Typical solutions

Typical calculation, not a real site

In an apartment building the roof is common property, and a balcony gives a few hundred kWh a year. So for a flat the point lies elsewhere: metering and replacing hidden consumers, and for outages a compact battery for the internet, the fridge and the lights.

• A consumption review and replacing old appliances
• A 5 kWh battery with an inverter for the internet, lights and fridge
• A balcony system of about 1 kW — if the building’s rules allow it

The calculation assumes 2,400 kWh a year, 1 kW on the balcony wall and a 5 kWh battery. What you get here is not savings but backup and peace of mind: the payback on the bill is long.

• Moscowcity
• 2,400kWh a year
• 1 kWpanels
• 5 kWhbattery
• 710output, kWh a year
• 29%of consumption from the sun
• 190,000–323,000 ₽price
• 6,290 ₽savings a year
• 17–23 yearspayback

Typical calculation, not a real site

A 150 m² house heated by gas, a family with a car. The sun covers the summer, the battery keeps the boiler, pump and fridge running during outages, and the surplus is sold under the microgeneration rules.

• 8 kW of panels on the south-facing slope
• An 8–10 kW hybrid inverter and a 10 kWh battery
• A grid-disconnect switch and backup circuits
• An 11 kW home charger

The main argument is backup for outages. On the Moscow Region tariff the payback of the solar part alone is long; without a battery it is faster.

• Moscowcity
• 9,000kWh a year
• 8 kWpanels
• 10 kWhbattery
• 7,745output, kWh a year
• 61%of consumption from the sun
• 608,000–892,000 ₽price
• 55,600 ₽savings a year
• 8–11 yearspayback

Typical calculation, not a real site

A dacha near Krasnodar, lived in mostly from May to September. The panels cover the daytime load, the battery covers the evening and the grid’s dips.

• 4 kW of panels
• A hybrid inverter and a 5 kWh battery
• The well pump and the fridge on a backup circuit

Consumption peaks in summer, in step with the sun. The south gives 1,240 kWh per 1 kW a year.

• Krasnodarcity
• 2,500kWh a year
• 4 kWpanels
• 5 kWhbattery
• 4,960output, kWh a year
• 93%of consumption from the sun
• 334,000–506,000 ₽price
• 27,700 ₽savings a year
• 9–12 yearspayback

Typical calculation, not a real site

A café open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. uses about 2,500 kWh a month on EVN’s business tariff. The sun covers the day, the battery covers the expensive 17:30–22:30 peak at 5,313 ₫.

• 15 kW of panels on a flat roof
• A hybrid inverter and a 15 kWh battery
• A notice to the ward People’s Committee

A business tariff and a daytime load are the best case for solar. The surplus is not sold: 844.8 ₫ is not worth the paperwork.

• Da Nangcity
• 30,000kWh a year
• 15 kWpanels
• 15 kWhbattery
• 19,614output, kWh a year
• 65%of consumption from the sun
• 142.5–205.5 m ₫price
• 65.6 m ₫savings a year
• 2–3 yearspayback

Typical calculation, not a real site

A farm near Can Tho: irrigation pumps, a cold room, a workshop — about 40,000 kWh a year, with an even load day and night. It pays EVN’s manufacturing tariff: 1,966 ₫ in normal hours, 3,586 ₫ at the peak.

• 25 kW of panels on a canopy or over a pond
• A grid-tied inverter and load control
• A link with AbsoFarm projects: irrigation, cooling, sales

The pumps and the cooling run by day, so almost all the solar energy goes to work. The surplus is not sold: 844.8 ₫ is not worth the paperwork.

• Can Thocity
• 40,000kWh a year
• 25 kWpanels
• —battery
• 33,738output, kWh a year
• 43%of consumption from the sun
• 162.5–242.5 m ₫price
• 37.1 m ₫savings a year
• 4–6 yearspayback

Typical calculation, not a real site

A villa with air conditioning and a pool uses about 1,000 kWh a month — that is EVN’s fifth tier. Solar and a battery take off the expensive upper tiers, and a rooftop water heater heats the water.

• 10 kW of panels
• A hybrid inverter and a 15 kWh battery
• A 180 l solar water heater
• Typhoon-rated mounting

Every kWh over 700 a month costs 3,844 ₫ plus VAT — the savings come off the most expensive tier.

• Phu Quoccity
• 12,000kWh a year
• 10 kWpanels
• 15 kWhbattery
• 15,278output, kWh a year
• 78%of consumption from the sun
• 110–157 m ₫price
• 35.2 m ₫savings a year
• 3–4 yearspayback

Typical calculation, not a real site

A house far from the power line: connecting is expensive or impossible. Ulan-Ude is one of the sunniest cities in Russia: 1,500 kWh per 1 kW a year.

• 6 kW of panels at a steep tilt to shed snow
• An off-grid inverter-charger and a 20 kWh battery
• A generator for the winter weeks

On the average day of every month the sun covers all the consumption. But real winters have overcast weeks — then the generator charges the battery at its rated load instead of idling for hours.

• Ulan-Udecity
• 3,500kWh a year
• 6 kWpanels
• 20 kWhbattery
• 9,021output, kWh a year
• 100%of consumption from the sun
• 676,000–1,050,000 ₽price
• —savings a year
• off-gridpayback