New system automatically switches on Bosch or Siemens appliances at the most economical time: the pros and cons in the spotlight | MyGuide

Owners of solar panels and a digital meter have separate energy consumption and injection. All energy that their solar panels generate that they do not immediately use goes to the power grid. In exchange, you will receive an injection payment from your energy supplier. This compensation has fallen rapidly in recent months and now amounts to barely a few tens of euros per year for an average solar panel installation.

What compensation does your supplier offer for the electricity you place on the grid? Check the current injection rates here.

Since the consumption costs – partly due to grid rates, levies and VAT – are much higher, it is in your interest as a prosumer to optimally tailor your energy consumption to the hours that your solar panels generate energy. Of course, this works best when you are at home and can immediately respond to solar production. For those who are often away from home, the Flemish government’s Current Forecaster offers an indication of the expected hours of sunshine in your municipality. Although this is of course always difficult to predict exactly.

BSH Hausgeräte, the parent company of Bosch, Siemens, Gaggenau and Neff, among others, already offered customers the option to switch appliances on and off remotely via its Home Connect app. This still had to be done manually, which is not obvious during a busy working day, for example. That is why the household giant is now launching an automated system.

The new application is the result of a collaboration between energy manager HomeWizard and the BSH Hausgeräte app. It automatically starts washing machines, dryers and dishwashers when solar power production exceeds the home’s power consumption. In this way you ensure that the ‘excess’ electricity does not leave the power grid at a cost, but is immediately used for your household appliances. If you have a dynamic rate that takes hourly prices into account, the device will automatically start its program during the cheapest hours.

To activate that application, connect a WiFi P1 meter (cost: 29.95 euros) from HomeWizard to your digital meter. The P1 meter then makes a connection with Bosch, Siemens, Gaggenau or Neff appliances that support Home Connect.

Are energy apps worth their money? These are the benefits and costs for the different players.

Fire prevention advisors previously indicated that it is best to always switch on appliances under supervision, i.e. when a resident is present. This is not immediately compatible with the use of devices with a start delay or devices that automatically operate when the sun shines.

Read more on Mijnenergie.be:

Belgians receive poor compensation for excess electricity: why is that? And what is the situation in our neighboring countries?

Calculated: why you can (possibly) benefit financially by requesting the digital meter yourself now

Only this percentage of your bill actually goes to energy

This article was brought to you by our partner Mijnenergie.
MijnEnergie.be is an independent energy price comparator of electricity and gas offers.

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