If you’ve invested in a solar PV system with battery storage, you might be surprised to find that your home still draws a small amount of energy from the grid. After all, isn’t the whole point of solar to be self-sufficient and reduce or even eliminate reliance on external power sources? The answer is yes—but there’s a bit more to it. Let’s explore why this happens and why it’s actually a good thing.
1. Grid Synchronisation: Keeping Everything in Harmony
One of the main reasons your solar PV system still uses a bit of grid energy is due to the need for synchronisation. Your solar inverter, the device that converts the DC power generated by your panels into AC power that your home can use, must stay perfectly in sync with the grid to ensure that the electricity in your home is stable and reliable.
This synchronisation process requires a tiny amount of energy from the grid. It’s similar to how a car engine might idle, using a small amount of fuel to stay ready. In this case, the grid power ensures that your solar system stays synchronised, so it can provide consistent and safe power to your home.
2. System Stability: Covering Sudden Power Demands
Even with battery storage, there are times when your home’s energy demand might suddenly spike—like when you switch on several appliances at once. If this spike exceeds the output capacity of your inverter or the immediate availability of stored battery energy, the grid will step in to supply the extra power needed.
This is a safety net built into the system to ensure that your home always has the power it needs, without interruption. While it might seem counterintuitive, this small draw from the grid is actually part of what keeps your home’s power supply reliable, even when demand is unpredictable.
3. Inverter Operation: The Need for a Steady Power Supply
Your solar inverter is a sophisticated piece of technology that doesn’t just convert energy—it also monitors and manages the flow of power to your home. To do this effectively, the inverter itself needs a stable and consistent power supply, which sometimes comes from the grid.
This small amount of grid energy ensures that your inverter can operate efficiently and respond to changes in power demand or supply, keeping everything running smoothly.
4. Why This Trickle of Energy is Beneficial
It might seem frustrating to still be drawing energy from the grid when you’ve invested in a solar and battery system, but this small amount of energy serves an important purpose. It ensures that your system remains synchronised, stable, and ready to meet your home’s energy needs at all times. This trickle of energy is part of what makes your solar PV system reliable and safe, even during times of high demand or when the sun isn’t shining as brightly.
5. Is It Worth Upsizing My Inverter?
Some homeowners wonder if they should invest in a larger inverter to reduce this trickle of energy from the grid. However, it’s essential to consider the cost versus the benefit. While upsizing your inverter might reduce grid usage slightly, the cost of a larger inverter can be significant. In most cases, the financial savings from reduced grid usage wouldn’t offset the upfront cost of the upgrade, especially considering that grid usage is typically minimal.
Conclusion: A Small Price for Big Benefits
In summary, the trickle of energy your solar PV system draws from the grid is a small but necessary component of maintaining a reliable and stable power supply for your home. It ensures that your system stays synchronised and ready to handle any spikes in demand, giving you peace of mind that your home is always powered.
Investing in solar PV with battery storage is a fantastic step towards energy independence, and understanding the role of this small grid draw helps you appreciate how your system works to keep your home running smoothly.
