Photovoltaic Solar Energy

Renewable energies leave decreases of up to 23% in the price of electricity

With a decrease of 23%, mainly due to the increasing rate maintained by the production of renewables, the daily price of electricity on the wholesale market (POOL) marked a historic October 2020, standing at €36.5/MWh. It is worth highlighting the setbacks of the 13% experienced in relation to the previous month, where it reached €41.96/MWh and which has made this price the lowest since at least 2010, placing 33% lower than the average for October the last five years.

Renewable production reaches 56%

The analysts of ASE Group They attribute to renewables the 'responsibility' for this reduction in the price of electricity in October. In fact, these technologies have set a double record by growing production by 56%, covering 50% of the internal demand for electricity.

Added to this is the green energy reduces space for combined cycles and prevents the rise in gas prices from impacting the POOL. Wind power, with a generation 45% higher than the average for the month of October, is at the top of the mix, with 29%, followed by far by nuclear power, with 22.5%.

The other renewable technologies also experienced a significant increase, since the heavy rains in October raised the hydraulic production up to 70% per year, with some hydraulic reservoirs that have 23% more water than last year on these dates. In addition, photovoltaics has grown by 66% and already represents 6.4% of the mix.

The second wave of COVID-19 causes a reduction in the price of electricity

Two other factors that have influenced the evolution of the price of electricity are the national electricity demand and the recovery of nuclear production in France. Although a downward trend is detected in the first of these variables, the drop is less than in the harshest months of the pandemic. Thus, in October it was 2.5% lower than that of a year ago and the cumulative cut since January stood at 4.9%.

For his part, the recovery of French nuclear production removed the strong pressure that exercised the French market last September. In October the balance with France was practically zero due to the growth in imports, which have doubled compared to last month.

It should also be noted that the second wave of Covid-19 has an impact on futures and commodities, since As the situation has worsened, the European electricity futures markets have experienced a reduction in their prices.

In Spain, the price of Yr-21 fell by 4% and stood at €43.60/MWh. Also noteworthy is the reduction of the 10% in the price of CO2 emissions.

 Fountain: fevymar

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In this article we will discuss how to store photovoltaic energy making our radiant heating system more profitable.

The mode is none other than through batteries for self-consumption.

And what do they consist of? Well, they are simply devices capable of accumulating the electrical energy obtained in excess during the hours of sunlight for its subsequent use. There are currently different models and choosing the right battery depends on some factors. We detail the possible options…

Types of batteries for solar energy

Lead-acid batteries

Also called monoblock batteries, they are one of the easiest to obtain and install and, therefore, one of the most used for self-consumption; Recommended for small spaces such as homes and/or premises.

lithium batteries

They are much more functional regarding their size and weight. They can be installed in any room without taking up much space and, in addition, they offer complete discharges without emitting gases.

deep cycle batteries

They are specially designed to be used daily, since their utility cycle extends up to 7 years. Its installation is extremely useful in places where continuous and powerful downloads are needed, because it is capable of doing them without damaging the battery.

AGM batteries

AGM batteries are a safe and efficient option in spaces with a lot of vibrations. The acid that powers them has a minimal risk of spillage, so they can be easily installed in places that need maximum security.

Which to choose?

Of all these types of batteries we must highlight lead-acid and lithium. Look at the following comparison so that you can choose the most suitable one.

• Lithium batteries are more expensive at first, but if we compare them with lead-acid, the former are undoubtedly more cost-effective.
• Lithium batteries are maintained once a year, while lead-acid batteries must be checked monthly and with water recharges at least 4 times a year.
• Lithium batteries have a charge efficiency of 97%; those of lead-acid, just an 85%.
• It is possible to expand lithium batteries with other models, but in lead-acid batteries it is not recommended to do so.
• Lithium batteries are safer because they don't emit gases, unlike lead-acid batteries that emit corrosive chemicals.

According to these factors, lithium batteries have more advantages than those of lead-acid within self-consumption facilities.

So far, a description of the advantages of installing these types of devices that will enable, even more if possible, the qualities of our underfloor heating system.

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The search for alternative sources of energy to save on household consumption is something that many families are currently considering.

Now, thanks to the repeal of the sun tax, it is much easier to use the energy generated by solar installations. self-consumption. In this article we will tell you how you can save on your electricity bill with the use of photovoltaic solar panels in your home. We hope it helps you.

¿Why choose photovoltaic solar panels for your home?

Photovoltaic solar panels take advantage of solar radiation to generate electricity. Therefore, installing this type of plates in our country is a success if what we want is to considerably reduce our dependence on the electrical network or save on the electricity bill.

Undoubtedly, thanks to the countless hours of sunshine that we have in Spain, we will be able to amortize the initial cost of our photovoltaic self-consumption installation, becoming one of the compelling reasons to take the step and start enjoying the clean energy that the sun gives us. sun.

Depending on the hours in which the sun shines on the solar panels in the area where we live, a savings of up to more than 700 euros per year in the total cost of electricity.

¿How to save energy with photovoltaic solar panels?

When choosing a self-consumption system, it is necessary to determine what energy needs you have and if they can be covered only with the installation of solar panels. In this sense, we find:

Isolated self-consumption facilities

This type of self-consumption installations depends entirely on the energy produced by solar panels. Therefore, they do not imply any cost when generating energy nor do you have to pay electricity bills as they are not connected to the network. The only thing that will have to be taken into account for this system is having batteries that store the excess energy, which can be used at any time.

Self-consumption facilities connected to the network

In this case, the photovoltaic installation acts as a complement to the service contracted from the electricity company. In many cases, generating your own energy at home can save up to 75% on your monthly bill if you opt for an option with energy storage.

How many solar panels are needed to power my home?

The first thing before venturing to install solar panels at home is to carry out a study of our location, so that we know how much solar radiation arrives and the hours of sunshine that are enjoyed on average per year. In this sense, not only the number of panels to be installed is important, but also their orientation and inclination, since if they are inadequate, they will not be as efficient as they could be.

For this reason, the solar panels must be oriented to the south to capture the maximum energy and, in addition, have an approximate inclination of 18º over the geographical latitude.

Regarding the number of panels that we must install, this will depend on various factors, such as the energy needs of each home (heating, lighting, electrical appliances, etc.), whether it is going to be an isolated self-consumption or connected to the network, whether they will use batteries or the hours of sun enjoyed by the place where the installation is to be carried out.

Next, we give you some information about the panels that would have to be installed in certain cities, as well as their profitability.

Profitability of photovoltaic solar panels

amount of sun per year

Getting more or less out of self-consumption facilities depends to a large extent on the place where it is carried out, since the hours of solar irradiation vary throughout the national territory.

Therefore, it is essential to know the hours of sunshine in the area where you want to install the solar panels, since the same number of panels will not be as productive in Murcia as in the Basque Country.

As an example, Madrid has about 2,600 hours of sunshine a year, being the European capital that enjoys the sun the most.

With an installation of about 14 solar panels on average, a Madrid family with an annual consumption of 5,000 KWh would achieve savings of up to 64% on the electricity bill.

However, Madrid is not the city with the most sun in the country, and it is in places like Badajoz, Seville, Almería or Alicante, where the highest values of solar radiation are produced.

In Seville, for example, only about 13 panels would be enough to generate annual savings of 720 euros per year, thanks to the use of more than 2,800 hours of sunshine per year.

Regarding areas with less incidence of solar radiation, such as Vizcaya, these would need a greater number of solar panels. Specifically, for savings of up to 61% on the electricity bill, the installation of 17 photovoltaic panels would be necessary.

With these data, thinking about installing solar panels in our home becomes much more appealing and, even more if we take into account that with the savings that it entails in the bill, the installation, which will have a useful life of up to 35 years on average. , will be amortized between 5 and 8 years.

Type of photovoltaic cells

On the other hand, the profitability of a solar panel will also be determined by the type, since there are several kinds of photovoltaic panels available on the market. Specifically, and depending on the type of cell that forms them, we find the following:

• crystalline cells, which can in turn be monocrystalline or polycrystalline. In the case of the former, they are made up of circular or octagonal sections of silicon. The second are formed by small crystallized particles.

• amorphous cells, in which the silicon has not crystallized.

In this regard, the more effective and therefore profitable the plates will be, the greater their crystals, weight and thickness. In the case of crystalline plates, their performance can be up to 22%, while amorphous ones do not exceed 10%.

Source: adrase.com

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