LiviosThe efficiency analysis of a classic home battery does not always appear to be favorable. The Dutch start-up Solyx Energy claims to offer a cheaper alternative by storing excess solar energy in the hot water boiler. Bouwsite Livios looked at how it works and what the benefits are.
There are currently two options for the energy that your solar panels generate and that you cannot use immediately. Those who do not invest in energy storage sell the excess power to their energy supplier, who pays a fee for this. This so-called injection rate has fallen sharply in recent months, following the energy prices.
Another option is to store the energy in a home battery. You then store the electricity to use it at times when the solar panels do not generate energy or – in the case of a dynamic energy rate – when hourly prices are disadvantageous. Read more about the operation, price and payback time of a home battery here.
Installing solar panels? This is the financial picture.
Sensor met meetklem
Experts from EnergyVille, among others, have already pointed out that the classic home battery is not a profitable investment for everyone. Solyx Energy believes that things can be done differently. The water battery does not store energy as electricity, but in the form of hot water. Heating water using solar energy is of course not new. Solar boilers have been common for much longer. An important difference is that a solar boiler uses solar collectors, while the water battery uses solar panels that may already be present.
From heat pump boiler to solar boiler: the options for sanitary hot water.
How does it work?
Operational manager Ivar Kotte explains: “The system is quite simple. A sensor with measuring clamp in the meter cupboard measures the unused solar energy. In the event of a power surplus, a signal is sent to the ‘Solar iBoost’ device, which controls the boiler with the exact amount of unused solar energy. The electric boiler stores the heat in the water, after which you can enjoy a sustainable shower.” View the types of electric boilers, their features, price and required maintenance here.
The operation of the water battery. © Solyx Energy
What does it cost?
The ‘water battery’ costs approximately 1,500 euros, including the installation of an electric boiler with a capacity of 50 liters, good for a ten-minute shower. The cost of a boiler with a capacity of 200 liters, good for a 40-minute shower, is 300 euros higher. You can also connect the water battery to the existing electric boiler or a boiler from another brand. Then you only pay for the clamp and the device, together 595 euros plus installation costs. With the Flemish premium ‘Electric Heat Control’ (SEW) you will receive 50 percent of the purchase and installation costs back, with a maximum of 400 euros. “It is also possible to connect the electric boiler to the central heating combi boiler,” adds Ivar Kotte. Check here what you definitely need to know about the central heating boiler.
The price tag is therefore significantly lower compared to traditional home batteries with a price range of – depending on the capacity and brand – 3,000 to 6,000 euros. Solyx Energy claims a payback period of approximately five years.
How much energy can you store?
A 100 liter electric boiler can store 5 kilowatt hours of electricity, while a 200 liter boiler stores 10 kilowatt hours. By comparison, average home batteries have a storage capacity of 4 to 6 kilowatt hours.
Tesla past
Solyx Energy introduces the Solar iBoost water battery on the Belgian and Dutch market. The system comes from England, where a hundred thousand homes have already installed one. Ivar Kotte indicates that the first installations took place in the Netherlands. Solyx Energy will be looking for installation companies in our country to further market the product. Managers are father and daughter Hans and Emma Sneek, both with a background in the charging station industry. Emma previously worked for Tesla and Lilium, a builder of electric aircraft.
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This article was written by our partner Livios.be, an expert site that focuses on construction and renovation.
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2023-10-23 16:01:58
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