Metro Manila, 2021 - More and more solar installers promise great savings and reliable performance while ensuring electricity supply during brownouts with hybrid and off-grid solar systems. Even though in other countries these promises may be met, in the Philippines, the bitter truth for consumers often hits hard after 3-5 years of operation. When the solar battery breaks down or has to be exchanged due to loss of charging cycle capacity, or if the savings are not meeting what was forecasted. Since the solar battery itself makes the solar system up to 100% more expensive, the invested money cannot be earned back which leaves consumers with a failed investment and lots of headache.
Furthermore, here are major concerns about solar systems with battery backup in the Philippines:
ENVIRONMENT
Solar batteries and heat don't work well together. Reliable solar batteries are made to perform in temperatures of around 25 degrees Celsius, which we exceed here in the country even on rainy days. Heat causes remarkable efficiency decreases. Moreover, warranty claims are more likely to be rejected if it cannot be proven that recommended temperature levels could not be secured.
FINANCIAL GAIN
When storing 1 kWh of solar (worth PHP 10) in a battery, around 40-70% (worth PHP 4-7) of it will be available to be supplied to your appliances. These efficiency decreases are based on natural and physical losses when storing and converting electricity.
Your overall return on investment with a solar battery would be 8-10 years in the Philippines. However, since you have to exchange and reinvest in a battery after around 5 years, you won’t reach an ROI at all.
It is still best to instead have grid-tied net metering, where solar electricity is sold to your electric provider instead of being stored in a battery, you will be rebated with the generation charge worth P4-6 pesos! Same value but less investment and no maintenance required. With a grid-tied solar system, your return on investment lies between 4-5 years!
BACKUP ENERGY DURING BROWNOUT
Let’s address the promise: "With a solar battery, you will not experience brownouts anymore".
Depending on the capacity, the solar battery will be able to supply a certain amount of electricity required for basic appliances during a brownout. But running aircons or other major electricity consuming appliances won’t work for long, unless you invest in large scale batteries which cost as much as a car. If you truly seek for reliable electricity security during brownouts, it is up to date much smarter to have a generator back up available.
To wrap up, given the circumstances in the Philippines, and the current high pricing and heat sensitivity of reliable solar batteries, a grid-tied solar system with net metering is the only recommendation a professional solar company can give to consumers that aim to save on electricity by looking at an attractive investment in solar energy.
Be future ready with us: our PHILERGY German Solar Systems are battery-ready. Once prices go down and the technology advances further, we will make sure to source and install the best battery solutions for you!
CONTACT US FOR FREE SOLAR CONSULTATION!
PHONE: (02) 8638 8277
SMART: +63 921 373 3840
GLOBE: +63 917 329 2112
EMAIL: service@philergy.com
PHILERGY German Solar Philippines is your reliable, high quality solar energy installer, solar power system, and solar panel supplier in the Philippines with German-made solar equipment combined with experienced German Solar engineering. All installations come with up to 25 years warranty for homes and businesses, and options for flexible solar financing without collateral and additional fees. We are the nation’s top solar company with headquarters, office and showroom in Manila, Philippines with German management and German head solar engineers setting top of the line solar standards. All our solar energy systems are customized according to every client's needs via free expert solar consultation and professional onsite analysis, and are installed by trained teams that are headed by at least 1 German engineer with over 20 years of solar experience.
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