A private individual builds his own photovoltaic power plant for less than 3000€
We often talk about solar panels and renewable energy… Installing a solar power plant can represent a big budget that not everyone can afford… But if you’re a bit handy, building your own power plant can be a challenge really good plan. Audren van Zalk, a resident of Lot, confides his experiences to the Energy Revolution website and explains how in a few days he built his own photovoltaic power plant that will cover more than half of his electricity needs. A look back at this experience that might provide inspiration for those looking for a solution to reduce their electricity bills.
How did he build his solar power plant?
Audrey works in construction and still has some knowledge to do the installation. His construction site lasted a total of two weekends, the first was dedicated to building the wooden structure, the second to the solar panels. He decided to install 8 panels with 400 Wp, thus delivering a power of 3.2 kWp, tamed by the 3 kWp inverter controlled by Enedis. His panels were mounted on a wooden structure that he also built himself. And this obviously to cope with future energy price increases expected in 2024 when the customs shield will be gone, for choosing to take on this little challenge.
How much did it cost him?
Before placing an order, he had to deal intensively with the specific technical standards of photovoltaics; It was not only about building his power plant, but also using it… The young man then bought the panels, inverter and AC/DC boxes for about €2,200 and he added the wood, electric wires and screws for a total price of 2700 €. So he considers its purchase price at 844 € / kWp if the installation by a professional costs between 1500€ and 3000€/kWp. The economy is just awesome, isn’t it?
Audrey has chosen to send what it does not consume to the public grid free of charge, which has saved it from sometimes lengthy administrative procedures, because in order to be compensated for the electricity returned, You must have the Consuel’s approval and comply with very strict requirements. He then decided on a home battery to store his energy and use it for his needs, including to power the battery of his electric car Renault Zoé 22 kWh, for which it uses all the energy overproduced by its photovoltaic system. For now, Audrey takes care of load shedding manually, but should soon be able to automate it. Everything is now working perfectly!
An orientation that he chose according to his needs…
We have already explained it to you, the solar panels must generally be aligned due south. Audrey, he chose to face southwest because his energy needs are greater in the evening; a way to optimize its production according to its needs. So he hopes generate 3200 kWh electricity per year and be able to fully power his Renault Zoé, which consumes 2,000 per year.
First charging of the Zoé with photovoltaic 💪⚡#RuralTransition pic.twitter.com/Gigmjzvhe9
— ObjectifZeroCarbone (or almost…) (@ObjectifZero) July 25, 2022
The remaining 1200 kWh cover half of the annual household consumption. So he could realize an annual saving of 1200€ Save electricity and amortize your photovoltaic system in less than 3 years… Isn’t life beautiful? More information : ObjectifZeroCarbone (or almost…) / Twitter. Do not hesitate to consult his YouTube channel, Audrey shares a lot of very interesting tips.
