Photovoltaic system – the different variants of renewable energy generation

The system that is chosen by most is the so-called photovoltaic system that generates electricity with the help of solar energy. With such a system, the owners are independent of public grid providers and do not have to pay more for their own electricity. But also with the photovoltaic systems there are different variants, each of which has its advantages and disadvantages.

Feed-in system – earning money with your own electricity

The most commonly used variant of the photovoltaic system is the feed-in system. This produces electricity for the household and feeds the electricity that is not consumed into the public grid. As required by law, the house is connected to the public grid and feeds surplus electricity into it. For this, the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) stipulates that the producer must be remunerated. The so-called feed-in tariff varies between 10 and 13 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) depending on the nominal output of the system and is fixed for the next 20 years. To illustrate this: An average family consumes only about 30 % of the electricity generated. 70 % is fed into the public grid and remunerated. However, there is a trap here that private individuals often fall into, because selling electricity is a trade and as soon as a private individual does this, he becomes a freelancer and is self-employed. Taxes and lots of paperwork are just waiting for you. To avoid this, check out our guide on all things solar without the tax office! Through an electricity storage, the self-consumption can be increased up to 75% and the owner benefits twice from the electricity.

Advantages

• Reimbursement of sales tax on the purchase price of the plant
• Good price-performance ratio
• Feed-in tariff according to EEG as additional income

Disadvantages

• Registration of the plant as a trade
• Subject to the obligations of the EEG
• Increased bureaucracy

Such feed-in systems are particularly suitable for property owners who have a constant average electricity consumption and want to drastically reduce electricity costs. On the contrary, such a plant can not only reduce annual electricity costs, but also be used as a source of income.

Zero feed system – all the electricity for your own home

The second variant of the photovoltaic system is the so-called zero feed system. As the name suggests, no surplus electricity is fed into the public grid. In the best case, 100% of the electricity produced is consumed in one’s own household, so that nothing is fed into the public grid. In order to ensure this, the system must be precisely adapted to the individual needs of the owner and also have a suitable electricity storage system. The electricity production is additionally controlled by an inverter, so that the output of the system exactly matches the electricity consumed and no electricity is fed into the public grid. The owners of such a system thus forego the feed-in tariff under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), but at the same time they avoid all the obligations that the feed-in tariff entails. You do not have to register a business and you do not have to pay taxes for the electricity fed into the grid. Although the photovoltaic system is intended to generate 100% of the electricity required, the property is still connected to the public grid so that it can continue to draw normal electricity if the solar power is not enough.

Advantages

• No increased bureaucratic effort, such as business registration, etc.
• Greater independence
• No obligations under the EEG

Disadvantages

• No feed-in tariff
• No refund of sales tax

The zero-emission system is therefore particularly suitable for private individuals who have a high energy consumption. The installation of a suitable electricity storage unit is mandatory for such a system, so that the self-produced electricity can be used most effectively.

Photovoltaic island system – independent of the public power grid

The photovoltaic stand-alone system variant does without the connection to the public grid and assumes that the solar system can always supply the electricity storage system with energy. The household is therefore supplied with electricity solely from the solar modules and does not rely on electricity from the public grid in an emergency. The owner is therefore not dependent on electricity from the public grid at any time. Here we will first distinguish between two types.

Stand-alone system without mains connection

As the name suggests, this model is a system that is not connected to the public grid in any way. The house relies exclusively on energy from the photovoltaic system. The system was designed for such a case so that both solar modules and energy storage are so large that they can independently supply the entire house with electricity without resorting to another power source. The electricity in such a house is therefore produced and stored 100% by the photovoltaic system. However, this system is usually only installed when a connection to the public power grid would be too costly. This is particularly the case for remote houses, mountain huts or individual infrastructures.

Island system for backup power

Independence from public electricity can also be made possible for German homeowners. The installation of an island system for emergency power is the solution here. In the event of a failure of the power grid, the stand-alone system for emergency power can then intervene. It makes it possible for both feed-in and zero feed-in systems to become an island system in an emergency. In the event of a power failure of the public grid, this system switches to backup power within a few seconds and the house remains normally supplied with electricity. So, the household is not dependent on the public grid and does not have to worry about a power outage. Here it is ensured that there is always enough power available. During installation, the entire house is disconnected from the public grid and a backup power system is set up that can communicate with the storage system.

Advantages

• Function as a backup power system
• Maximum independence from the public power grid
• Protection against power failures

Disadvantages

• Significant additional costs
• Is rarely used
• There is hardly any economic benefit for the owners

Such an investment does not always make economic sense for the homeowner. So before you decide on this option, first check your average daily consumption, the appropriate size of the system and the design of the solar storage tank. With this, you can calculate whether an investment would be profitable for you or not. The independence that owners have with such technology from the public grid is undisputed and will change and influence the energy policy of Germany in the coming years.

The checklist for buying a sofa – what you should consider before visiting the furniture store

If you are now looking for a new sofa, you should clarify some questions in advance and know what you want from your new couch before your visit to the furniture store. Even the furniture professional in the store will have some questions for you to be prepared for. In any case, remember to have your floor plan or the measurements you need with you before you buy a sofa that won’t fit in your living room. And what goes better with the perfect couch than a great fireplace? For our tips on how to get the perfect fireplace, check out our guide to the fireplace living trend.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BoEjzrajr2D/?tagged=couch

The room – what are the conditions for the new piece of furniture

Before you decide on a new sofa model, you should first look at the room. Where are the doors and windows? How large is the area available for the sofa? Where will the television be located? And where should the side table and lamps be? Once you are aware of this, think about how big you want your new sofa to be, or how big it can be in the room. To do this, measure out the desired dimensions and make yourself aware of the size in the room as well. You can use folding rulers or cardboard to mark out the area where you want the sofa to be. This way you can see what size proportions you can move in and when it would look crowded. Take a picture of their planning, because this can help them in the decision-making process afterwards.

The style – in which environment the sofa should fit in

Once the measurements are clear, you can start thinking about the style of the sofa. First, you should clarify if you want the couch to be the focal point of the room, or if it should be a basic piece that you spice up with accessories? To make this question easier, it is also important that you consider the color scheme in the room. Should the new piece of furniture be based on a specific color or material, or do you want to align the room with the sofa and design it accordingly? This also includes the floor and any rugs that may be present. The new piece of furniture should also harmonize with these components. Try to find a model that fits in with the existing room and supports it. Think carefully, otherwise the cosiest room of the property could quickly look restless and jumbled together.

The living situation – does the sofa fit their needs

When buying new furniture, you should consider how long you expect to live in your current property. If you are planning to move in the near future, you may want to wait until you know which property you will be moving to. While most three seaters will easily fit into smaller living rooms, their choice would rather be a larger model. If need be, keep the old one for a while and get a new piece of furniture when the time is right. The question about a sofa bed or a normal sofa also depends on your living situation. If you are considering such a model, think about how often overnight guests will really come over and whether their own comfort is not more important. Most often, a guest mattress is cheaper and its comfort, unfortunately, is not among them.

The material – leather, textile covers & made in …?

The material is especially important for a sofa and not only for the appearance but also for the comfort. For some, a leather sofa is the only true while others prefer to sink into cozy fabric. Both offer advantages and disadvantages, but which option is right for you is purely a matter of taste. When shopping for a leather sofa, be sure to ask about tanning, dyeing, and other environmental concerns. Pay attention to the environmental seal! In addition, you should know how easy it is to care for the leather, because stains do not look good at all on a leather sofa. One quality feature of leather is its fine pores, because the finer the pores, the higher the quality and price of the leather. You also have to be careful with fabric-covered sofas, because there are many different types here too. For example, light fabric sofas are not suitable for a family with children and pets, because the risk of dirt is simply too great.

In addition to the material, it is also important to know where your new piece of furniture was produced. Of course, this is also a sign of quality. With furniture that is ‘Made in Germany’, you can be sure that high production standards have been met. However, you will also have to pay a certain price for such a piece of furniture. You can recognise a well-made sofa by a number of features. In the best case, this includes a solid wood frame or at least a frame made of wood-based materials. In addition, the sofa needs a base made of wave springs or elastic straps. The seat foam should have a minimum weight of 35kg per square metre and thus be dimensionally stable. To be protected against stains and moisture, a moisture-absorbing fleece underneath the cover is very important. Which insurance matters: home insurance.

Financing and delivery – the final steps

Once you have found the right sofa, the next question is how to finance it. For good upholstered furniture from a specialist dealer, you should be prepared for prices starting at 3,000 euros. Since these sums are not just lying around at home with everyone, some specialist dealers offer zero-percent financing, so that you can divide the amount over a period of time and do not have to pay everything directly. Once the financing is in place, the only thing left to do is to wait for the delivery. But be careful, because here can hide a stumbling block. Because what is often not considered is how the new piece of furniture should get to its place in the living room. Because a sofa is not as easy to take apart as other pieces of furniture. So if the door is too narrow or the staircase too small, you may have problems and incur costs that you did not expect. So measure carefully in advance and, if necessary, find other ways of getting the furniture into its place.