It’s a common question: If I mostly use electricity at night, is it pointless to install solar panels? While it's true that solar panels only produce energy during daylight hours, that doesn’t mean you can't benefit from a solar system if your energy usage is primarily at night.
In fact, there are several ways to make solar energy work for you — even if you use most of your electricity after the sun sets.
Solar panels generate electricity during the day when the sun is shining. However, at night, they don’t produce power. So, does that mean solar is a poor choice if you're using more electricity when the sun’s down?
Not at all. The solution lies in how you manage the energy your system produces during the day.
One of the key benefits of installing solar is the ability to feed excess electricity back into the grid. During the day, your solar panels may produce more electricity than you can use, especially if you're not home or using appliances. This excess power is sent back into the grid, and in return, you can earn credits or even money from your energy provider through a feed-in tariff (FiT).
This essentially allows you to offset the cost of the electricity you consume at night, as the credit earned from feeding power back into the grid can balance your nighttime energy use. In some cases, this can even result in additional savings over time.
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Adding a battery storage system to your solar setup allows you to store the excess energy generated during the day for use at night. This is ideal for households that consume most of their power in the evening. The battery stores the energy when it's generated, and then you can draw from it when needed, so you don’t have to rely on the grid.
With a combination of solar panels, battery storage, and a feed-in tariff, you can enjoy the following benefits:
For households that use most of their electricity at night, installing solar panels with battery storage is a highly effective solution. Not only will you be able to store your energy, but you can also feed excess power back into the grid and earn money or credits. This system provides a steady, reliable energy supply and maximises the savings potential from your solar investment.
In short, it’s not pointless to install solar if you use electricity at night. With the right setup, you can turn your daytime solar production into both a savings and an income-generating opportunity, while using stored or grid-supplied energy when you need it most.
