Solar diverters provide a great way to keep the free energy you have invested in. Diverters can heat water with any excess PV power that is not consumed in the home and if they are smart they can ensure as much PV as possible is stored while also providing timely heat when the sun hasn’t been shining.
The following features of solar PV system can have a substantial effect on running costs:
- Ability to make use of static or dynamic time-of-use tariffs to provide heat cost effectively when it is not sunny.
- Ability to maximise the heat capacity available to solar and maintain user comfort requirements..
Controllers for PV diverters should not only be smart, but the hardware should support the accuracy and configurability required to maximise water volume temperatures within a thermal storage system. Cost effective solutions for control and uprated safety systems for domestic applications are needed to enable better use of micro-generated power.