Boost Your Solar Array With a Hot Water Diverter

Ever since solar PV become a viable investment opportunity for domestic properties, homeowners have been searching for ways to self-consume more solar generation and increase their financial benefits.

Hot water diverters are among the most affordable solutions but still offer significant energy savings and financial returns.

How does Solar PV work?

Solar PV generates free, usable energy from a collection of panels situated on a property’s roof (roof-mounted array) or nearby on the ground (ground-mounted array). Devices drawing power as electricity is generated are supplied by the solar array. Any excess energy is then exported to the grid.

Due to the Feed-in Tariff’s composition, the government’s incentive scheme for photovoltaic systems, users consuming more of their generation will see the greatest return on investment. Although there are many alternatives on today’s market that enhance a solar array, hot water diverters combine lower installation costs with large savings.

What is a Hot Water Diverter?

Hot water diverters prevent excess solar generation from being sent back to the grid by turning it into hot water

Excess solar generation is used to power an immersion heater within a hot water cylinder in order to provide water heating.  No user input is required as the diverter is completely self-operating.

These smart devices only function from solar supply so will be completely free to run. Excess solar generation that can’t be consumed by connected appliances or via the hot water diverter is then exported back to the grid.

The Benefits of installing a Hot Water Diverter

Customers who’ve installed solar typically consume between 45 and 65 percent of the energy they generate. This figure can increase by as much as 30 percent by installing a hot water diverter. This correlates to £100’s of extra savings each year.

The excess energy consumption replaces demand from an existing heating system. The result is reduced heating bills and increased financial savings. Stress on the heating system is also decreased.

Diverters are simple to install – usually undertaken by an electrician within a couple of hours or a morning. All that is required is an existing solar PV array and a hot water cylinder. Hot water diverters can be installed alongside a new solar system.

Hot water diverters are an excellent way for customers already benefiting from a solar PV array to maximise the returns from their investment and keep upfront capital costs low.

This blog was provided by GreenGenUk