ENERGY Question
WHAT IS MY ENERGY REQUEST AND WHAT DOES IT COST?
The starting point for anyone who wants to do something with solar panels is the energy demand. Everyone uses energy, but how much? That is why it is wise to first look at the annual energy bill. Here you can find how much gas and electricity is purchased annually. Most existing homes in the Netherlands have a gas boiler and are heated by burning gas. In such situations, 1500 m³ of gas and 5000 kWh of electricity is quite normal for a family situation. With current energy prices (December 2021) of €1.45/m³ (gas) and €0.30/kWh (electricity), this amounts to €3,675 per year. In addition, we drive an average of 20,000 car kilometers per year. With a consumption of 7.5 liters per 100 km (1:13.3), you end up with 1500 liters of petrol per year. With a fuel price of €1.90/litre, that is €2850 per year.Apart from all standing charges, road tax, insurance, etc., this example costs approximately €6,525 per year in energy costs.
Is the interest in solar panels only to reduce electricity demand? Or are we looking ahead to a sustainable future? The transition to a sustainable energy system has immediate consequences for electricity demand, because it is increasing significantly. At the same time, ongoing energy costs will immediately decrease. Two examples:
- Insulate the roof in combination with electric heating with a heat pump? For convenience, a conversion of 1500 m³ of gas to 3000 kWh of electricity can then be calculated (see note below). This is where the first savings potential immediately arises, because the gas bill for 1500 m³ of gas comes to € 2175 per year, while the electricity bill for the heat pump will be around € 900 per year.
- An electric car? An average of 5 km is traveled per kWh. In other words, 4000 kWh per year if 20,000 km are traveled annually with this car that is charged at home. Major savings can also be achieved here, because the fuel bill for 1,500 liters of petrol comes to € 2,850 per year, while with an electric car it will be around € 1,200 per year. And the road tax is also a lot cheaper.
Bottom line, energy costs can almost be halved by making energy management electric. In this example, 12,000 kWh per year is needed.
ZERO-ON-THE-METER; THE BEST FOR YOUR OWN WALLET AND FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
It can be even cheaper by generating the required electricity yourself with solar panels. And that is sustainable too. No burning of coal, no CO2 emissions, no smog, no nuclear waste and no losses in transporting electricity from a power plant to the home. And therefore no landscape pollution. What does zero on the meter mean? The transition from the above-mentioned gas-fired home in combination with a car with a petrol engine to a sustainable zero-on-the-meter home and an electric car creates an electricity demand of 12,000 kWh per year. By generating this electricity yourself with solar panels, approximately 13.5 kWp of solar panels are required. That is quite a bit, because this concerns a roof surface that faces southeast/south/southwest, of which approximately 80 m² must be used to generate electricity. If this fits in terms of available surface area and budget, then the annual energy bill is actually ZERO. This includes all heating costs for the home, all fuel costs for the car and all consumption costs for the entire family! Obviously, not every roof surface is large enough or suitable for solar panels. Substantial investment costs are also required for home insulation, solar panels, a heat pump and an electric car, but viewed in the long term, the zero-on-the-meter home is best for your own wallet and for the environment.An additional advantage of a beautiful sunroof is that it increases the value of the home. When it comes to solar panels, people often talk about payback times. If the increase in value of the home is included in this calculation, the Mystiek solar power installation will be recouped from day one of delivery of the home!With the above examples you can do the math and make a plan for the future.
Not everything has to be done at once, you determine the pace and where the priorities lie.
