First of all, it is completely undisputed that basically everything that contributes to making the energy balance a little more favorable in favor of regenerative energies is worthwhile for our environment. So what could be more obvious than using the tool shed or the roof of the gazebo to generate the electricity you need for your kettle, radio or drill yourself.
Solar energy may not cover all the energy needed
After all, solar panels have become cheaper and cheaper over the years, are available in complete sets that are easy to install and are particularly suitable for garden owners who do not have their own electricity connection on their plot. And finally, solar power is also available free of charge, apart from the one-off investment costs for a photovoltaic system. All right, plus you basically don't even need a roof.
There are now also high-yield, mobile modules that can be placed anywhere in the garden and catch even the smallest ray of sunshine. We looked around at a German manufacturer regarding the prices for small solar systems to get an initial indication of the costs to be expected. Graduated according to performance, the complete systems for self-assembly start at just under 1,000 euros (120 watts) and end at around 2,000 euros and 2 x 150 watts. Although the power requirement of a lawnmower is probably much higher, isn't it?
Energy requirement in the allotment - how high is it actually?
In order to avoid bad investments, the individual daily requirement to be expected must first be determined. To do this, the rated power of these consumers is multiplied by their estimated duty cycle, which could look something like this:
| consumer | rated capacity | duty cycle/day | consumption/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| radio device | 15 watts | 4 hours | 60Wh/day |
| TV | 40 watts | 3 hours | 120Wh/day |
| receivers | 40 watts | 3 hours | 120Wh/day |
| lighting | 10 watts | 5 hours | 50Wh/day |
| camping fridge | 50 watts | 6 hours | 300Wh/day |
| Total: | 165 Wp | 650Wh/day |
Wp = Watt Peak (maximum power)
The listed examples of the most common electricity consumers already show that complete independence from other energy sources, solely with the help of a photovoltaic system in the garden, is possible in principle, but at least in the variant as a complete set there are likely to be some restrictions. Anyone who wants to use a coffee machine (approx. 600 watts), computer (approx. 100 watts) or microwave (approx. 800 watts) in the countryside is better off with a professional system, planned together with an expert. The robotic lawnmower, which we would like to introduce to you in our last article for this month, then runs with it.