Solar panels guide for idiots

Samantha99

Recently purchased a house with 16 PV panels. We thought we understood how they work but now we’re not sure. I’ve read the guides and posts re panels but still don’t get it. 

Can someone answer my questions and explain really simply?
Do the solar panels generate electricity which in the first instance provides electricity for my home to power lights washing machine etc?  Then,  any electricity generated by panels but not used goes back to the grid? 

Or, do the panels just generate electricity which goes back to the grid? In the meantime we pay electricity bills as usual? 

We’re on a FIT with NPower. 

Thanks

1961Nick

Your first assumption is correct ... once the domestic demand has been met, the surplus electricity is exported to the grid.

You get FIT for all the electricity generated regardless of whether you use it or export it.

Martyn1981

I put this together to help potential PV'ers, which you might (or might not) find useful to answer some questions, though it is becoming a bit dated now.

Solar PV – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Exiled_Tyke

Samantha99 said:

Recently purchased a house with 16 PV panels. We thought we understood how they work but now we’re not sure. I’ve read the guides and posts re panels but still don’t get it. 

Can someone answer my questions and explain really simply?
Do the solar panels generate electricity which in the first instance provides electricity for my home to power lights washing machine etc?  Then,  any electricity generated by panels but not used goes back to the grid? 

Or, do the panels just generate electricity which goes back to the grid? In the meantime we pay electricity bills as usual? 

We’re on a FIT with NPower. 

Thanks

One of the most important things to do is to know when your system is generating the most power and time your use of heavy  power appliances (washing machine, dishwasher etc.) accordingly to minimise how much electricity you buy from the grid.

pinnks

You will also learn to live "in series" rather than "in parallel".   By this I mean that you will learn to boil the kettle on its own for tea and then put the coffee machine on to make the coffee rather than both together.  Or, you will do the ironing before you put the oven on, not both at the same time.  This way you will maximise your own consumption of generated electricity and minimise import from the grid.
A bit geeky, but I invested in one of those plug-in devices that tell you the wattage/actual consumption of the device to which it is connected (kettle, toaster, TV etc).  Cost about £15 and was quite illuminating, not only for real-time consumption when the device was in use but also to tell you what some things consume when "turned off".  On the basis of that and knowing your instantaneous generation you will soon learn what to switch on when to max out on savings from having PV.
Good luck!