Solar panels that pay off year-round: a Madona resident shares his experience

Jānis Jirjens from Madona was among the first in his area to install solar panels on his roof four years ago. He now has 36 panels working together with an inverter, which converts the direct current generated by the panels into alternating current as required by the grid operator.

Summer surplus for winter use

The system first covers the household's own electricity use, with any surplus fed into the grid. In summer, when sunlight is abundant but consumption lower, Jirjens sends more electricity to the grid than he draws back in winter, when daylight is scarcer. During the heating season, solar-generated electricity covers nearly 90% of the house's heating needs, aided by heat pumps.

Three-phase connection and state support

Jirjens's house has a three-phase connection, allowing up to 11 kilowatts to be fed into the grid — initially the system ran at half that capacity. He later used the European EKII support programme, receiving back part of the money spent on installing the panels. Programme conditions require using at least 85% of the generated energy himself and maintaining the system for five years.

Practical maintenance tips

The household accumulates roughly 6,700 kilowatt-hours a year, but stored surplus can only be used until March 1 each year, after which it is cleared. Jirjens notes that panel orientation matters — south-facing is best, while his house faces southeast, yet results remain good. Panels should be cleaned at least once a season, since dust and pollen can cut output by about ten percent, and shade falling on part of a panel group can reduce the output of the entire group.

Jirjens installed most of the system himself, bringing in a specialist only for final commissioning. In the future he plans to add batteries so surplus electricity can be stored and fed to the grid at the most advantageous moment.