Fair Battery: Yello’s Innovation for Surplus Energy from Household Photovoltaic Power Plants

Czech households threw themselves into building photovoltaic power plants (PVE). After they are installed and operational, they are currently thinking about what to do with the surplus. There are several solutions, and one of them is the Fair battery service, which has undergone innovation and provides even more interesting conditions. It is offered by Yello.

According to the Solar Association, the year 2022 was clearly a record year for the number of rooftop power plants on single-family homes. Almost 34,000 of them with a capacity of 289 MWp were put into operation, which represents a year-on-year growth of 366%. Companies also continued with the installations. The commissioning of PV power plants will also continue this year.

Virtual storage can be used immediately

The big difference between households and companies is in the consumption of produced electricity. While companies are usually able to fully consume it, households, on the other hand, need to save it for later. It seems like a suitable solution battery. This increases the usable amount of solar energy. There are currently two types of storage available – physical and virtual – and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

While the first solution represents the certainty of how to store energy at home, the second does not increase the investment in the solar power plant or take up additional space for storing batteries. The energy is sent to the electrical distribution network, and in the event that the PV power plant is not producing and energy is needed, it is drawn from there again.

“It is an effective solution that will ensure that households can have their own electricity from solar panels in any weather. They don’t lose excess energy, they get it back when they need it, and they don’t have to worry about anything. Alternatively, we will send the energy back to customers in the form of a discount,” points out Michal Kulig, director of Yello. Households with a PV power plant can have their electricity storage practically immediately and for free.

The fair battery is free of monthly fees

Since 2019, one of Yello’s award-winning services has been Fair Battery. This is an option for those who already have their own power plant or are just thinking about it. The fair battery has now been revised and is now intended for all households, not only those that have used the installation of a PV power plant through Yello.

For using the Fair Battery service they don’t charge monthly fees. “As one of the first on the market, we have waived the need to pay any additional monthly fees for virtual batteries. The fixed monthly salary is therefore similar to other energy products. This makes our service a truly Fair Battery.” Michal Kulig comments on the changes.

The service works like this if the PV power plant produces and sends an unconsumed amount of electricity to the electrical distribution network, i.e. surpluses, the household will automatically take it back if necessary. The Yello company provides a discount of CZK 3,500 incl. VAT.

“Thanks to the Fair battery, it is also possible to save the energy produced and take it back in the form of a discount in the winter. At the same time, the unused part of the discount is transferred to the bill for the next billing period, so the customer does not lose it.” specifies Michal Kulig.

Every month, a customer using the Férová battery service receives a clear statement of how much electricity the PV plant has produced, how much the household has consumed and how much Férová battery has kept for later use.

Yello will ensure suitable installation according to consumption

If the customer is just thinking about installing a PV power plant, Yello will arrange for it in cooperation with its installation partner, Solarinvest. She contacts the customer by phone to obtain all the necessary information, especially about how the household uses electricity. Subsequently, a technician will arrive and, after inspecting the site, will prepare a detailed offer, including the possibility of using a financial subsidy from the New Green Savings program.

source: press release