Solar energy saves big for eco-friendly French retreat

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Type Region Products Size
Residential Belsentes, France HM350, HM700, HM800 microinverter, HAS inverter 11 kW

The winner of an “Excellence Award in Residential PV” for Europe in Hoymiles’ Solar Project Contest 2023, this solar installation gave an eco-retreat in rural France the opportunity to not only save on energy costs, but also further their commitment to more sustainable energy generation with state-of-the-art hybrid microinverter technology.

Lilodahu Ecolieu, an eco-retreat in Belsentes, France, were looking for solar energy solutions to benefit their energy consumption in a more sustainable way.

Their Story

Cleaner energy for eco-retreat in rural France

In the picturesque countryside of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Lilodahu Ecolieu, an eco-retreat in Belsentes, wanted to bolster their commitment to sustainable living and environmental stewardship with cleaner energy solutions.

With this in mind, the owners of the eco-retreat wanted a photovoltaic (PV) system that would use solar power for self-consumption. This meant they could harness the sun’s energy to meet the retreat’s electricity needs, powering its appliances, lighting and other electrical devices, while also minimizing reliance on the grid.

When choosing their installation, the owners wanted to:

  • Significantly reduce electricity bills by offsetting grid usage
  • Embrace energy independence for more sustainable living
  • Reduce energy consumption during peak demand periods
  • Factor in a method to store overproduced solar energy
  • Install a more stable and resilient energy generation system

As a result, the owners looked to microinverters and energy storage by Hoymiles for their installation.

Their Solution

Quick and easy installation with 24/7 support

Driven by a commitment to environmental responsibility and cost-effectiveness, the eco-retreat set to work on the installation.

The owners used a total of 15 microinverters – including the HM350, HM700, and HM800 models as components of the solar system — as well as a Hoymiles HAS inverter.

The single-phase 1-in-1 HM350 and 2-in-1 HM700 and HM800 microinverters are efficient and safe choice for rooftop solar stations, with compact design and low Voltage DC. This mix of the three different types also meant the eco-retreat had the flexibility to choose where each microinverter went, which panel it was connected to, and exactly the amount of output power for each application.

Photovoltaic (PV) system solar panels on the ground floor of the Lilodahu Ecolieu capture as much sunlight as possible throughout the day.

In addition, the HAS hybrid inverter has different modes for different scenarios, such as a self-consumption mode that the eco-retreat would use for its applications.

Overall, this PV system ensured that no sunlight goes to waste, installing panels on both the ground floor and the rooftop to capture the most light throughout the day.

The owners were able to perform the installation themselves, without the need for on-site technical support from Hoymiles. They also praised Hoymiles’ responsive customer service, including the dedicated Hoymiles Facebook group where they found useful advice and tips for installing their own PV system.

Home solar energy installation in France with Hoymiles inverters
Photovoltaic (PV) system solar panels at the Lilodahu Ecolieu can be placed on any level of the property, thanks to the flexible microinverter setup.

Their Success

The owners of the Lilodahu Ecolieu could install their own microinverter and hybrid inverters without any on-site technical assistance, which allowed them to greatly reduce their costs and energy consumption.

Lower costs, better flexibility and performance

Following the installation, the owners of Lilodahu Ecolieu reported a large reduction in their energy consumption, and praised the very reasonable product prices for a high-quality product.

The introduction of these components within their PV system allowed the owners to not only manage their budget, but also monitor their performance on a regular basis to make any adjustments and improvements.

The owners shared their excitement for any updates and new features for the components, with the aim to increase efficiency and lower costs even more while they power their eco-retreat.

Home solar energy installation in France with Hoymiles inverters
Photovoltaic (PV) system solar panels on the rooftop of the Lilodahu Ecolieu.

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