If you’ve heard the term ‘solar soak’ mentioned, you may be a little confused. The good news is that it’s a simple concept, and it can save you a lot of money over the lifetime of your solar system.  

Solar soak simply means using your own power. It involves soaking up the energy you’ve created by using it yourself, for your own energy needs. This is also known as self consumption. 

The best way to save with solar is by consuming the solar energy your panels produce, while it is being produced, so you can avoid paying the high costs of purchasing energy from the grid. 

Loadshifting, or changing the time of day you use energy by automating or timing your electric devices, means you’ll be paying less money to your energy retailer and making the most of your solar investment. 

Why is Solar Soak important?

Before 2012, homeowners had the opportunity to sign up for a 44c Feed in Tariff, meaning they could earn quite a high amount on any energy they exported to the grid. Once this ended, the FiT dropped back as low as 7-10c per kw. 

Selling your power back to the grid for 7-10c per kw and buying it to use at 25-30c? It’s a lose-lose situation and you’ll end up barely saving on your electricity bill. 

The best use of your electricity is to use it yourself, and save on your electricity bills.  Solar soak gives you this opportunity, by making a few simple changes to how and when you use electricity. 

How can you maximise your solar soak?

The best way to maximise your solar soak is to use as much electricity as you can during the day, and minimise your use at night. 

Using timers for tasks such as washing machines, air conditioners, and dishwashers will allow you to make the most of those daylight solar hours, but there are many other ways to ensure you’re get the most out of your solar system. We’ve created a list of 17 ways to maximise your solar soak and load shift.