PAIRING HEAT PUMP WITH
SOLAR PANELS
Introduction
According to the ACCC (Australian Competitors and Consumer Commission), the electricity median effective price for residential customers grew by 14% across all Australia from September 2022 to September 2023. As the price of electricity rises, homeowners are more aware and cautious of energy bills, seeking out more sustainable and cost-effective solutions.
One of the most well known and powerful ways to reduce both energy bills and carbon footprint is pairing solar panels with heat pumps. By leveraging solar-generated power to keep the heat pumps running, homeowners can enjoy reliable and consistent hot water with little reliance on the grid. Let’s explore how these two technologies work together, their key benefits and what you should be aware of when setting up the system.
How Do Solar Panels Work Together With Hot Water Heat Pump?
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight into electricity, which can power household appliances, including heat pump systems. These heat pumps extract heat from air and transfer it to water. The process makes heat pumps even more cost-effective by consuming free energy from the sun instead of drawing from the grid.
The Benefits From Pairing Solar Panels With Heat Pump
1. Lower Energy Bills
Using solar-generated electricity to run your heat pump, you significantly reduce your dependency on grid power, leading to lower energy bills. The other great news is, heat pumps are already highly efficient appliances, now their operation expenses will drop even further when powered by renewable solar-energy.
2. Electricity Independence
With a combination of solar panels and heat pumps, homeowners can use their own electricity from the sun. Moreover, reducing their reliance on external suppliers and separating themselves from the effects of rising electricity prices!
3. Little To No Carbon Footprint
Traditional heating such as gas water heaters, reported by the NSW Government, have potential risks of releasing toxic gas such as carbon monoxide (CO) that contaminates the air you are breathing. The gas is tasteless, colourless and odourless, you won’t know that it’s there.
Electric heat pumps are far more environmentally friendly than gas or other conventional electric heating systems. When combined with solar energy, they offer near-zero-emission heating solutions for households, helping homeowners to contribute to a healthy neighbourhood and a greener planet.
4. Eligibility For Government Incentives
The Australian governments provide numerous incentives for citizens to upgrade their hot water systems to more sustainable solutions, as an aim for net zero-emission in the 2050s.
For the Victorians, programs like VEU or Solar Victoria help people financially in upgrading their old, inefficient hot water systems.
Key Considerations For Pairing Solar Panels with Heat Pumps
1. System Compatibility and Sizing
It’s important to check if your solar panel’s energy output meets your heat pump’s energy requirements. Larger homes or even commercial heat pumps require a lot of energy. However, more energy means one more reason to install your solar panels, to avoid price increase in electricity.
2. Battery Storage For Flexible Consumption And Maximum Efficiency
Almost every home with solar panels has their battery storage installed. Battery storage is not strictly essential for the system to work. But because of how great and useful battery storage is, it becomes a “must have” for every solar-powered household.
Battery Storage can store excess solar energy and allows you to start consuming solar energy whenever you want. This is especially important during peak energy consumption periods, when electricity rates are higher than usual. Battery storage ensures your energy bills stay low even when you are using electricity during peak times.
3. Seasonal Performance Changes
Solar panels need sunlight to create electricity, and heat pumps may need more energy during colder months – we recommend proper planning to balance these factors to be maximised year-round.
4. Installation And Upfront Costs
Although the initial cost for both the heat pump and solar panels might hurt your wallet, it is definitely worth the investment in the long run. Besides, government incentives can help you offset financial worries and headaches when making solar panels and heat pumps purchases.
Conclusion
Pairing solar panels with a heat pump is a smart investment for homeowners that are looking for energy-efficiency, cost savings and even sustainability. Keep in mind factors like sizing and compatibility, battery storage, along with government incentives, the combination can go a long way in keeping your house running with very low bills. If you consider implementing this duo, consult with a professional installer that can help you design a system that is best for your needs
If you are looking for a low price heat pump with the biggest tank and fast recovery rate, check out our Products page to see what we have in store!
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Last Updated: 21th February 2025
Author: ENEFT – Heat Pump Manufacturer
FUTHER READING:
Learn more about the Australian Government Incentives here:
- VEU:
https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/victorian-energy-upgrades
- Solar Victoria:
Learn more about your energy bills here:
Learn more about electricity price increase here:
Learn more about the potential risk of a gas heater and how to mitigate here: