Profile of PV Generation
The profile of generation by Solar photovoltaic (PV) is very important when considering an installation especially when trying to maximise the offset of your usage.
Before reviewing the PV production profile it is always advisable that you have an understanding of when your farm or business uses electricity. Is the electricity
usage constant throughout the year, do you use more on a night or more in summer or winter months?
Solar PV works by harnessing the suns light. A common misconception is that it uses the heat which is not true therefore even in a cold winter month you may
experience a good day of sunshine. That said the most generation comes from summer months when the light intensity is much stronger and daylight hours are longer.
Therefore, for example, if you are an arable farm which uses a grain dryer or a poultry farmer with ventilation, then your electricity usage is most probably
higher in the summer months. This fits perfectly with the generation from solar PV. Alternatively you could be a business or farm with a constant electricity demand
and thus making solar the perfect solution to offset your electricity usage throughout the year.
In some cases Solar PV installations are solely installed as a financial investment designed to export the majority of the installation back to the national grid.