Discover Total’s Sunpower Offer And Make Your Roof Profitable!

Discover Total’s Sunpower Offer And Make Your Roof Profitable!

Produce electricity for personal consumption or resell this energy to generate income: installing solar panels is a profitable alternative for your home. SunPower and its technology support you in your process and help you switch to renewable energies to light and heat you. Discover all our tips for making your roof and your home profitable thanks to solar energy.

DISCOVER SUNPOWER, A MAJOR PLAYER IN SOLAR


SunPower, a subsidiary of Total, manufactures and supplies the world’s most efficient photovoltaic solar panels. A pioneer in Silicon Valley, SunPower has gradually established itself as one of the world specialists in solar energy, in particular for the reliability of its solutions and the exceptional performance of its panels.

SunPower makes it easy to install solar panels for your home. Discover the unique SunPower technology.

SUNPOWER SOLAR TECHNOLOGY: HOW DOES IT WORK?


Choosing a SunPower solar installation means choosing among the most efficient but also the most reliable solar technology on the market. To make your roof profitable thanks to solar energy , SunPower panels generate up to 70% more energy than conventional panels for the same area occupied during the first 25 years.

They offer exceptional efficiency and better performance even in the event of hail, high temperatures, high humidity, low light and generally extreme weather conditions. In addition, SunPower panels are backed by a 25-year peace of mind guarantee that covers panels and their performance.

HOW TO EARN MONEY WITH YOUR SUNPOWER SOLAR INSTALLATION?

How to make your roof profitable thanks to solar energy ? By installing solar panels on your roof, you generate electricity and sell it in whole or in part to your electricity supplier. Thanks to the feed-in tariffs currently in force, you have an additional source of income: the energy produced by your solar panels will be bought back by EDF Obligation d’Achat at a rate higher than that of your consumption for a period of 20 years. .

These incomes are tax exempt for installations not exceeding 3kWp, a good reason to opt today for solar energy and make your roof and your house profitable . By choosing SunPower panels, you optimize the production of electricity on your roof.

HOW TO SWITCH TO SOLAR ENERGY?

Making your roof profitable thanks to solar energy is an important project. SunPower advisors and their approved partners are there to support you in the various stages of your project until its complete realization and beyond, with regular monitoring of production.

Request your free study online. Complete the online form and a SunPower advisor will get back to you shortly. If you are eligible, the SunPower Authorized Partner near you will make an appointment to establish a personalized quote and assess your future earnings.

TOTAL, A PLAYER IN SOLAR ENERGY FOR OVER 40 YEARS


For more than 40 years, our teams have been committed to advancing solar energy . As an integrated player, we are now present in the entire solar photovoltaic chain: from the production of cells to the sale of solar electricity through the storage of electricity. We also act through the development and operation of large solar power plants or decentralized systems on the sites of residential, industrial and commercial customers.

Photovoltaic Solar Panels: Composition And Operation

Photovoltaic Solar Panels: Composition And Operation

Solar energy is attracting more and more individuals wishing to produce their own electricity. Before getting equipped, take a look at how photovoltaic solar panels work, their composition and the way they produce energy, in order to choose the most efficient equipment according to your situation.

COMPOSITION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANELS


Depending on its composition, your solar panel may offer variable performance. The composition of its cells is particularly important: they are the ones that capture the sun’s rays and convert them into energy.

General composition of a photovoltaic panel


A photovoltaic solar panel consists of a supporting structure, an inverter, distribution components, as well as a production meter. Each of these “peripherals” is essential to operate the panel and recover energy. The panel is covered with semiconductor cells, usually made of crystalline silicon. These cells are assembled together and held between two tempered glass plates. A junction box as well as cables connect the panels to each other to compose a photovoltaic structure.

Monocrystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous cells: what’s the difference?
The cells that line solar panels can be:

monocrystalline: these are the most efficient cells, but also the most expensive;
polycrystalline: they offer the best value for money currently on the market. They are also the most used cells;
amorphous (or thin films): they make profitable the solar rays even when they are weak, and they are less expensive to produce than the mono and polycrystalline cells. However, they have a major drawback: their poor performance in full sun and their noticeable loss of efficiency over time.


OPERATION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANELS

A sine qua non for their operation, your photovoltaic solar panels need, above all, sunlight. Their semiconductor cells convert solar energy to produce direct current. This current then passes through an inverter, a box acting as a transformer, which converts the direct current into alternating current. The electricity can then be consumed or sold to an energy supplier

For an optimized yield, several conditions must be met:

The surface covered by the solar panels must be at least 19 to 20 m2, without projected shadow;
The roof must have an inclination of 30 to 35 °, and be oriented due south.
Thanks to its optimized composition and operation, a photovoltaic installation can be profitable even if you do not live in the south of France: call on a qualified professional who will advise you on how to best install your panels and obtain the best performance.

To ensure the optimal functioning of your photovoltaic panels, regular maintenance is essential. It is simply a matter of cleaning the modules of the panels and making sure they are functioning normally. A simple gesture which can extend the longevity of your installation but which must however be carried out by a specialist, the very slippery modules being able to cause falls.

SOLAR PANELS: HOW DO THEY WORK?

WHAT ARE PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANELS?


Solar panels are systems capable of capturing energy from the sun’s rays and converting them into electricity.

Equipping your home with solar panels has a cost that can be partly financed by public aid. Indeed, the State has put in place several aid systems for the installation of solar panels in order to encourage the French to use renewable energies.

HOW DO SOLAR PANELS WORK?


Solar energy is captured through modules (large rectangles) covered with cells of silicon, a semiconductor material. The capture and transformation of solar energy takes place as follows:

Photons (sunlight) hit cells.
They transmit their energy to the electrons contained in the panels.
The electrons move and produce a continuous electric current.
The inverter then transforms the direct current into alternating current and thus makes it usable on the electrical network or in a building. Electricity can either be supplied to electrical appliances in the house, be sold to an electricity distributor, or be stored in a battery for later use in the house (for example at night, when not in use). there is more sun).

WHERE CAN PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANELS BE INSTALLED?

Solar panels are traditionally installed on the roofs of houses or buildings. The performance of solar panels is optimized when there is plenty of sunshine all year round and the roof:

is facing south;
offers an inclination between 30 and 35 °;
has no gray area.
Depending on the size of the land and the site’s energy needs, they can also be installed on ground supports. For example, it is possible to attach solar panels to a garden shed or invest in a solar shade that can be used to protect a vehicle from bad weather.

Did you know ?

Do you want to produce electricity for your personal consumption or sell the excess energy? Total supports you in your project thanks to SunPower , its subsidiary producing the most efficient photovoltaic solar panels in the world. Discover the many advantages of these panels producing up to 70% more energy than the so-called conventional photovoltaic panels.

What Is Solar Energy Used For And What Are Its Advantages?

What Is Solar Energy Used For And What Are Its Advantages?

At a time when many countries are engaged in an energy transition process, solar energy is emerging as an interesting alternative for the future. What uses is solar energy reserved for? What are the main advantages of this type of energy?
Focus on the main information to remember.

WHAT IS SOLAR ENERGY FOR?
There are several types of solar energy.

• Solar thermal energy Solar thermal
energy is used to heat a fluid which in turn will heat domestic hot water and / or the fluid in a central heating circuit.

• Photovoltaic solar energy Photovoltaic
solar energy makes it possible to produce electricity. The latter can be used by households as well as in industrial activities. Lighting, various appliances, electric heating, etc. : Electricity produced by photovoltaic solar energy can be used in many ways.


HOW CAN WE USE SOLAR ENERGY?

Solar energy can be exploited by using different types of devices:

• Photovoltaic solar panels. These devices capture energy from the sun’s rays through modules and convert them into electricity.
• Thermal solar panels. They allow water to be heated using solar energy.
• Hybrid solar panels, which produce thermal and electrical energy from the sun’s rays.
• Thermodynamic solar systems. These devices harness the sun’s radiation through thousands of mirrors. They reflect sunlight to receivers which are steam generators. Pressurized, this steam will run an alternator which will produce electricity.


WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AEROVOLTAICS AND PHOTOVOLTAICS?

Photovoltaics and aerovoltaics are two systems that generate electricity from the inexhaustible natural source of the sun. In addition to this similarity, aerovoltaics and photovoltaics are different in many ways. Total.fr enlightens you and helps you differentiate between these two installations to make the right choice.

AEROVOLTAIC: 4 TIMES MORE ENERGY FOR A SINGLE INSTALLATION


Unlike photovoltaics which uses sunlight and converts it into electricity without taking advantage of the heat it produces, aerovoltaics take advantage of this heat and diffuses it into the home using a ventilation module coupled to a CMV. This heat makes it possible to produce 4 times more energy. Indeed, when a photovoltaic panel uses 20% of solar energy, the aerovoltaic panel uses up to 80% of the solar energy captured.

A MULTIFUNCTION INSTALLATION FOR AEROVOLTAICS


Another difference between aerovoltaics and photovoltaics : the use made of the energy produced. On the one hand, photovoltaics only produce electricity. On the other hand, the aerovoltaic adds 3 other functions to its installation:

heating production;
nighttime refreshment;
ventilation.
The various functions performed by an aerovoltaic installation confer a certain energy autonomy to the occupants of the equipped accommodation. Much greater autonomy than that provided by a photovoltaic installation.

PHOTOVOLTAIC AND AEROVOLTAIC: A SIGNIFICANT PRICE DIFFERENCE


While aerovoltaic panels have many advantages over photovoltaic panels, the latter are half the cost to install. For several years, photovoltaics have been able to gain a foothold in the renewable energy market and its initially high cost has been able to drop thanks to an equalization of the prices of materials and installation. Obviously, the aerovoltaic is promised an equivalent decrease over the years but in the meantime, the photovoltaic remains more interesting to the acquisition and the installation.

Good to know

If the aerovoltaic represents a significant initial investment, it makes it possible to achieve savings of up to 50% on energy bills quickly thanks to its multiple functions and the autonomy it provides. In addition, it produces 10% more electricity compared to photovoltaics.

DIFFERENT FINANCIAL AID DEPENDING ON THE FACILITIES


The amount of an aerovoltaic installation can be reduced thanks to financial aids, much more numerous than those allocated to a photovoltaic installation. In fact, the aerovoltaic benefits:

the tax credit for the energy transition: ie 30% of the value of the equipment excluding labor, up to € 1,200;
5.5% VAT: on condition that the installation is intended for a dwelling;
zero rate eco-loan of up to € 30,000.
In addition to these three financial aids, the aerovoltaic benefits from an investment bonus, in the same way as the photovoltaic. This premium varies according to the installed capacity.

How To Resell Your Solar Electricity? What To Do

How To Resell Your Solar Electricity? What To Do

When it reaches maturity, solar energy technology can supply, at least in part, a house or a condominium with electricity. But it can also generate income: it is indeed possible to resell the surplus electricity produced, via a purchase obligation contract with an energy supplier. How should we proceed? Who to contact? How much can you earn by selling renewable electricity?

FOCUS ON ELECTRICITY PURCHASE OBLIGATIONS


The resale of solar electricity is governed by a legal mechanism, provided for by the State, promulgated in 2011 and incorporated into the Energy Code: the obligations to purchase electricity. As its name suggests, it creates a “constraint”, which concerns energy suppliers. Electricity purchase obligations indeed impose on the latter (EDF in the first place, but also all alternative suppliers) to buy the surplus or all of the electricity production, mainly coming from renewable installations. Article L314-1 thus specifies the energy sources concerned by this “contract” between the producer and the supplier: solar obviously, but also wind power, geothermal energy, biomass, incineration, cogeneration, etc.

RESELLING SOLAR ELECTRICITY: AT WHAT PRICE?


Regardless of your persuasive force and your negotiating skills, the price of the purchase of solar electricity in France is generally set each year by the State, after consulting the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE). . Consequence: regardless of the supplier with which you sign your contract, the price will be the same.

For the supplier, this renewable electricity turns out to be more expensive than “conventional” electricity. Nevertheless, the State will compensate for the price difference with an exceptional contribution, which is financed by all consumers, via part of the CSPE (Contribution to the public service of electricity).

HOW TO SIGN A CONTRACT FOR THE SALE OF ELECTRICITY?


The signing of a purchase obligation contract is quite simple: all you have to do is contact the supplier of your choice and submit a request. The proposed contract will depend on the nature of the installation and the energy used. This is a long-term commitment, since a contract for the purchase of solar electricity is generally signed for 15 or 20 years.

Read also: What are the differences between aerovoltaics and photovoltaics?

ELECTRICITY BILLING


To bill your solar electricity to the chosen supplier, you have to carry out a few steps and procedures. The main step is to register on a web platform, operated by the energy supplier you have selected. In addition to your purchase obligation contract number, your name, your e-mail address and your postal code, you will then have to give a CRAE number (Access and Operation Connection Contract), provided by your supplier. The CRAE acts as a kind of link between your supplier and your renewable energy source.

Once this registration has been completed, all you have to do is invoice. This happens in a few clicks, once or twice a year depending on the signed contract:

enter online your production index and your non-consumption index, as recorded by your supplier;
check that the system has not detected any inconsistency between the indexes entered and those read;
generate a summary of the invoice, and validate it;
accept the proposed amount and click to send the invoice to the supplier, who will proceed with the payment (by transfer or check) within the deadlines indicated in the contract.

CAN WE TERMINATE A PURCHASE OBLIGATION CONTRACT?


Yes and no. For equivalent installations, it is not possible to terminate a purchase obligation contract before its expiry date. However, nothing prevents signing a new one with another supplier if a new energy production device is installed. The sale of the property is the only “legitimate” reason for terminating the contract. The latter can however be passed on to the new owners. But they can completely go to another supplier: the contract is then considered null.

What Is Solar Energy?

What Is Solar Energy?

Solar energy is an energy source that depends on the sun. This energy makes it possible to manufacture electricity from photovoltaic panels or thermal solar power plants, thanks to the sunlight captured by solar panels.

Solar energy is clean, emits no greenhouse gases and its raw material, the sun, although it is more than 150 million kilometers away from us, is free, inexhaustible and available everywhere in the world.

How does a solar installation work?


3 elements are necessary for a photovoltaic installation: solar panels, an inverter and a meter.

These three elements make it possible to recover the energy transmitted by the sun, transform it into electricity and then distribute it to all customers connected to the network.

  • Solar panels convert light directly into direct electric current.
  • The inverter then transforms the electricity obtained into alternating current compatible with the network.
  • The meter measures the quantity of current injected into the network.
    WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY?

If you are looking for solutions to make your home greener, you have the option of installing devices that use renewable energies such as solar energy. The advantages of solar power are mainly;

To be an inexhaustible and clean energy;

To take advantage of facilities whose cost is less and less expensive;

To be able to reduce your energy costs.

Solar energy can be harnessed by installing thermal panels or photovoltaic panels.

Did you know ?

Total supports you in your approach with its SunPower offer and offers you photovoltaic solar panels that are among the most efficient on the current market.

INEXHAUSTIBLE AND CLEAN ENERGY


One of the main advantages of solar energy remains that it is a renewable energy and therefore inexhaustible. As the sun is unlikely to go out for five billion years, you have plenty of time to take advantage of its rays to produce electricity and heat for your home.

All the more interesting since, unlike fossil fuels, solar energy does not release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, does not emit greenhouse gases and does not contribute to global warming. Clean energy with minimal environmental impact. In addition, photovoltaic panels are mainly composed of recyclable materials.

LESS AND LESS EXPENSIVE INSTALLATION COSTS


While this may have been a drag for some households for a long time, for a decade the cost of installing and maintaining photovoltaic panels has been falling. This can be explained in particular by technological progress in constant development, and increased installation production coupled with a reduction in the costs of the various components.

However, installing solar panels is still a significant investment. The price can vary between 6,000 and 35,000 euros, depending on the installed power (1 to 3 KWp and up to more than 10 KWp), the need for a battery to store energy, or even the installation costs. According to the Environment and Energy Management Agency (Ademe), photovoltaic panels have an estimated lifespan of 25 years minimum.

To help you financially in the installation of photovoltaic panels, you can benefit from the zero rate eco-loan and local financial aid.

AN ENERGY SOURCE OF SAVINGS


Another advantage of solar energy , and not the least: whatever your mode of consumption, it will prove to be economical, even profitable. Thus, you can just as easily resell all of the electricity produced, simply benefit from the self-consumption of your energy or even decide to resell the surplus electricity. In all cases, your solar installations will allow you to reduce your energy costs and thus save money, even generate income.

Self-consumption of solar energy


To tend towards total consumption, and thus be autonomous, it is necessary to invest in batteries that will store solar energy not consumed immediately, and redistribute it in your home on days when the sun is not out.

Another possibility is to remain connected to the network so that it takes over when your photovoltaic installations cannot operate. A method that allows up to 600 euros in electricity savings per year (Ademe 2014 figures).

Solar energy resale


Regarding the resale of energy, it is good to know that EDF is subject to a solar purchase obligation, for a period of 20 years. Thus, for two decades, you have the certainty of being able to resell your electricity at a price agreed upon when the contract was signed and corresponding to the power of your solar panels. More concretely, you thus become an EDF supplier. The purpose of this purchase obligation is to encourage French households to turn to photovoltaics.