Renovation and transformation of a 100% electric heating house into a solar and wood heating house in Lorraine
Here is a testimonial and photo report by the owner of a solar-wood house. This owner is Jean Gireaudot whom you can "meet" on our forums under the nickname tigrou_838.
You can also present your own solar installation on our forums if you desire it.
This house is located in Basse-Rentgen in Lorraine, so in the North where, according to preconceived ideas, there is never any sun so but fortunately, the reality is very different ...
Why did I choose solar energy?
Before starting my solar renovation three years ago, I requested two quotes from professionals just for domestic hot water.
The first quote was 4500euros and the second quote 5000auros for two sensors are 4m2 in all, and a balloon and hydraulic accessories.
In short, more than 1000 € TTC per m², which made me decide to do it in self-construction with APPER which allowed me to put a solar backup for low temperature heating as well. In short, one stone 2 birds!
The subsidy trap ...
My domestic hot water installation in self-construction and in series on the electric tank only cost me 1200 Euros excluding subsidy. Indeed; the works carried out oneself are not subsidized (and for good reason: one would earn money to do them).
But in the end, even with subsidies from the State and the Lorraine region, it would still have cost me more to call in a professional.
I think that subsidies tend to artificially drive up the price of solar installations which is not a good thing. In other words: the premium does not go to sustainable development but to the installer's pocket.
Solar thermal is gained at all levels.
The icing on the cake, as I did in self-construction, I was able to make small personal optimizations. For example; I connected the dishwasher directly to solar hot water which arrives at 60 ° C and the washing machine is supplied with solar water at 35 ° C with a thermostatic valve.
More energy savings given that the two biggest consumers in the house are the resistances of these two devices and they no longer need to be heated.
And profitability in all of this? Without subsidies it is profitable, with it it is much less ... Explanations
Many people think that solar energy is an economic hoax, it is true by buying overpriced equipment as we often see but it is false by making wise technological choices and especially by not entering the trap of subsidies.
As I said above, the bonus system raises prices and I wonder if this is not wanted by the governments and their bonus system for that matter ... to prevent solar energy from developing too much quickly…
Truce of blah, I just did a little calculation re ROI of my setup:
a) one sanitary solar amortization: 2 years.
b) solar floor heating and wood amortization: 4 years
2 these calculations were done by taking into account:
a) the cost of the work: the purchase of the underfloor heating, the stove, the tank, solar panels, circulators, probes, pipes, insulation, special leveling of the heating floor, and various other expenses + current energy cost.
b) the annual energy cost of the house before work: the current price of electricity in an all-electric house with a two-hour meter and the current price of wood.
Obviously the workforce was not counted since it was done by myself, my friends or my family.
For information, power consumption of wood the first two years, and now 10 6 cubic meters cubic meters with the addition of solar heating.
Solar greetings.
The following: photos and condition of the house during the purchase and initial work or chat with Jean about forums in the subject solar plant in Lorraine with thermal buffer homemade