Alternative energy to help residents of apartment buildings. Solar panel in the apartment, is the installation worth the effort

Owners of city apartments will certainly be pleased with the opportunity to turn their own balcony into a small power plant - a source of free electricity. Such a balcony is unlikely to be able to compete with a nuclear reactor in terms of energy efficiency, but provide own heating and the lighting will be quite capable of him. This idea can be realized with the help of solar panels. Read about what it is and how to install solar panels on a balcony in our material.

Free cheese without a mousetrap

The brilliant Nikola Tesla once said that the space around us is an ocean filled with free energy. Exhausted by oil and gas addiction, humanity has always been looking for an opportunity to attach itself to this ocean and scoop up at least a small part of its contents. One of the ways to achieve this is associated with the use of devices that appeared in the 50s of the 20th century, called solar panels. Since their invention, they have been constantly improved, becoming more efficient, reliable and durable.

So how does a solar battery work? most important part modern solar battery is a solar cell, the material of which has semiconductor properties. Many of these parts are interconnected, forming panels of various sizes. Under the influence of solar radiation, the photocell generates a constant electricity, but it cannot be used directly to power consumers. To give such electricity a "digestible" form, they use a special device - an inverter..

Another important component of a solar cell is battery. It allows you to accumulate electrical energy during periods of intense sunlight and then use it as needed.

Today, solar panels are used to produce photovoltaic cells. various materials, which differ from each other in cost and efficiency. The most common include:

1. Silicon polycrystals

This kind of photovoltaic cells is in the highest demand because it has the best cost-performance ratio. Another advantage is the ease of installation, which even an unprepared person can easily handle. You can recognize polycrystalline elements by their characteristic blue color.

2. Silicon monocrystals

Photocells of this type are more productive than polycrystalline, however, and their cost is significantly higher. The main feature of single crystals is that they have the shape of a polygon. This determines their inherent disadvantage: single-crystal photocells cannot be combined into a continuous array, there are always gaps between individual parts. Thus, part of the area collected from similar elements of the panel is wasted.

3. Amorphous silicon

This type of photocells is inferior in performance to the two described above, but still it is in sufficient demand due to its affordable cost.

4. Cadmium telluride

Photovoltaic cells made of this material have the form of a film up to 0.5 mm thick. Such a film can be partially transparent, which makes it possible to use it over the balcony glazing. In this case, in addition to its main function, it will play the role of glass tinting.

5. CIGS (semiconductor material)

CIGS-based photovoltaic cells are also made in the form of a film, but in comparison with cadmium telluride, they have a higher performance.

The differences in performance between these materials are very significant. For example, a panel of 1 sq. m, made of single-crystal silicon, in ideal conditions generates 125 watts of electricity. An amorphous silicon battery of the same area has an electrical power of only 50 watts.

The apartment is always warm. And to keep it in it as long as possible will help. Read more about its characteristics and use in our article.

And if you decide to sheathe your balcony with siding, for its installation.

Advantages and disadvantages of solar panels

The advantages of solar panels are obvious:

• free electricity;
• environmental friendliness;
• durability (service life modern systems ranges from 20 to 25 years);
• reliability (since batteries do not contain moving parts, they fail only in exceptional cases);
• minimal maintenance (panels only need to be cleaned from dust and dirt).

Among the shortcomings can be noted:

• instability (battery performance depends not only on the time of day, but also on the weather);
• high cost (the price of a more or less serious installation for domestic use starts from 3500 euros);
• low productivity in comparison with traditional energy sources.

Installation and use on the balcony

Before you start installing solar panels on your balcony, you should understand two things. First, the battery included in the installation kit does not tolerate low temperatures, so the balcony should be at least and. Secondly, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of switching all electrical consumers to power from the conventional power grid in case the performance of the solar battery drops due to bad weather.

Installing the battery is fairly easy. The panels are fixed on a frame made of a corner with a shelf width of 50 mm. The frame must be securely attached to the capital elements of the building - walls or slabs, otherwise the structure will not withstand snow and wind loads.

Do not forget that solar battery regularly have to be cleaned of dust and dirt remaining after precipitation, so its panels should be placed in the access field.

Note: The battery has the highest efficiency if the rays fall on its surface at a right angle. In winter, the sun deviates from the summer position by an angle of 12 degrees, so the frame with photocells must also be able to rotate by this angle

Note to Samodelkin

The lack of sufficient financial resources is not a reason to give up on a dream. If you wish, you can organize a solar battery device with your own hands from quite affordable materials.

You will need:

• glass or plexiglass 4 mm thick - 700x1050 mm (one sheet);
• solar cells (can be ordered via the Internet) - 48 pcs. (4 rows of 12 pieces);
• aluminum profile (corner 20x20 mm);
• sealant;
• soldering iron;
• flux;
• tin;
• tires for soldering;
• multimeter.

Choice of photocells

Manufacturers offer us two types of photocells:

• monocrystalline (efficiency 13%);
• polycrystalline (efficiency 7 - 9%).

Single crystals serve up to 30 years, but they are sensitive to weather fluctuations: if the sun is covered by clouds, the power of the elements will decrease significantly. Polycrystalline elements can be operated for no more than 20 years, but they do not lose power in the presence of clouds.

Solar battery manufacturing

Alternative electric power industry achieves everything every year large scale. The increased interest in this area is due to two extractable benefits: lower costs in the long term and preservation of the pristine environment. Today, progressive methods of extracting electricity have reached privately owned buildings, we will consider this issue today on the site

To supply private properties with direct electric current, solar panels are installed on buildings. Scientists have made great strides, working for more than 200 years to improve systems for converting light waves into electrical current. Consider the benefits and characteristics various types solar panels, the average market cost of the kit, the features of installation and operation of autonomous power plants in a private house.

The principle of operation of solar panels

The operation of the device is based on the law of the photoelectric effect. Under the action of the sun electromagnetic radiation- visible light - a converter made of silicon or an alternative material emits electrons. Thus, a photovoltaic system installed on the roof of a private house becomes a source of uninterrupted power supply for its residents.

Considering the cost of solar panels for the home, it is right to start with an acquaintance with existing varieties photovoltaic installations. Today, this market is well formed, so that the consumer has the opportunity to choose a system that meets the individual needs of the family.

Which photovoltaic installation kit to buy for a private house

The development of engineering thought has led to the creation of three main categories of photovoltaic systems. Each of them has constructive and technological features, differs in some nuances of functioning.

Solar batteries of category I - autonomous

The main difference between the systems of this group is the lack of connection to centralized network power supply. The equipment connected to the installation receives direct power. Autonomous systems equipped with rechargeable batteries, which allows you to have uninterrupted power supply during a period of lack of sunlight.

Solar panels II category - open

This equipment is connected to the centralized power supply system through an inverter. The battery is not included. When the level of power consumption becomes higher than the generated power, the photovoltaic system is turned off, transferring the devices to power from the main power grid. In the opposite situation, the central power grid is blocked. This is the most economical and reliable option. However, in the absence of a centralized power supply, the operation of the system is impossible.

Solar batteries category III - combined

A feature of the installation is the supply of excess generated electricity to the main network. Solar panels with this configuration are the most expensive.

Advice! In the event of a simultaneous shutdown of the main power supply channel and a shortage of sunlight, a small power generator should be purchased. This step will protect against unexpected power outages at home.

The cost of a solar power plant for private property

Having decided to switch to an economical mode of supplying electricity at home, it is important to consider the prices not only for the kit, but also for its installation and maintenance. It is rather difficult to name the specific cost of solar panels, since more than one factor influences its formation.

The price of the kit is affected by:

• system category;
• power;
• quality;
• manufacturer.

To find out the approximate cost of an autonomous power plant kit for a home, a calculation based on available data will help. It is known that to generate 1 W of power, it is required to spend about 60 rubles. It is easy to calculate the cost of purchasing a kit that produces 100-200 watts of power (enough for small house) - 6000-12000 rubles. It is worth considering that this calculation covers the lowest quality photovoltaic equipment.

When choosing a set of solar panels for a private house, it is also important to take into account the guarantee of uninterrupted power supply. This is especially important for maintaining the stable operation of the heating systems installed in the house, external and internal monitoring, fire alarm and computer support.

Price of an incomplete set of photovoltaic system

To understand how feasible it is in a particular case to purchase a set of solar panels for a home, you need to do the following: correlate the cost of a unit of power produced by a centralized power grid with the price of the same amount of power converted from sunlight. Comparison of current prices shows that this ratio is 8-9 times in favor of photovoltaic equipment.

The output voltage of solar panels is -12 V, 24 V or more. The characteristics of the elements of the kit allow them to be used separately, without connecting the entire kit. Recall that to obtain 1 W, you need to spend about 60 rubles on photovoltaic equipment.
To get 1 W from solar energy, you need to spend about 60 rubles

Let's move on to the specifics of local use. For example, if you need a 25 W bulb rated for 12 V to illuminate a small area, you can purchase a solar panel with suitable parameters for this purpose, which will cost about 2000 rubles. A small well pump with parameters of 200 W and 24 V can be connected to a non-volume photovoltaic system. An irrigation system based on it will last more than 10 years and will cost about 12,000 rubles.

A set of solar panels to the country

When planning the use of a photovoltaic system in the country, it is important to consider several nuances:

• stability of centralized electricity supply in the area;
• the risk of theft during the absence in the country;
• required electrification power.

Most often, a set of solar panels of category I is installed in the country, that is autonomous type. Autonomous power supply for a building with low energy consumption is financially profitable. In some cases, a mobile kit is used.

Interesting! According to the data obtained through the analysis, it was found that it is beneficial to use photovoltaic installations for country house with an area up to 300 m².

Solar independent heating system for the house

Not only photovoltaic systems, but also collectors for heating and water heating are built on solar energy. When using a quality installation, you can save more than 30% of the funds spent on these needs.

The solar collector is a 10 cm thick panel with an area of ​​1 × 2 m. Varieties within the indicated dimensions differ in the heat loss coefficient, which reflects the amount of thermal energy transferred to the heat transfer fluid. For one modern panel solar collector this value is 1.2-5 W/m² × °K.

The cost of a solar heating system

It is important to understand that when it comes to the price of a solar thermal plant for a home, it usually means purchasing a complete set. It includes a pump, tank, battery and other components. For such a set, on average, you need to pay from 100 to 170 thousand rubles. It should be noted that when purchasing a system domestic manufacturers you can save about 50-60 thousand rubles.

If we consider the cost of a single solar collector panel, then for 1 m² with a heat loss coefficient of 2.7, you will have to pay 18-20,000 rubles. The domestic analogue will cost on average 15% cheaper, the Chinese one - 40%.

Important! Price hot water can be reduced by more than half if the systems of collectors and batteries operating on the radiation of the daylight are combined.

The price of one solar panel and a whole set from different manufacturers

Alternative energy, aimed at converting solar radiation into direct current, is moving forward at a rapid pace. The number of companies producing such systems is increasing every year. Leading position in production solar devices for electricity and heat takes China.

The average cost of a panel (200 W) / a set (2,000 W) of solar panels from different manufacturers (in rubles):

• China - Helios Haus, Suntech, etc. - 12 000 / 140 000
• Russia - TCM and Hevel Solar - 16 000 / 170 000
• Europe - Viessmann Group, Solarworld and others. - 16 000 / 220 000
• Asia - Motech, Kyocera, Sanyo, etc. - 13 000 / 16 000
• USA - First Solar - 27 000 /38 000

The dependence of the cost of solar panels on the quality of service

Before you decide to buy, you need to ask not only the cost of a set of solar panels and the reliability of the manufacturer, but also the quality of the services provided by the supplier.

attractive low cost home energy kit may be due to the following limitations of the service:

• no preliminary calculation is carried out;
• design is not carried out;
• Not all accessories are provided.
• the kit is delivered, but not mounted;
• no logistics;
• service is not performed.

The owners of private houses and cottages are very lucky - they can install entire fields of solar batteries on their roofs, combine central system power supply with solar, and as a result, significantly save. And what about the residents of urban high-rise buildings? Solar panels for an apartment - is it a utopia or is it a reality?

Installation

Of course, it is rather problematic to equip a full-fledged solar system within a standard city apartment. And the first difficulty to be faced is the placement of the solar panels themselves. And it's not just about their size, it's primarily about orientation to the sun. After all, the rays must fall on the photo surface at a certain angle, otherwise the panel will not work. But how to achieve this in apartment building?

Well, if the balcony goes in the right direction. And if not? Another possible variant- installation of solar panels on the roof of the house. But this is justified if the apartment is located on top floor. Otherwise, the energy losses in the cables may be too high.

True, there is another possibility. This is the purchase of flexible thin film batteries. Today, products are produced that can be stuck on window glass like regular tint. This option is fully justified if the windows in the apartment have sufficient area (thin-film modules are large). But again, it all depends on the location of the windows.

Optional equipment

If installing solar panels in an apartment is possible, then you need to think about additional equipment. After all, the generated energy must be stored somewhere. So, you need to buy batteries (better - Li-ion, they have a higher cycle life). You will also need a charge controller and an inverter to convert DC to normal AC.

It is necessary to select the panels themselves based on the average daily energy consumption. For example, the cost of an apartment is approximately 200 kWh per month. In this way, about 6.6 kW is obtained per day. This means that panels with an average total output in the region of 6.6 kW / day are needed. If it is not possible to select panels that exactly correspond to this value, you can take the nearest ones. For example, two models with a capacity of 240-250 W will generate a little more than 5 kW of energy per day. Two batteries (gel or Li-ion), for example, 12 V / 220 A / h, are suitable for storing it. You also need to buy the appropriate inverter and charging controller.

Economic expediency

This is an approximate configuration of an average solar system for an apartment. It remains to be seen how economically justified its installation is. The price of one 25 W battery is 10-15 thousand rubles. Accordingly, two jokes will cost 20-30 thousand. Here we must add the cost of other equipment, and it becomes clear that an apartment solar station is not such a cheap pleasure. Such costs are justified only in conditions of regular and prolonged power outages.

So it's better to use combined option. That is, to design a solar system as a backup source of energy. Then you can buy less powerful solar panels and less energy-intensive batteries. As a result, the total cost will drop sharply. And such a system will be enough to maintain the emergency lighting of the apartment for several hours.

Sunny apartment building

Another option is to install a solar station for the whole house. This requires the participation of all residents. Of course, the total cost of such a system will be much higher, but the costs of a single apartment will be significantly less than with an individual approach. And the performance of such a common house station will be significantly greater.

Moreover, such a solution will have several more advantages:

• No problems with the installation of the modules themselves, since they can be freely placed on the roof and on the southern wall of the building;
• Simplification of installation, since the roofs of most high-rise buildings are flat;
• Lack of shading, since the roofs of high-rise buildings are open to the sun's rays;
• The possibility of using the stored energy for night lighting of the building and the operation of elevators.

Thus, it is more economically expedient to equip not a separate apartment, but the whole house. Although it all depends on specific goals, and if solar panels are needed only as a backup source, then it is easier to equip only your apartment.

Who among us does not dream of a source of free electricity, to which it would be possible to connect the entire household appliances and forget about electricity bills forever. Oddly enough, but such sources exist and are successfully used not only in industry, but also in everyday life, including for providing electricity to individual private houses. Windmills, solar panels - these well-known inventions convert one form of energy into another without polluting environment and do not require fuel costs. Of course, they cannot be called absolutely free, such installations themselves are quite expensive, but the savings from their use will very soon be able to justify all the costs. There is an opinion that alternative sources of electricity are good for private houses, but in fact they are successfully used in an apartment. In this case, the perfect solution is to install compact and simple solar panels on the balcony.

Solar panels for an apartment on the balcony should be small, but powerful enough. Since their power directly depends on the size, a compromise must be found here. Batteries are panels consisting of the following elements:

• battery;
• directly from the solar battery, consisting of photocells;
• inverter;
• control systems.

Assembling the system yourself is not difficult, so you can do its installation and connection yourself, without resorting to the services of specialists. The solar battery with all accessories does not take up much space and is completely placed within the balcony. During operation, it does not require special care- it is enough to clean it from dust and dirt if necessary.

The only requirement is the presence of a heating system on the balcony, or at least an insulating layer around the entire perimeter. The equipment is sensitive to negative temperatures and in winter period can work with heavy losses energy.

Installation of solar panels in an apartment building

The elements of the system are placed on the balcony in such a way as not to clutter up the usable area and at the same time effectively perform their functions. The largest component is the battery. It can be placed under the ceiling, fixed on the wall, where it will not interfere with anyone. The solar panel, which captures solar energy and converts it into electricity, is attached to the glass or glazing frame. At the same time, it, being not completely transparent, plays the role of tinting and reliably protects from ultraviolet radiation.

The principle of operation of the solar battery

A solar battery is, first of all, a set of photocells that, when interconnected, form a panel. A feature of solar cells is their ability to generate electrical energy under the influence of sunlight, which makes it practically free. The amount of energy produced depends on the material of the panel and on its area. Thus, the output is a direct electric current, which enters the inverter, where it is converted into an alternating current and can be used in everyday life. Since battery performance depends on many factors (season, weather, time of day), energy must be stored for future use, for which the battery is used. It accumulates electricity in itself, and then gradually gives it away even when there is no sun, and the battery does not perform its functions.

One of the main characteristics of any solar battery is the material for photovoltaic cells. Among the most popular:

• silicon polycrystals - the most popular material today, combining affordable price and good performance. Polysilicon panels are easy to install, so anyone can assemble them. Them salient feature – blue color surface by which they are easy to recognize;
• silicon single crystals are more productive, but their cost is much higher. Another drawback is their polygonal shape. It does not make it possible to fit individual single crystals close to each other, therefore working surface as a result, the panels are not solid, but with many gaps, which reduces the usable area;
• amorphous silicon is the least efficient of all silicon varieties and the cheapest of them. It is used when it is not required high power batteries, or for the purpose of saving;
• Cadmium telluride is applied to glass in the form of a film whose thickness is less than 0.5 mm. The film itself can be opaque or partially transparent, so that it can also be used as a tint for window glass;
• CIGS is a semiconductor, photocells from which are also produced in the form of a film, but its efficiency is higher than that of cadmium taluride.

The choice of materials is quite large, and in order to choose the right one, you need to understand them. performance characteristics. Less efficient photovoltaic cells are cheaper, but require larger area panels, so the savings here are relative. The performance difference is quite large. For example, square meter monocrystalline silicon panels can produce up to 125 watts, and amorphous silicon panels - 50 watts.

On the modern market single-crystal and polycrystalline solar cells are in the greatest demand. The former have an efficiency of about 13%, their service life is about 30 years, but their performance is highly dependent on weather conditions. The maximum efficiency can be obtained only on a sunny clear day, but in cloudy weather it is significantly reduced. Polycrystalline solar cells are less efficient - their maximum efficiency is 9%, their service life is also slightly shorter - up to 20 years, but their performance is practically independent of the weather.

We install solar panels on the balcony with our own hands

Pros and cons of solar panels

The undoubted advantages of this energy source include:

• complete independence from the presence of the original fuel (such is solar energy), as a result of which the energy is practically free;
• environmental friendliness associated with the absence of combustion or processing products;
• long service life, depending on the material of the photocells, but in any case not less than 20 years;
• reliability, which is provided by simple and fixed structure. Static system components rarely fail;
• ease of operation. The solar panel does not need special care, it is enough just to periodically wipe it off, washing off the dust.

With all its advantages, the solar battery has a number of disadvantages:

• dependence of plant productivity on time of day and weather. The more intense and longer the sun shines, the more energy the battery generates, but at night or in cloudy weather, the amount of electricity received is minimal;
• high cost. The output energy really turns out to be free, but a lot of money needs to be paid for the system itself, however, over time, these expenses will pay off;
• poor performance;
• the need for insulation and heating of the room where the system will be located.

Solar connection

It should be noted right away that it is not necessary to completely abandon the services of centralized power supply. Solar battery with all its positive qualities remains an alternative and additional source of energy, the amount of which is limited. More details here. First of all, you will have to abandon the use of powerful and too "gluttonous" electrical appliances, giving preference to energy-saving and low-power ones. For some, such steps may be associated with certain problems, because not all household appliances can be replaced with analogues with a reduced level of power consumption. It is for such cases that it is necessary to leave the possibility of connecting to public power networks.

The solar battery may well provide required amount electricity for one apartment, but even partial connection of individual devices to it will give good savings.

Installation of solar panels

Installation of solar panels on the balcony

Before you finally decide to install a solar panel, you need to weigh the pros and cons. Once again it is worth recalling that the balcony must be insulated, and the temperature here should not fall below the mark indicated in the instructions. Ideally, it is better to make this room heated, but this is not always possible. Just in case, you need to leave the possibility of connecting the system to the general house electrical network.

Installing solar panels on the balcony of an apartment is quite simple. Its panels are fixed on a frame made of metal corner, which is securely attached to load-bearing structures buildings: walls or floor slabs. When choosing the location of the panels, you need to remember that they will have to be cleaned regularly, so their surface must be within reach. Solar cells generate the maximum amount of energy when sunlight hits them at a right angle, but throughout the year the sun changes its position, so the panels must rotate at an angle of about 12º.

Installing solar panels at home

To install a solar panel you will need:

• a sheet of glass with dimensions of 700x1050x4 mm (can be replaced with plexiglass);
• photocells, 48 ​​pieces. They can be bought online if there are no specialty stores nearby. Photocells will be installed in 4 rows of 12 pieces each;
• aluminum corner 20x20 mm;
• tires for soldering;
• soldering iron;
• tin;
• flux;
• multimeter;
• sealant.

Solar battery assembly sequence:

• manufacture of a case on which panels with photocells are held. It is a frame welded from an aluminum corner, the dimensions of which exceed the dimensions of the glass by 5-10 mm. The gap between the glass and the frame is filled with sealant, which increases the strength of the structure;
• soldering of photocells. When working with them, you need to be careful, because they are very fragile and at the same time not cheap. For reliable fixation of the extreme elements, they are soldered to the tires;
• preparation of glass by thorough cleaning and treatment with a degreaser;
• installing glass in an aluminum frame and fixing it in the desired position;
• fastening on glass surface photocells. There must be gaps between the individual photocells;
• soldering quality control;
• applying sealant along the perimeter of the glass base, in the center and filling all gaps with it;
• finishing reverse side panels with acrylic lacquer.

Installation of solar panels on the balcony Installation of solar panels DIY installation of solar panels on the balcony

• Recommendations for correct installation
• Economic feasibility

Successfully used by many people in their private homes. The transition to alternative energy supply is a responsible step and requires careful preparation and miscalculations of efficiency and payback. But not everyone is lucky to have a private home, and a sufficient number of residents want to take advantage of the achievements in modern alternative energy. For those who, in the absence of their home, have an irresistible desire to use free energy, an apartment can be offered.

Immediately you need to warn against the idea that after that they will be able to fully provide electricity to the entire living space. This will not happen, because in our apartments there are very energy-intensive devices, for example: an electric stove, an iron, a TV, a heater, which will not have enough module charge. Therefore, before installing solar modules in an apartment building, it is better to think and calculate several times economic efficiency the entire event.

If, after calculations, a decision was made on an imminent installation, you should buy the main parts of the circuit:

• solar panels,
• inverter,
• accumulators,
• controller.

The main problems causing the most difficulties is the location of batteries and accumulators. For correct operation solar panels should be exposed to sunlight for the maximum amount of time. In an apartment, there are very few such places for installation. Therefore, the choice is not great. For this, balcony glazing and the walls closest to the balcony are suitable.

Most often, installation is carried out on the balcony glass. Of course this affects daylight in the apartment. But there is in this positive points, such as UV delay. The light panels are mounted directly on the glass or instead of it, in the balcony frame.

Moreover, the condition for finding a balcony on sunny side. Otherwise, there is no point in installing solar panels.

After competent installation panels, the next problem arises, which also cannot be avoided. By such a problem is meant the search for a place for the location of accumulating elements. The average set for an apartment can include up to 20-30 batteries. The area, to put it mildly, is not small for an apartment in panel house. Placing so many batteries can be a real challenge.

This issue was resolved by many by placing similar elements in the upper part of the balcony ceiling. As a rule, this is an extremely rarely used place. Having built a special shelf, all batteries can be installed so that they not only do not interfere, but are not particularly visible. Don't Forget the Weight batteries. Since the weight of each can reach 15-20kg, the shelf must be reliable so as not to collapse under the influence of a couple of dozen batteries.

It is also worth paying attention to the thermal insulation of the shelf and the batteries located on it. The fact is that in the cold season, the battery capacity can be significantly reduced if you do not protect them from frost. Therefore, in order for the solar panels not to work in vain, the thermal insulation of the batteries must be of sufficient quality.

The influence of solar sources on the device of life

Correct installation alternative sources will not bring any results, except for unnecessary costs, if you do not reconsider your view on the use of certain electrical appliances. It is clear that the transition to solar panels dictates its mandatory conditions.

Before installing the battery, it is necessary to refuse, if possible, all powerful consumers and replace them with less energy-intensive ones. For example, a TV, especially plasma panels, is better to change to a computer or laptop. They are less energy intensive and will save precious kilowatts every day. Also prerequisite the use of energy-saving light bulbs, and ideal option using LED lighting fixtures.

Solar batteries make it impossible to use such consumers as: electric furnace, washing machine, heating boiler, heater. Therefore, it is better to leave such electrical appliances on the central power supply.

Economic feasibility

Solar panels help out well in areas where there is no central power supply or the cost of electricity is quite high. The use of such sources is justified in private houses, since they have a significant area for installing modules. In an apartment building where there is a significant shortage of installation space, solar panels will not bring desired result due to low output power.

To date the performance of light panels barely reaches 20-25%. This figure was obtained in ideal conditions, and the apartment or balcony is not. In addition, batteries in an apartment building will be in the shade for at least 40% of the time, which will significantly reduce the efficiency of the entire installation, and increasing it by increasing the modules themselves will not work due to lack of free space.

All these features, together with the cost and payback period solar panels, are pushing to the quite logical conclusion that the installation of such power supplies in an apartment building is not advisable, and will rather lead to significant costs and loss of free space, rather than to tangible energy savings.