Anicet Mbida 06:53, March 02, 2023

Anicet Mbida delivers to us every morning what is best in terms of innovation.

This Thursday, he is interested in a trick to make a photovoltaic installation profitable, to use the water heater as a battery, to store the surplus solar energy.

The innovation of the day is a trick to make a photovoltaic installation profitable: using the water heater as a battery, to store the excess solar energy.

It was enough to think about it.

Because obviously, it's when there is sun that the solar panels produce at full capacity.

So only during the day.

But it is also the day when there are the fewest people in the houses and when the least energy is consumed.

As a result, we end up with a surplus of production, which is either lost or sold on the network.

The idea is therefore to use this surplus to heat your hot water tank during the day.

This makes it possible to store energy for the evening bath or the morning shower... In short, for all the times when you need it most.

Of course, the surplus could also be stored in lithium-ion batteries.

But you know they are very expensive.

So that would push the break-even point even further away from its installation.

Whereas with the water heater, we will boost our self-consumption with immediate gains.

How it works ?

Do you reprogram your water heater so that it only heats during the day?

No Unfortunately.

It would be too simple.

You should know that a water heater consumes a lot (between 2,500 to 3,000 watts).

It is this power which makes it possible to bring the whole balloon up to temperature in 3 - 4 hours.

But suddenly, if it starts at any time during the day and the solar panels do not produce enough, it risks getting its additional energy from the electricity grid.

We therefore need a new generation of water heaters capable of modulating its power according to the excess solar energy available.

And above all, weather forecasts.

Because we wouldn't like to have to shower in cold water on bad weather days.

And are these new generation water heaters already available?

Yes, they are starting to be marketed.

A good dozen manufacturers offer them.

It is also surprising that it took so long to see them arrive.

Good news: for once, the French are not late.

They are even industry leaders.

I am thinking, for example, of the Nantes residents of Systovi who also have the good taste of manufacturing in France.