Effective methods for maximizing energy yield
Deciding to purchase a balcony power system is crucial for optimizing your energy costs. However, to maximize the energy yield from your balcony power system, there are tips and tricks that can help. Balcony power systems can be mounted in various locations. You can install them on balcony railings, flat roofs, in gardens, or even vertically on a wall. Your choice of location depends on local conditions as well as sunlight exposure. Below, we assist you in setting up your balcony power system to ensure maximum energy production. Another positive aspect is partial independence from the constantly rising electricity prices. While electricity prices are hardly predictable, the yield from the balcony system depends on seasonal fluctuations.
In addition to optimizing energy costs, balcony systems represent an important, albeit small, step towards energy transition, and climate and environmental protection. By reducing your own need for external energy, which is still largely produced using fossil fuels, your personal CO2 footprint is significantly reduced. Balcony solar systems ensure environmentally friendly electricity production.
The Basics: How Energy Production on Your Balcony Works
The function of a balcony solar system is straightforward. The solar energy captured by the solar panels is fed to the inverter as direct current. This converts the direct current into alternating current, which is then fed into the home electrical circuit through a plug connection and used as usual for operating electrical devices in the household.
Optimal Alignment and Placement of Solar Panels
To fully exploit the performance potential of solar technology and achieve optimal energy efficiency, the right location and optimal alignment are fundamentally important. As already mentioned, the balcony, flat roof, house wall, and garden are available as installation sites.
The best yield is achieved when the system is oriented southward. This ensures that the maximum amount of solar energy is collected during the day. The optimal installation angle is 30 degrees. However, this alignment may not necessarily be the best for your own needs. Since the angle of the sun's rays deviates greatly from the optimal average in the morning and evening, the time-dependent energy consumption must also be considered. For instance, if you consume most electricity in the morning and are not at home during the day, you should set up your system to produce the most electricity when it is needed.
Note: In many forums, it is mentioned that balcony systems must meet special technical requirements at heights above 4 meters. However, according to the State Commission for Building Technology, this is not correct. The chairman of the commission, Martin Rücker, announced that balcony systems or balcony power plants do not have to comply with the administrative regulation "Technical Building Regulations" since they are not permanently connected to the building and do not represent a building product in the true sense. However, general safety and order requirements as well as manufacturer's specifications must still be met. This exception does not apply to solar systems that do not meet the conditions for small solar systems.
Maintenance and Care: How to Maintain Your System's Performance
Balcony power systems are very low maintenance. Typically, maintenance is limited to regular inspection of the surfaces of the solar panels as well as the plug connections and cables. As long as there are no visible damages in these areas and the electricity output is within the normal range, there is no need for action.
How is cleaning performed? Before you start cleaning, you should unplug the balcony power system. This precaution is recommended when dealing with all electrical devices and is a safety measure. Then, the system should be visually inspected for damages or loose connections. If everything is in order, a preliminary cleaning is performed. If possible, you can rinse the panels with a garden hose. Subsequently, the panels can be cleaned.
A bucket, an ecological cleaning agent, and a mop, preferably with a long handle, are sufficient for cleaning. If the water is particularly hard, you should rinse again with distilled water after cleaning to avoid lime deposits. Lime deposits impair sunlight exposure and should ideally be avoided. Now you can remove the panels with a squeegee and you are done.
Additional Tips for Even More Energy Efficiency
To precisely check how much electricity your power plant delivers, a simple electricity meter can be connected between the plug and the house connection. This allows you to always keep an eye on whether your system is functioning properly.
Much has already been said about the care of the solar system. In addition to cleanliness, seasonal phenomena should also be considered. For example, leaves fall in autumn, snow in winter, and pollen in spring. All these things can accumulate on the solar panels and directly affect electricity production. Therefore, ensure that the system is free from shading between the usual cleaning intervals.