Client: Domestic
Location: Ballina, Co. Tipperary
Property Overview
- Main House: Two-storey home with slate roof
- Orientation: South (210°)
- Roof Pitch: 30°
- Garage: Single-storey slate roof
- Orientations:
- South-East (125°)
- North-West (305°)
- Roof Pitch: 30°
- Orientations:
Client Objectives
They contacted Moontree Solar to maximise solar generation, reduce rising electricity costs, and assess options for backup power due to frequent grid outages.
Key Challenges (Pain Points)
- Very high electricity bills
- Regular grid loss — occurring every few weeks, lasting half or full days
- Dissatisfaction with a previous solar proposal:
- Low estimated generation
- Inadequate battery storage
- High overall cost with limited long-term benefit
Previous Solar Proposal (Declined)
- 8 × 445W solar panels (South-facing only)
- 5kW inverter
- 5kWh battery
System Capacity: 3.56kWp
Estimated Annual Generation: 2,346kWh
➡️ This proposal failed to consider roof potential, storage needs, or long-term resilience.
Moontree Solar Solution
After a full site assessment and consultation, we designed a system focused on maximum generation, storage, and future-proofing.
Installed Solar PV System
Solar Panels
- 9 × TW Solar 500W panels
- House main & lower roof (South-facing)
- 8 × TW Solar 620W panels
- Garage roof:
- South-East (125°)
- North-West (305°) with Tigo optimisers
- Garage roof:
Mounting System
- Solarmount slate hooks – 80 installed
- Solarmount Quick-Flash system – 80 flashes
Inverter & Battery
- Sigenergy EC-5.0-SP Energy Controller (5kW inverter)
- Sigenergy BAT 10.0 – 9.04kWh battery
Final System Capacity
- Total System Size: 9.46kWp
- Estimated Annual Generation: 6,186kWh
➡️ +164% more generation than the original proposal
➡️ 2.5× larger system, designed for long-term savings (15+ years)
Equipment Locations
- Inverter & Battery: Garage (internal wall)
- Fireshunt: Garage attic
- Solar Panels:
- Main & lower house roofs
- Both orientations of garage roof
Installation Notes
- Complex installation due to multiple dormer windows on the main roof
- Mixed weather conditions throughout works
- Two damaged slates discovered (including one ridge slate) — replaced during installation
- Cabling from main house routed externally in copex, securely fixed with stainless steel fittings
- Garage cabling run internally with clean routing
- RS485 cable run from main house fuse board to garage attic — challenging but completed neatly
System Performance (Winter Commissioning)
System went live:
📅 10th December 2025 – 19:40
- No generation on commissioning day (after sunset)
- 11th December: Extremely dark winter day — 0kWh generated across multiple sites
- 12th December: 10.94kWh generated
- Best day to date:
- 13th January 2026 – 18.83kWh
Performance Summary
(11th December 2025 – 13th January 2026)
- Solar Generated: 222.41kWh
- Self-Consumed (Load): 808.55kWh
- Exported to Grid: 56.72kWh
- Imported from Grid: 657.93kWh
- Of which 288kWh was low-rate energy used to charge the battery
Smart Battery Strategy (Day/Night Tariff)
The client uses a Day/Night tariff, charging the battery overnight at low cost and using stored energy during peak times.
- Night Rate: 15.73c per unit
- Day Rate: 26.3c per unit
- Peak Rate (5–7pm): 29.54c per unit (avoided)
- Export Rate: 15.89c per unit
The Sigenergy system is scheduled to charge nightly between 2am–4am, ensuring:
- A full battery for morning demand
- Backup power availability in case of grid loss
- Reduced reliance on peak-rate electricity
Key Learnings
- Winter solar performance is typically ~18% of summer output — yet still valuable
- Solar generation continues to provide benefits year-round
- Night-rate battery charging significantly improves savings and convenience
- Additional battery storage would:
- Increase self-consumption
- Reduce grid imports
- Double backup duration during outages
- Store more summer solar energy
Grid Loss & Backup Power
The system was designed with future Gateway installation in mind.
- Gateway installation approved
- Minor remedial ducting and cabling works required between house and garage
- Planned for installation later in the year when weather improves
➡️ This will provide seamless backup power during grid outages.
Next Steps
1️⃣ Additional Battery Storage
- Add second Sigenergy BAT 10.0 (9kWh)
- Total storage: 18kWh
- Benefits:
- Greater morning backup
- More solar stored, less exported
- Further cost reductions
2️⃣ Gateway Installation
- Full backup power during grid loss
- Increased resilience and convenience
Project Synopsis
- Solar capacity maximised using high-output 500W and 620W panels
- Multi-orientation design (South, East & West) ensures all-day generation
- Battery strategy delivers real savings and reliability
- First winter month produced 222kWh, exactly as expected for seasonal conditions
Outcome
✅ Lower electricity costs
✅ Maximum solar generation
✅ Smart battery usage
✅ Backup-ready system
✅ Long-term energy security
The Sigenergy system installed by Moontree Solar delivers real performance, real savings, and peace of mind.
