Direct solar power (battery-free direct-PV supply)

Powers DC loads directly from a PV array with no battery or inverter in between: appliances run when the sun shines, and consumption is scheduled to match generation rather than buffered in storage. Trades round-the-clock availability for the embodied cost, losses, and complexity of a battery+inverter stage. Best for deferrable loads (pumping, water heating, charging). Pairs with a PV array; complements rather than replaces a battery bank where night loads are essential.

Cost

Low

Upkeep

None

Skill to build

Intermediate

Lifespan

Wiring and controllers 20-50 years; no battery to replace, which is the approach's central advantage.

Embodied carbon

Low

Space / material use

Low

Output timing

Weather/time-dependent

Skill to repair

Intermediate

Regulation (FR example)

Roof-mounted panels on an existing building require a prior declaration (declaration prealable) at the mairie; stricter rules apply within a protected or heritage perimeter. Grid connection additionally requires an Enedis agreement and Consuel certification.

Note: Cost, carbon and footprint are rated against the other options for this same need, not in absolute terms.

What your site needs

None (pairs with a PV array).

Inputs

• DC Electricity

Outputs

• DC Electricity

Sources

• Low-tech Magazine, 'Direct Solar Power: Off-Grid Without Batteries'

Tutorials

• https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2023/08/direct-solar-power-off-grid-without-batteries/
• https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/fr/2024/01/direct-solar-power-off-grid-without-batteries/

What this page does not tell you

No sizing or quantities: how much a technique yields, and how much a household needs, both depend on the build and the people, so the catalogue compares options rather than dimensioning them. It carries no bill of materials and no build sequence, and it is written for an oceanic, clay-soil climate (Normandy, France). Regulatory notes are indicative and need confirming locally.