Photovoltaic panels have become a permanent part of the Polish landscape. They are installed mainly on the roofs of houses and on photovoltaic farms, changing not only the landscape around us, but also the entire domestic energy system. According to data from the Renewable Energy Institute, Poland currently ranks fourth in the EU in terms of the increase in installed photovoltaic power. It is the result of, among others, systematically and dynamically growing number of new PV installations.

However, the accounting system for home power plants already causes a loss of electricity produced by up to 20-30%. And the upcoming regulations and new regulations will probably significantly increase this loss. Additionally, the power of photovoltaic installations is often overestimated in relation to the actual needs of the household. As a result, despite the growing market of producers and companies installing these ecological devices, investing in photovoltaics may soon lose its sense.

But is it possible to use the electricity we produce more effectively? Of course!

One of the most economical and universal solutions may be to install an electric boiler and use the energy surplus for heating purposes. These types of devices are easy to install and easy to use. They are perfect for both newly designed installations and modifications and modernization of existing heating systems.

When deciding on such a solution, it is worth choosing branded and reliable equipment, e.g. the Defro DBE Optima boiler. Thanks to the possibility of cooperation with PV installations, modern technology that allows the device to act as the main or alternative heat source, and functions such as:

• operation of the mixing valve and additional pump,
• work in open and closed central heating systems,
• programming the amount of kWh that the boiler can consume,

we will be able to use the energy produced optimally. Or even full, because the boiler also has a weekly operation time programming function, which can be adjusted to the moment of the highest overproduction of energy by PV panels. This will allow you to use our photovoltaic installation up to 100%!

If we take into account the relatively low cost of the Defro DBE Optima boiler and its quality, purchasing the device seems obvious. However, experts point out that the key factor that we should take into account when investing in this type of devices is not the one-time cost of its purchase and installation, but the long-term operating costs. Let’s see how high these costs are.

According to the WT2021 standards, which have been in force in the construction industry since the beginning of this year, we can assume that the energy demand necessary to heat a house with an area of 120 m² is 35/kWh/m². This gives 4,200 kWh per year. With current electricity prices remaining at 60 groszy per 1 kWh, the annual cost of heating with an electric boiler will be PLN 2,520.

And this cost can be further reduced by using a storage heating system and cheaper energy tariffs that are available on the market. In the case of the popular G12W option, the price of 1kWh is approximately PLN 0.39, which will cost us PLN 1,638 per year.

The calculation is simple. If we take into account the costs associated with the purchase of an electric boiler and its operation, as well as a significant reduction in the payback time of the investment in a photovoltaic installation, we obtain one of the most economical solutions currently available on the market. All the more so because the life cycle of the Defro DBE Optima electric boiler, thanks to the highest quality components and technological solutions used in it, is approximately 15 years.