ᐅ Switching from Gas to Solar / Photovoltaics with or without a Heat Pump

Now I am wondering how this works in winter and summer:
Winter: I need a lot of heat, but the photovoltaic system doesn’t generate enough electricity.
Summer: I have too much electricity? --> Feed it back into the grid?

How is this usually handled?

Exactly like that.

In winter, you need as much photovoltaic capacity as you can install. This results in a lower cost per kWp compared to a smaller system.
The large amounts of electricity you feed into the grid in summer pay off the system and displace significant amounts of coal-generated power from the network.

Since you are connected to this very grid, neither too little nor too much photovoltaic power is an issue.

Deliverer schrieb:

I can’t think of any funding through loans (KfW). But the Bafa offers 35-40% subsidies on heat pump replacements for gas heating, including everything.

Is there really no support from KfW for photovoltaics?

What kind of funding is available then? I would potentially like to do that but would definitely need a low-interest loan.

Sort of. There is a loan available from KfW. However, it is a standard loan without repayment subsidies and without extremely low interest rates. Additionally, the loan must be offered by the homeowner’s bank, which many are reluctant to do.

The reason why there are basically no incentives left is the feed-in tariff. A (now almost complete) 100% subsidy is sufficient. With proper self-consumption, any photovoltaic system breaks even within 12 years and then still has more than half of its lifespan remaining. Photovoltaics have been a no-brainer for 20 years now (given sufficient roof space). There is no longer a need for subsidies.

In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), there are still subsidies available for battery storage systems (not sure if this applies in your case). The support is 100€ per kWh (about $110 per kWh), although it has been reduced from the previous 200€ (about $220). Applications can be submitted through the District Government of Arnsberg (funding guideline progres.nrw).

Alternatively, you can inquire at your local municipality or district administration. For example, in our area, the district provides a 1000€ (about $1100) grant for photovoltaic systems.

Regarding loans, it might be worth checking with your local savings bank (Sparkasse). I asked there and was offered an interest rate of 0.99% for a term of 6 years. This was apparently a special offer for financing photovoltaic systems.

Can I actually start with the photovoltaic system and install the heat pump and storage unit later?
With the heat pump, we have a problem because our garden is very small, and an outdoor installation would be difficult. Also, for aesthetic reasons. Indoors, I would only have one corner that might fit, but this still needs to be clarified.