GO ON, MY SUN

Solar power and EVs go together like Martin Lewis and energy prices. Jesse Crosse fits a system at home

Up until last year when news dropped of how energy prices were about to go sky high, installing solar panels may have seemed like an expensive luxury to most of us. Now it seems like a way out, and demand for domestic and industrial solar systems has shot up. I had made the switch to EVs in 2021, and although it wasn't part of a master plan, suddenly the idea of turning the house into a mini power station became strangely compelling. If a solar system is producing more energy than can be used there and then, EV batteries are an ideal place to store it.

Solar systems come in various types. The most popular option is to install a hybrid system, integrating inverter, solar panels and battery storage together. The inverter also manages the flow of power between house, batteries and, when excess power is produced, back into the grid. Batteries can also be charged from the grid on a low tariff, then the power used during peak periods, but they're not that big, which is why EVs with their huge storage capacity are an ideal accessory.