($270).

Total: $2,205.

Two 120 W modules, 20 ampere MPPT controller, 2 100Ah gel batteries, 1300 W inverter with a pure sine wave signal.

Provides electricity to a small country house in summer period without electrical heating. The inverter instantly turns on the backup power circuit when the main one is turned off. Maximum power consumption is 1.3 kilowatts.

System output in summer (April-August): 1.1-1.25 kW per hour/day in the Leningrad region.

Overall dimensions of the 120 W model: 1170 x 670 x 40 mm. Weight of each battery: about 35 kg.

Solar batteries, price: 48,200 rubles. Installation cost from 12 thousand rubles.

One 60W solar battery, 10 ampere MPPT controller, 60Ah battery, 600 W inverter with a modified sine wave.

Allows you to provide electricity to the needs of temporary housing or small house: lighting, phone charge, laptop, TV, etc. Maximum power consumption 600 watts.

Overall dimensions of the 60 W version: 830 x 670 x 40 mm.

Approximately 3700 rubles. Installation is possible with your own hands.

Advantages of solar powered residential buildings

The sun's energy is infinite (at least for the next 5 billion years, give or take),
provides clean energy,
no greenhouse gas emissions, and it can save people money on their electric bills.

But there are factors to consider when deciding to go solar - and cost is only one of them. In this article, we'll look at the six most important questions to consider when you're thinking about investing in solar panel installation. The use of photovoltaic energy is very green solution and a potentially useful step, but it's not quite as simple as getting your energy from a regular power grid.

The first factor is one you may not have thought about:

Service

Enabling your home to utilize solar energy requires more care than using regular old power. But not by much.

Solar panels have no moving parts. They are part of a complete stationary system. So once they're installed, there's not much that can go wrong. Just about the only thing a homeowner has to do is keep the panels clean. This is an important task, because too much snow, dust and bird droppings on the panels can reduce the amount of sunlight. Dust accumulation on the screen can reduce the amount of electricity produced by the system by as much as 7 percent.

This type of maintenance does not need to be done once a week, however. It is enough to water the panels with a hose one to four times a year. You don't need to climb onto the roof to do this. A hose with a ground attachment works great. If there is construction in your area, you will need to clean the panels more often to avoid additional build-up dust buildup.

In addition, check from time to time that all parts are in working order. In addition, the batteries need to be replaced, but this is once a decade.

Neighborhood

The location of your home has a big impact on your solar energy efficiency. This is an obvious problem: If your electric power depends on sunlight, things like shadows tall trees and tall shadows from buildings will be a problem.

This is still a big problem than some people understand. Various types panels react differently to shadow. While polycrystalline panels can significantly reduce power output, any amount of shading on a monocrystalline panel will stop power production completely.

Thus, to build a solar house, it is necessary to ensure that there is no shadow on the panel across the roof area during the sunny hours of the day (usually from 10 am to 2 o'clock) and preferably during all sunny hours. How more hours The panels are exposed to full sunlight, the more efficient the electricity production will be.

Achieving the greatest efficiency may mean pruning or completely removing trees on your property. If your home is surrounded by high-rise buildings that block the sun from the roof, this is a big problem.

Insolation

Sunlight obviously plays a key role when it comes to solar energy, and not all regions have a level playing field in this regard. It's important to know how much sunlight reaches the ground in the area where your potential solar home is located.

What we're talking about here is called insolation - a measure of how much solar radiation will fall on the earth in a given area in a given period of time. This is usually measured in kW/m2/days and will tell you how much sunlight will be available for your solar panels to turn into electricity. The higher the insolation value in your area, the more electricity each of your panels will be able to generate. A high insolation value means you can get more energy from smaller panels. A low insolation value means you could end up spending more to achieve the same power output.

So you should build your solar home in the southwest instead of the northwest? Not at all. It just means you'll probably need more panels to achieve the same power output.

Coverage area

Contrary to what most people think, the size of a solar power system has nothing to do with the size of the home.

Instead, there are only two parameters to consider:

insolation, which we just discussed,
how much energy do you need.

To get a very rough estimate of how big a system you need, look at your electricity bill and figure out how many kWh you use per day.

The average home uses about 900 kWh per month, or about 30 kWh per day. Multiply this by 0.25. We get 7.5, so we need a 7.5 kW system.

A typical solar panel produces up to 120 watts, or 0.12 kW per day. To supply 7.5 kW, you need about 62 panels. One panel can be approximately 142 by 64 centimeters, so a 62-panel would take up approximately 65 square meters.

You should also consider insolation and how many hours of peak sunlight you get per day, and also make adjustments if you are using batteries with panels. Therefore, it is best to turn to a professional.

Expenses

In 1956, solar panels cost about $300 per watt. Only the very rich could afford a 7.5 kW system.

Of course, you can partially power your home with solar energy. If you want to invest $2,000 in solar panels, you can supplement the electricity from the grid with a 1.5-kW solar system. Although in the West they already practice renting solar panels. There are no advance payments. Homeowners pay a monthly rent to use the panels, and the rental company owns and maintains them.

Disposal

The service life of solar panels is 40-50 years, the controller and inverter are 15-20 years, batteries, depending on the type and nature of use, are 4-10 years.
Although the issue of recycling solar panels remains open, only 30% of all manufacturers accept them back for recycling.
But nevertheless, the demand for used solar panels is growing every year. Since the extraction of rare metals is becoming increasingly expensive, recycling panels will lead to their reuse.

In addition: there is a secondary market for photo- and wind-electric installations, where already used equipment can find further use.

In countries with economies in transition, previously used solar modules can be used. Thanks to more intense solar radiation, these modules can generate more electricity.

The idea of using solar energy to heat a home or for other needs is not new; devices have been developed that allow anyone to do this. In many countries, rooftop solar panels are the rule rather than the exception. Our country is not yet one of them, but in our country similar installations can already be seen more and more often. Solar systems for home can be of two types. The first is solar collectors, which heat the coolant flowing into them. The second is solar panels that generate electricity. We will talk about them below.

Solar panels transform sunlight into electrical energy. The battery consists of a number of photoelectric converters, which are more often called photocells. The number of converters in the battery is arbitrary, the connection is series-parallel. How is the number of photocells determined? Required current and voltage. The transducers are placed on any flat surface, one next to the other. Because of appearance such structures are often called “solar panels”.

Solar panels for a private home are common in some countries

Solar panels that are too large in area are inconvenient to use in everyday life, and if the largest power is not enough, several devices are connected in a cascade. If large power is required, a significant area may be needed: the entire roof may be occupied, sometimes the walls of the house and part local area. That’s why solar panels are often used for private homes: there is room to place a large number of them. Apartment owners can only occupy windows and balconies.

Possibility of use

How can you use solar panels to heat your home? Only to reduce electricity bills, and also as a backup source in case of outage. This will help achieve that same energy independence, and not freeze the heating system in the absence of a centralized power supply.

How realistically can a solar panel meet your electricity needs? If we talk about water heating, then this is realistic: to maintain the system’s functionality, a maximum of 200-300 W/h will be required. On average, this is how much the boiler electronics + circulation pump + possible control devices and controllers “pull”. If your system is larger, take the passports and count required power. For 300 Wh, two medium-power solar panels will be sufficient (their total performance should slightly exceed the requirement).

And you don’t need to think that if there is no sun there will be no electricity. The system necessarily includes batteries and an inverter. Choose the right battery power and charge them even under the worst conditions weather conditions you will have enough system operation for several days.

By the way, many European manufacturers of heating equipment provide for the joint operation of their equipment with solar converters (for example, gas boilers and). But they work with solar collectors (heat water) or with solar panels, you need to look at each type of equipment.

If so, everything is more serious. The power of most of these heaters is calculated in kilowatts. To generate this amount of energy would require many panels to process the sun's energy. Installation of a solar panel system for heating a private house electric floors, can result in a very decent amount. But the good thing about the system is that its power can be increased gradually. If possible, you will increase the number of panels and the amount of electricity generated.

If you wish, you can save: . Such homemade options will cost several times cheaper than factory ones. And this despite the fact that you will have to buy ready-made photoconverters: their manufacture in artisanal conditions is an unrealistic task. Therefore - only ready-made ones. The efficiency of homemade solar panels will be lower than factory ones, but the price is several times lower.

Calculation of solar panels for a home

Insolation (the amount of solar energy) varies greatly from month to month. Therefore, you first need to decide what part of the electricity you are going to generate and for what period. If you want to produce 100% yourself at any time of the year, you will have to count according to the worst month with the minimum number of sunny days. But then the question will arise: what to do with the excess amount of electricity that will be generated in other months. If you plan to stay only during the gardening season, calculate according to the lowest insolation during this period. In general, the principle is clear.

Then you need to calculate what total power your solar system for your home should provide. To do this, enter all electrical appliances into the table, and from their passports, enter data on power, current consumption and watt load. By tapping the speakers, you will find out how much electricity per hour all your equipment and appliances need. It is clear that all of them are unlikely to turn on at the same time. You can try to calculate which of them work at the same time, and select solar panels based on this figure.

Let's look at how to count the number of solar panels using an example. Let the need for electricity be 10 kW/h, insolation in the estimated month is 2 kW/h. The power of the battery that we were going to buy is 250 W (0.25 kW). Now we count 10 / 2 / 0.25 = 20 pcs. That is, you will need 20 solar panels.

To reduce electricity consumption, you need to replace all incandescent lamps with LED lamps, and all old wasteful equipment with energy-saving ones - then you will need less and less a large number of solar panels.

Types of solar panels

There are different photoelectric converters. Moreover, the material from which they are made and the technology differ. The performance of these converters directly depends on all these factors. Some solar cells have an efficiency of 5-7%, and the most successful recent developments show 44% and higher. It is clear that from development to household use The distance is enormous, both in time and money. But we can imagine what awaits us in the near future. For getting best characteristics they use other rare earth metals, but with improved characteristics we have a decent increase in price. The average productivity of relatively inexpensive solar converters is 20-25%.

The most common silicon solar cells. This semiconductor is inexpensive, its production has been mastered for a long time. But they do not have the highest efficiency - those same 20-25%. Therefore, with all the diversity, three types of solar converters are mainly used today:

The cheapest are thin-film batteries. They are a thin coating of silicon on load-bearing material. The silicon layer is covered with a protective film. The advantage of these elements is that they work even in diffused light, and, therefore, it is possible to install them even on the walls of buildings. Disadvantages - low efficiency of 7-10%, and also, despite the protective layer, gradual degradation of the silicon layer. Nevertheless, by occupying a large area, you can get electricity even in cloudy weather.
Polycrystalline solar cells are made from molten silicon, slowly cooling it. These elements can be distinguished by their bright blue color. These solar panels have better productivity: efficiency is 17-20%, but in diffuse light they are ineffective.
The most expensive of the trinity, but at the same time quite widespread, are monocrystalline solar panels. They are obtained by dividing a single silicon crystal into wafers and have a characteristic geometry with beveled corners. These elements have an efficiency of 20% to 25%.

Now, when you see the words “mono solar panel” or “polycrystalline solar cell”, you will understand that we are talking about a method of producing silicon crystals. You will also know what kind of effectiveness you can expect from them.

Battery with monocrystalline converters

Efficiency of solar panels in winter

You might be surprised, but on a winter day, only 1.5-2 times less energy falls on a vertical surface than in summer. This is data for central Russia. The picture is worse per day: during this period in the summer we receive 4 times more energy. But pay attention: on a vertical surface. That is, on the wall. If we talk about a horizontal surface, the difference is already 15 times.

The saddest picture of electricity generation from solar panels awaits you not in winter, but in autumn: in cloudy weather, their efficiency is 20-40 times lower, depending on the density of cloud cover. In winter, after snow fell, insolation (the amount of light falling on the batteries) sunny days may be approaching summer values. This is why solar systems for your home produce more electricity in winter than in autumn.

It turns out that in order to achieve close to maximum efficiency in winter, you need to place solar panels vertically or almost vertically. And, if you hang them on walls, then it is advisable to face them in the southeast: according to statistics, the weather is often clear in the morning. If there is no south-eastern wall, or it is impossible to install anything on it, you can get out of the situation by making special stands. Then they put solar panels on the roof. Since the angle of incidence of the sun's rays changes depending on the season, it is advisable to make a stand with an adjustable angle. There is a possibility - turn the solar panels “facing” to the southeast, if there is no such option, let them “look” to the south.

Installation Rules

The efficiency of silicon solar cells depends on the amount of solar energy falling on them (the entire spectrum of radiation). Factors that we can somehow influence are:

The performance of many types of converters is affected by temperature indicators: the range of use of silicon elements is from -40 o C to +50 o C. Both lower and higher temperatures have a negative impact on performance. high temperatures. If you have active sun in the summer, it is important to prevent overheating. To do this, you can put white cloth or foil under the panel (more effective). If this does not help and the panel overheats, rotate it or rehang it. It will be necessary to choose a position in which the thermal regime will be maintained and the performance will remain quite high.

These devices show their maximum productivity if the sun's rays fall at an angle of 90 o. Unfortunately, this is not possible all day, but only for a short period of time. There are special tracking systems that change the angle of the panel so that the light falls constantly at the desired angle, but these are expensive installations.

And yet, you can find the optimal angle for installing solar panels. It’s just that with a slight deviation from the ideal (less than 50 o), productivity drops slightly, by about 5%. You can see actual confirmation of this in the video.

Each region has its own angle for installing solar panels. It can be determined experimentally (as you saw), or it can be set based on geographic latitude - this slope is considered to be the best. Much depends on the orientation of the panel: if you face it north or east, the optimal angle will be smaller.

Solar panels on the roof

First of all, you need to find out whether the roof can withstand the additional load. Any module can handle one or two modules, but for more will have to count.

For reliable fixation, they must be attached at least at four points. Moreover, if you are installing factory-made panels, do not be lazy to study the installation instructions: if at least one of the points is violated, the equipment will be removed from the warranty. In most cases the requirements are:

Solar panel mounting systems can be different. There are ready-made ones (sold in the same place where the panels themselves are sold), but you can also use those made by yourself. It is only important to use reliable, corrosion-resistant materials. The thickness of the slats and fasteners must be large: they must withstand wind loads, and a lot of panels with the thickest snow cover.

One of the methods for attaching solar panels to the roof of a private house can be seen in the video.

Now a little about electrical assembly. The solar battery connection diagram, in addition to the converters themselves, provides for the presence of:

charge controller with connected batteries;
converter (inverter), which converts direct current into alternating current;
fuses to protect against short circuit(will increase the security of both yours and the system).

The controller and converter have current and voltage limitations. The total parameters of the solar system connected to your home should not exceed them. To electrically connect batteries into a single system, you need to use only those wires that are routed outside.

To connect the panels, a copper conductor in UV-resistant insulation is used. If wires in suitable insulation are not found, hide it in a corrugated hose for outdoor use. The thickness of the wire cores depends on the expected current strength in the system and the length of the line, but the minimum cross-section is 4 mm 2. It is advisable to connect the conductors using connectors, and not with strands. MC4 is recommended because the conductors coming out of most solar panels are terminated with just such connectors. These connectors are good because they provide a tight connection, which is important on roofs. But not all companies install connectors of this standard. Cheap models (especially Chinese ones) may have something different, so check when purchasing.

Now about the sequence of connecting equipment to the system. For a secure connection, follow the following order:

Batteries are connected to the controller with correct polarity. The wires are copper, the cross-section is selected depending on the power of the controller.
Solar panels are connected to the controller. Polarity must also be observed.
12 V consumers are connected to the controller via a fuse.
An inverter is connected to the batteries (via a fuse), and 220 V consumers are already connected to its output. Connecting the inverter directly to the controller is excluded: you will have to buy new devices. And this is approximately $600-1000 depending on the company and power.

Do not neglect the connection sequence - this is the safest algorithm that guarantees (subject to polarity) the working state of the system.

Finally, another option for installation on the roof of a summer house with an adjustable angle of inclination. Perhaps you will find the video useful.