How to better use your solar energy

We are happy with our solar panels on our roof, and we expect to decrease our import of energy from the utilities, but if we work from 9am to 5pm monday to friday, we are generating most of our precious energy when we are not, actually, at home.
Here we will present some simple tips and products that can help you boost your solar energy usage, even if you are not at home.
 

• Use timers on your appliances: Installing these timers will help you to lower your energy imports, set up the different appliances to work when the solar is boosting.
• Buy a washing machine, dishwasher and heat pump with delay start: This simple setting on your appliance will really make a difference on your monthly energy import, big appliances like the dishwasher and the washing machine represent a big percentage of your energy consumption
• Install our Solar Power Diverter: We recently launched this product to finally be capable of using the 100% of your solar energy. The Solar Power Diverter is a smart device that heats your water cylinder only with the surplus of solar energy you are generating. Read more about it here
• Buy an electric vehicle: Why having a battery in your basement if you can have a battery and four wheels to move around with it? If you leave your electric car plugged during the day you will be driving completely green on your next ride. Have a look to our Nissan Leaf here

Of course we can not forget the best way to lower your energy imports, use your energy in a more efficient way. The following products and procedures will help you lower your import rates.
 

• Led lights: Low consumption appliances are a great way to reduce your energy import. LED lights use 75% less energy than normal incandescent bulbs and last much much longer.
• Smart power strips (aka turn off the standby led): Leaving your TV, monitor or DVD player with the standby light on can represent 1.4 kWh on your monthly consumption.
• Movement sensors: Sometimes we forget to turn on or off the lights, install movement sensors in corridors or on your backyard and save lots of energy.
• Energy efficient appliancies: When buying a new or used appliance check if is Energy Star certified. Energy Star appliances use up to 40% less energy than other appliances. 
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