5 Benefits of Installing a Tiny House Solar Power System
- Logan Haggerston
Creating a tiny house with a solar power system has its complications, but is absolutely achievable for tiny home owners. Solar energy is booming all around the world and is ideal for tiny home owners looking to reduce their impact on the world around them and still fuel their electricity needs.
Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular and more accessible, thanks to strong policies and incentive schemes from different governments that shift focus towards solar power in both the public and private sectors. In 2020, 27.7% of Australia’s total electricity generation was from renewable energy sources and according to the ANU College of Science, Australia is estimated to reach 50% renewable energy by 2025.
So how can you add a solar system to your tiny home? What do you need to know about installing solar in your tiny house? What are the benefits?
Benefits Of Installing A Solar Power System In Tiny Homes
There are numerous benefits of installing solar power systems in tiny homes. Here are some major ones:
- The prices of electricity are higher than ever. Installing a solar power system will save you money on electricity bills.
- As we already know that climate change is a big threat to our environment, installing a solar power system will contribute to saving the environment.
- You will control your own electricity generation so no power shortages.
- Installing solar power systems will increase the value of your tiny house if you decide to sell it in the future. The buyers will value free of cost renewable energy and will pay more because of it.
- You won’t have to rely on finding power sources when you move your mobile house. The solar system makes your house self-sufficient.
The 3 Types of Solar Power Systems
On-Grid solar system
It is also called a grid-feed/grid-tie solar system. It is the most economical solar power system that allows consumers to utilize solar panel systems with supplementation from the grid. A grid connection allows the system to run without batteries.
Off-Grid solar system
They are the most commonly observed stand-alone power systems that are employed in many tiny homes for running small accessories. Solar panels for the tiny houses are installed in exposure to sunlight, the energy is then stored into batteries, and when those batteries are used for powering the supply of electricity. These systems additionally contain a charge controller, a grid box, and an inverter. These solar power systems are generally more expensive because of their extensive battery cost and usage.
They are adequate tiny house solar power systems for remote areas. Anyhow, the batteries are becoming cheaper and now we see these systems also implemented in the cities as well. Electricity is first sent to the battery bank and then it is relayed to appliances. Tiny homes that use this type of solar power system often use backup generators. When weather is rainy and cloudy and there is less sunlight or when the batteries are drained these backup generators help to fill in the deficit to keep all the appliances running well.
Hybrid Solar System
They generate power similarly to the On-Grid solar system but they also use hybrid inverters and batteries to function as backup power supply. These are modern-day solar power systems that combine both grids and solar systems.The idea is to store the solar energy from the solar panel for a tiny house to a battery and use it at night. This reduces the load on the grid and the cost of electricity is also brought down considerably. When the batteries have depleted the grid serves as the electricity supply.
Essential Components Used in Solar Power Systems
Solar Panels
The most essential component of any solar power system is solar panels. Deployed in the open and with clear exposure to sunlight, these black sheets are made of silicon photovoltaic cells, also known as PV cells. PV cells are connected to each other and other solar panel plates via cables. It is sunlight that produces electricity, not heat. The amount of energy generated by these plates depends on their tilt angle, the efficiency of the panel, dirt, and temperature. Solar panels can generate electricity even on a cloudy day, but that depends on the iridescence and thickness of clouds.
HCB Solar features solar panels from trusted and reputable solar manufacturers that we know to be high quality, durable and long-lasting.
Inverter
The second essential component is the solar inverter. Homes require AC (Alternating Current) but the electricity generated by these solar power systems is in DC. So, we need these inverters to convert DC into AC. A micro-inverter is attached at the rear of the solar panels and it immediately converts DC to AC, and then the AC is carried to the electrical switchboards.
Solar Battery
The next component used in a solar power system is the battery. It is an extremely essential component, there are mainly two types of lead-acid and lithium-ion. The most widely used energy storage systems are rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Battery capacity for lead-acid is measured in Amp-hours (Ah) and kilowatt-hours (kWh) for lithium-ion.
Lithium-ion batteries supply up to 90% of their available capacity while lead-acid batteries supply 30-40% which in turn enhances their life.
Key Takeaways
- Installing solar power in tiny homes saves on electricity bills and helps the environment.
- Solar systems provide independence from power shortages and enhance tiny house value.
- Types of systems include on-grid (economical, no batteries), off-grid (standalone, uses batteries), and hybrid (combines on-grid with backup batteries).
- Key components include solar panels, inverters for converting DC to AC, and batteries for energy storage.
- The choice of system type depends on location, budget, and energy needs, offering flexibility and sustainability for tiny house living.
