Effective Energy Group and Forster Group have acquired unique rights to put in Hive Solar, a brand new house photo voltaic package deal linked to the British Gas sensible house administration model. This follows the announcement of a warmth pump trial with Daikin scheduled for the third quarter of 2024.
Two of the UK’s largest photo voltaic set up companies have joined forces with Centrica proprietor power retailer British Gas in an unique partnership to launch the power firm’s Hive Solar product within the residential market.
Effective Energy Group is the unique installer for Hive Solar in England and Wales, whereas Forster Group acts because the set up accomplice in Scotland.
Matt Coates, director of enterprise improvement at Effective Energy Group, mentioned pv journal that utilizing “trusted manufacturers” like Hive Solar is crucial to the installer’s enterprise, and it permits Effective Energy Group to achieve clients extra successfully and drive curiosity in house photo voltaic.
“The objective is to push extra clients to begin pondering [rooftop solar]. With the adoption of EVs and the unfold of extra and smarter tariffs round home charging and home batteries I can solely see a continued progress market. It’s all about giving the client the information, giving them the power to know the market and make knowledgeable selections,” he mentioned.
Hive Solar is an all-in-one residential proposition from British Gas, which makes use of the Hive branding in reference to its sensible house app. The Hive app permits customers to regulate house heating and EV charging remotely. Through Hive Solar, clients may also have entry to real-time updates on photo voltaic technology, power consumption and battery storage capability. Solar and battery storage knowledge is shipped to the app ecosystem by way of the Hive Bridge, a communication machine linked to the inverter by way of a class 5 ethernet cable. The remainder of the set up work is completed as typical, Coates defined.
“We set up something from 4 panels to 20-30 panels in a regular home setting. The common is between eight and 12, we normally match 430 W panels, however we’ve 450 W in our vary. That’s the common dimension of the battery. 5.32 kW is our commonest battery dimension in the mean time inverters in our vary, however most installations have a hybrid inverter, most with a 3.6 kW hybrid with double MPPT. We improve to five KW when the system is required,” he mentioned.
Effective Energy carried out the primary Hive Solar set up in July 2024 and Forster Group beforehand confirmed in pv journal which it’s scheduled to do as properly.
Susan Wells, director of low carbon properties at Hive, mentioned the model is dedicated to creating photo voltaic easy for owners “and placing the nation accountable for their power.”
“By integrating photo voltaic into the Hive app, clients can higher take part of their power use by monitoring what they produce and retailer, and by promoting extra power again to the grid they assist their pocket and the planet,” he mentioned.
Hive Solar clients can promote again to the electrical energy grid by the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). SEG replaces Great Britain’s feed-in tariff in 2020. Under SEG, properties that promote electrical energy again to the grid are paid a per kWh price decided by power corporations.
The Hive Solar launch follows the announcement of a warmth pump trial set to start within the autumn. The hive and warmth pump model Daikin will work collectively in 2024 to combine the Daikin Altherma 3 warmth pump into the Hive power administration system. It will enable clients to see and management their warmth pump system by the app and permit customers to set private heating schedules, observe spending and set budgets, whereas additionally optimizing using warmth pump when electrical energy is cheaper.
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