This year, I embarked on an exhilarating money-saving journey by equipping myself with six powerful solar panels and a couple of cutting-edge lithium iron batteries. Bursting with excitement, I couldn’t wait to share my groundbreaking setup with others.
To kick things off, the skillful installer fitted a state-of-the-art Growatt SPH3000 inverter. But that’s not all! I harnessed the true power of technology by employing a Raspberry Pi 4 and a remarkable custom software known as Solar Assistant. Curious? Check it out here: https://solar-assistant.io/. With the help of Home Assistant, I could now effortlessly monitor every aspect of my solar system.
Now, here’s where the real thrill begins. I joined forces with Octopus Energy and embraced their Flux tariff, a mesmerizing journey into the realm of affordable electricity. Picture this: not one, not two, but three distinct rates to optimize my savings—normal, peak, and off-peak.
As I delved deeper into my money-saving quest, I crafted ingenious automations that would revolutionize the way I consumed energy:
Automation 1: Power Harvesting during Off-Peak Times
At 5 pm sharp, Automation 1 seized the solar forecast for the following day from the impeccable Solcast service. I was always one step ahead, armed with the knowledge of what lay ahead.
Automation 2: Optimizing Battery Charging Based on Solar Forecast
Driven by the solar forecast, Automation 2 intelligently set a “max battery charge” level. If the forecast predicted ample sunlight, it set the level to a mere 10%. However, if clouds dominated the skies, the level skyrocketed to a full 100%—all dynamically adjusted on a sliding scale.
Automation 3: Seizing the Power of Night
At the stroke of 2 am, Automation 3 sprang into action. It toggled the battery charge mode on my remarkable inverter to “ON” and let it soak up the abundant electricity until 5 am. But that’s not all—it also kept a vigilant eye on the max battery charge level. Once that level was reached, the inverter promptly switched to “OFF,” preserving the precious energy for later use.
In essence, my batteries strategically sipped from the mains during the cheapest periods, while the radiant sun later in the day gracefully topped them up to a glorious 100%. The equation was simple: cheap electricity + solar power = the most economical choice.
But I didn’t stop there. I craved even more efficiency! Sensing the possibility of power depletion by 2 am, I ingeniously devised yet another automation. If the battery level dropped to a mere 10% (the dreaded empty state), this automation swiftly intervened, ensuring it was replenished to a predefined level (30%) based on my household’s nighttime power consumption. With this ingenious solution, I could sail through the night, still basking in the bliss of off-peak rates, until the morning sun would rise again.
Ever the vigilant cost-saver, I also considered the perils of reaching dangerously low battery levels just before the peak rate period. Who, in their right mind, would willingly surrender to exorbitant electricity charges? To combat this menace, I implemented a final option—a clever automation triggered by a simple toggle switch. As the late morning hours approached, and my batteries yearned for a boost, I activated the “Boost before Peak” period. This ingenious tactic allowed me to charge during the “normal rate” window, skillfully evading the dreaded peak rate trap.
But wait, there’s more! As an added measure of efficiency, I employed a final automation that extinguished unnecessary house lights when the sun’s generous rays flooded my abode. Who needs artificial illumination.
