Sustainable, solar PV, battery storage & EV charge point installation
Supplying quality service across the UK
Solar PV
At Recharge at Home Limited we offer a complete domestic Solar PV service from design and installation to servicing. We have a reputation for quality of workmanship and customer service.
Generating your own power should be simple and affordable. Solar is a great way to produce free energy using daylight to reduce your energy bills. Solar modules are usually installed on a roof and connected in series to an inverter or each have a built in micro-inverter. In most cases, DC electricity is generated which is converted to AC by the inverter ready for use in the home. This electricity is used as the primary source of power to the building. If the array produces more energy than you use then it is exported back to the grid or diverted to a battery storage system (if installed). If needed the system can top up from the grid.
Battery Storage
Battery storage is usually combined with solar panels and allows any excess, generated energy to be stored and used when you need it.
Without solar, battery storage also allows you to draw down electricity when it’s cheap to use in the day significantly reducing energy bills.
1. What is battery storage?
Battery storage systems facilitate the storage of electricity for use as and when you need it.
2. Why would I need to store electricity?
Solar PV systems often generate more electricity that is needed at a given time. Instead of this energy being sold back to the grid at a very low price, the energy can be stored for use at your convenience. This free energy is far more valuable in your hands than sold back to the grid. Selling back to the grid it would earn you 5 pence per kWh. Stored and then used, it would save you anything from 28 to 51 pence per kWh.
Even without solar, battery storage makes sense financially. Draw down cheap energy at night into your storage system and then use it during the day instead of paying high daytime energy prices. See below Givenergy battery combined with Octopus Go possible energy cost savings.
3. Why electricity cheaper at night?
It is the law of supply and demand. During the day there is greater demand for electricity so prices are higher. At night, when everyone is asleep, there is often excess energy. When energy demand is low, energy companies can rely on power sources that have the lowest operating cost – think wind turbines. When electricity demand reaches peak values, energy producers must bring their full generation capacity online so the price per kilowatt-hour increases in proportion to the total demand on the power grid.
In general, the lowest electricity cost is achieved with baseload power (nuclear) plants and variable renewable sources – wind and solar power. Power plants fired by natural gas are normally used to meet peaks in consumption during the day, which results in the highest energy cost to the consumer.
GivEnergy
GivEnergy are a British owned battery storage manufacturer. They have a clear vision of creating products guaranteed to save homeowners money on their electricity bill. They manufacture a variety of award-winning solar batteries, AC controllers, inverters and soon a GivEnergy EV Charger.
If you are looking to make the most out of your solar panels, or to charge your batteries from off-peak tariffs, GivEnergy is the solution to cheaper energy bills. Available in 2.6, 5.2, and 9.5kWh capacity, GivEnergy’s energy storage systems are designed to work seamlessly with smart tariff energy suppliers such as Octopus.
Currently, Octopus Go tariff is 7.5 pence per kWh for 4 hours overnight. The standard rate of electricity from 1st Oct 2022 is 51 pence per kWh. The average house uses 8.2kWh of electricity per day. If you installed a 9.5kWh battery system and were connected to Octopus Go before 1st Oct, you would be saving £3.57 per day. Even if the price cap doesn’t go up in January – although it is expected to rise in January and then again in April – you would save approx. £107.00 per month over the remaining term of your 12 month contract.
Batteries may be connected together through the same inverter to create larger storage systems dependent upon your property energy requirements.
The GivEnergy battery pack sits alongside our AC Coupled or Hybrid Inverter so that you can store energy from the grid or excess solar generation. Each AC Controller or Hybrid Inverter can support up to five GivEnergy batteries. When installed alongside a Hybrid GivEnergy inverter, you can receive full EPS capability, to provide back-up functionality in the event of a powercut.
GivEnergy offer a market-leading unlimited cycle 10 year warranty and a dedicated UK support team.
Understanding EV Charging
There are three main types of EV charging – rapid, fast, and slow. These represent the power outputs, and therefore charging speeds, available to charge an EV. Note that power is measured in kilowatts (kW).
Each charger type has an associated set of connectors which are designed for low- or high-power use, and for either AC or DC charging.
For home charging you will have an AC supply which requires one of two connectors
Home Charging connectors
Type 1
Type 2
Cables
Should a cable be tethered (fixed) to the charging device, only models compatible with that connector type will be able to use it; e.g. a Type 1 tethered cable could be used by a first-generation Nissan Leaf, but not a second-generation Leaf, which has a Type 2 inlet.
Untethered units are more flexible and can be used by any EV with the correct cable.
Most EVs are supplied with two cables for slow and fast AC charging; one with a three-pin plug and the other with a Type 2 connector charger-side, and both fitted with a compatible connector for the car’s inlet port. These cables enable an EV to connect to most untethered charge points, while use of tethered units require using the cable with the correct connector type for the vehicle.
Examples include the Nissan Leaf MkI which is typically supplied with a 3-pin-to-Type 1 cable and a Type 2-to-Type 1 cable. The Renault Zoe has a different charging set up and comes with a 3-pin-to-Type 2 and/or Type 2-to-Type 2 cable. For rapid charging, both models use the tethered connectors which are attached to the charging units.
Charging speeds
Fast chargers are typically rated at either 7 kW or 22 kW
Charging times vary on unit speed and the vehicle, but a 7 kW charger will recharge a compatible EV with a 40 kWh battery in 4-6 hours, and a 22 kW charger in 1-2 hours.
When using a fast charger the charging speed will be limited by the car’s on-board charger, with not all models able to accept 7 kW or more.
These models can still be plugged in to the charge point, but will only draw the maximum power accepted by the on-board charger. For example, a Nissan Leaf with a 3.3 kW on-board charger will only draw a maximum of 3.3 kW, even if the fast charge point is 7 kW or 22 kW.
Tesla’s ‘destination’ chargers provide 11 kW or 22 kW of power but, like the Supercharger network, are intended only for use by Tesla models. Tesla does provide some standard Type 2 chargers at many of its destination locations, and these are compatible with any plug-in model using the compatible connector.
Charging Units
Zappi
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TETHERED/UNTETHERED
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British made and manufactured lower carbon footprint
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Solar compatible
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Myenergi app, smart charging
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Three charging modes – eco, eco+ and fast
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No earth rod required
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7kW or 22kW 230V AC
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Tethered system 6.5m cable
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PIN protected
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Remote access using HUB and app
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Three year warranty
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All packaging is recycled and recyclable with minimal use of plastics
Hypervolt
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TETHERED
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Designed and manufactured in Britain
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Mobile monitoring
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Type 1 and 2 leads available
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7.5m and 10m leads available at extra cost
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Tariff scheduled charging mode
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3 year warranty
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No earth rod required
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Household load adjustment
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Solar compatible
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Hypervolt app
Rolec
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TETHERED/UNTETHERED
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Modular design for easy repair
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Smart
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Solar (optional)
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Load balancing
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Manage remotely
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Adjustable power output
Andersen
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TETHERED
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Hidden cable system and night light.
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5.5m, 8.5m (3.6kW,7kW), 6.5m (22kW)
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3.6kW, 7kW, 22kW
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Bluetooth/wifi connectivity
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8 metal finishes and 4 wood
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Compatible with all type 2 electric and hybrid cars
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Remote locking
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No tariff optimisation
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Load balancing
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Solar compatible
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3 years of Andersen care cover
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No earth rod required
Tesla
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TETHERED
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Remotely open your Tesla's charge port
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Sleek Tesla design
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Single unit delivers Slow to 3-phase charging
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3.6kW, 7kW, 22kW
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Only available with Type 2 connector
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Compatible with all vehicles with a Type 2 Socket
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3 year warranty
Installation requirements
A site visit is required to ensure that the earth bonding of the house is adequate and equal to that of the car charger. If this is not the case severe electric shock is possible due to the potential differences between the earthing arrangements.
The site visit will also allow us to assess lengths and difficulty of cable runs, the most suitable point of installation and whether the house has an independent electrical supply. To install an EV charge point a house must have its own electric supply and not be connected on a loop with it's neighbours. The house can draw a maximum of 60 amps before we would have to seek permission from the Distribution Network Operator for the installation.
About Recharge at Home
Values
Professionalism - Ethics, impeccable standards of safety and communication are paramount.
Reliability - We believe in punctuality and a consistent customer experience.
Customer-first - An engaging, positive and guiding approach.
Community-minded - A local and global community mindset will impact the lives of many.
Vision
A world where people take action to develop sustainable communities.
Environmental Initiatives
Current
We are providing local schools with allotments to introduce children of all ages to their environment, the joys of growing their own food and connect them with the earth at its most basic level – the soil. We want to get our customers involved. Either directly, by helping build the allotments themselves, or just by rounding the pound on their purchases through us.
Future
A seed program to educate and supply non patented, heritage seed varieties to farmers across the world.
