FAQs - High End Residential Energy Saving Projects

Local energy storage systems (LESS) use lithium-ion batteries to store energy for later discharge to power systems within a residential property. The Li-ion battery set can be charged in one of two ways: either from energy generated from a solar PV installation or from the grid overnight (at low rate tariffs). The stored energy can then be used when there is a power outage and/or when electricity peak tariffs are highest. A local energy storage system can therefore be used to reduce electricity bills with the savings used to cover the cost of the system.

Voltage optimisers reduce the mains power supply voltage to a lower level which is still able to supply inside the input voltage window of the connected load. Voltage optimisers provide no energy saving potential with IT loads that use Switch Mode Power Supplies (SMPS). The best type of load to use with a voltage optimiser are linear loads. With a linear load if the voltage is reduced from 240Vac to 230Vac the resultant energy saving will be 8% and at 220Vac 16% without disruption to the load itself.

Many people now work from home and some home IT installations are as complex as those found in an office environment. When selecting a UPS system, the same principles should be applied as for an office based IT network. The ideal UPS type is an on-line system as this offers the most in terms of power protection and a break-free supply from a battery set when the mains power fails. Line interactive offer the next level in power protection. Whilst not as good as an on-line UPS the output from a line interactive is often good enough thanks to the Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS) used within a file server. High-end residences may even more complex networks including access control and CCTV security. They may require a three phase as opposed to a single phase UPS system and possible a standby power generator to allow them to run through extended power outages.