Our Super-Duper Tips and Tricks to Get the Most Out of Your Solar Energy System: Don’t Miss Out!
Hello and welcome back! If you’ve chosen to live that solar life, then you’re already made one of the most critical and beneficial decisions possible towards keeping more green in our environment and in your wallet. However, that doesn’t mean that your brand-spanking-new PV solar system doesn’t require some optimization and forethought in order to maximize its efficiency and savings potential! After all, what good is a brand-new electric car if you drive around with anvils loaded in your trunk? Here are our top ‘o’ the line suggestions to keep the solar power flowing and working at its best:
1. Standby mode = say goodbye to savings
So many of our gadgets and knickknacks now come ready-made with the ability to achieve standby mode, or the state of receiving power and electricity when not currently functioning. When you think about just how many devices possess this capability in your home, that little bit of energy starts to add up quickly. We’re looking at you, TVs and smartphones and computers! Make sure to unplug when not in use, or invest in switchable sockets for maximum efficiency.
2. Switch on the LED lights for maximum savings
Did you know that LED lighting, in addition to being quite easy on the eyes, is also far more efficient and cost-effective than traditional lighting sources? We’ll be covering this more in a future blog (keep your eyes peeled!), but for now the choice is clear: obsolete light bulbs can lose up to 90% of their energy as heat, whereas LED-based technologies requires less than 1/9th the electricity of traditional bulbs to produce the same output.
3. Align your schedule and your appliance usage
Putting some thought as to when you run the major appliances in your home, such as the dishwasher and the washing machine, can make a major difference in the total amount of energy consumption needed from your PV solar system. Try and utilize these and other major appliances more during the daytime, when your panels are drinking in all of the sun’s rays, instead of at night when there is less of ka la’s energy to go around. Bonus tip: equip your appliances with a timer switch to run during the day when your solar system is at its peak!
4. Explore the benefits of energy storage
The price of storage cells and batteries for your solar system continues to drop exponentially, making it possible to get even more out of your PV-based setup. Solar batteries can take your efficiency rates up through 90%, whereas standalone solar systems typically produce anywhere from 30 to 50% of a household’s overall energy needs. Did you know that WikiWiki Solar and Electric is Maui’s one-stop shop for solar battery storage, along with the experts at installing your new solar energy panels and system? Give us a call and we’ll be glad to show you just how much solar power and energy can give to you, your savings, and to the environment. Aloha!
