Ostrom™ Blog ⚡️ Save Day And Night - With Solar And a Dynamic Tariff

You have a solar system and want to be as independent as possible from the electricity market – makes sense. But hardly anyone is completely self-sufficient. At the latest when the sun isn’t shining, you have to draw electricity from the grid.

Here’s the trick: With a dynamic tariff, you can purchase electricity exactly when it is particularly cheap and green. Sounds good? It is – especially for those already producing solar power.

How the Electricity Market Works – Briefly Explained

Electricity prices are set on the spot market (e.g., EPEX), where they fluctuate hourly depending on supply and demand.

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Typical patterns:

Lots of wind and sun = low prices
High demand or low renewable production = higher prices

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Fixed-price tariffs smooth out these fluctuations and offer you a uniform price – often to your disadvantage. They factor in risks and calculate your consumption based on a standard load profile. This standard profile allocates much of your consumption to particularly expensive times, namely mornings and evenings.

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Dynamic tariffs, on the other hand, pass price advantages directly on to you.

Cheaper Electricity Day and Night

Many think: “I have a solar system, so I don’t need a dynamic tariff.” But it's precisely the combination that unlocks the full savings potential – during the day and at night:

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During the day, you benefit from your self-generated solar power. You use solar energy directly for your household, heat pump, or electric car – saving real money.
At night, when the sun isn’t shining, the dynamic tariff comes into play: You can then deliberately use low-cost grid electricity to, for example, charge your battery, power your electric car, or run your heat pump.

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This means you optimally combine your self-supply with grid electricity at the best time – effectively reducing your electricity costs in the long run.