For almost three years now, Beem has stood out in the world of solar stations thanks to its format: the French manufacturer offered a set of four small photovoltaic panels, while all competitors offered a single large-format panel. In addition to its highly flexible arrangement options (in a row, square, on the ground, or on a wall), this format also facilitated transport (when purchased in a store) and installation, as these panels are, of course, much lighter individually. But to expand its range, Beem unveiled the Beem On a few weeks ago, a solar station consisting of a single panel, making installation even faster. But be warned: the manufacturer carefully listened to user feedback to offer a powerful and flexible solution, thanks to a 460W bifacial panel that can be mounted on the ground or on a wall, in portrait or landscape mode! Let's take a closer look… Presentation of the Beem On solar stationThis time, it's not possible to transport the Beem On solar station in the trunk of your car, as we have a panel measuring 1.90m x 1.13m, weighing about 30 kilos. It was therefore delivered by courier.
The packaging clearly sets the tone: 460W, tiltable, plug & play, and connected!
Inside, we find the Beem On station perfectly protected, and all the accessories neatly stored in their places. Nothing to move around like we've seen with some competitors.
In addition to the solar panel, we have the BeemBox, this small white box specific to Beem, which will allow you to monitor its solar production. It also includes mounting screws, weighting plates, and a setup manual. The station is delivered ready to use: the micro inverter is of course already connected, and the 460wc panel is mounted on its folding support.
As mentioned above, this is a 460Wp bifacial photovoltaic panel, making it the manufacturer's most powerful solution (the
last kit consisting of four small panels reached “only” 420Wp).
The panel allows light to pass between the cells.
All the specifications are found on a label on the back of the panel: According to the reference, this is a panel from Victor Solar Technology
The solar panel is mounted on a galvanized steel frame with a powder-coated finish for a truly extended lifespan. The entire system sits on a black anodized aluminum support, which unfolds to allow the station to be placed on the ground. This frame also has notches for wall mounting.
The entire system is rigid and sturdy, with a neat finish. At the back of the panel is also a black box, which is the 400W microinverter, from Hoymiles (and therefore compatible with the OpenDTU solution seen here). Its role is important, since it collects the panels' output and converts it to 230V. It offers an MPPT efficiency of 99.8%, which is excellent. It also synchronizes with the power line so that the panels' output can be consumed by household appliances. This microinverter is held in place at the back of the panel by a screw, which is easy to loosen if you want to note the microinverter's serial number (especially necessary for those who want to integrate it into OpenDTU).A question will probably be on your mind: why a 400W inverter when we have a 460W panel?
First of all, it's important to understand that the power indicated on the panels (in peak watts, Wp) is measured under ideal laboratory conditions, not in real-life conditions. It's like a theoretical performance rating for comparing panels with each other.
However, once installed in your home, the panels won't always be in these ideal conditions. The amount of energy actually produced varies depending on several factors: the location of your installation, the angle of exposure to the sun, weather conditions, etc. This means that the actual power of your panels will often be lower than this theoretical rating, but this is completely normal. Another important point: this situation is common to all solar panels. Therefore, a good practice is to choose an inverter that is slightly less powerful than the panel's theoretical power. This optimizes the inverter's performance, in line with what the panel actually produces, and helps control costs. This method ensures efficient solar energy production without sacrificing the performance of your installation.
Finally, if you have two solar panels, one 460W and the other 400W, even if both are connected to a 400W inverter, the 460W panel will generally produce more energy on a daily basis. So it's always better!
After the inverter, the BeemBox, covered by two patents, will be connected. This box will count electrons to track panel production. It also has a Wi-Fi connection, which will allow you to view production information in the associated mobile app. No Tuya smart plug here; this BeemBox does all the work. It's the same box already seen on the Beem 420W solution. A notch on the back allows you to attach the box if necessary.Let's move on to deployment.
Deploying the Beem On solar station
Deployment is the right word, because we can't really talk about installation here: setting up the station literally takes less than 2 minutes! All you have to do is unfold the support at the back:
And place the crossbar at the desired level, depending on the angle you want the panel to be inclined.
The original system is inspired by deck chairs, those famous beach chairs. Two lugs on each side lock into the lower part of the support, with three notches available, for a 30, 40, or 45° tilt.
The system holds quite well in place, as the lugs are locked once inserted into the notch. You then have to pull back slightly to release them and adjust the tilt.
To ensure stability, it's also possible to install ballast plates, which can be installed in 30 seconds using two screws. They can then be used to support concrete slabs to ballast the station and prevent it from tipping over in high winds. The manufacturer recommends 40 kg on each plate. This is a precaution if the station is simply placed on the ground.
Stone slabs or concrete blocks can be used, for example.
Plug the other end into a 230V electrical outlet, and that's it: from now on, the Beem station begins producing electricity, which is fed directly into your home, thus reducing your electricity bill!
The challenge is finding a spot with the best exposure to the sun, preferably facing south, to benefit from the sunshine for as long as possible, with a power outlet not too far away (up to 10 meters). The panel can be placed on a terrace or in the lawn without any problem.
If desired, the panel can also be mounted on a wall, using the appropriate fasteners. The Beem On station's originality also lies in its ability to be positioned in landscape (classic) mode, but also in portrait mode, meaning it can be mounted upright (fixed to a wall). This is the first solution tested here that offers this possibility, and I know it's a recurring user request.
A small detail, however, to optimize positioning: we have a bifacial panel here. What does this mean? Conventional solar panels capture solar energy only through their upper surface. They consist of photovoltaic cells mounted on an opaque base, the whole covered with a protective glass pane. But our bifacial panel changes that: it says goodbye to the opaque face. Instead, a glass pane is placed on both sides. Imagine photovoltaic cells sandwiched between two sheets of glass, allowing light to pass through.
This bifacial design offers a dual advantage:
The upper surface absorbs the sun's rays directly.
The underside benefits from the albedo phenomenon: it captures sunlight reflected by the ground.
To take full advantage of this “double Kiss Cool effect,” it is essential to provide space under the panel. Therefore, this type of panel is not suitable for rooftop installation, but it is ideal for specific supports like the one Beem uses here. The more the panel is tilted, the greater the efficiency of the rear side. This becomes particularly advantageous in winter, when the sun is low and the panel is almost vertical. The energy production from the rear side then partially compensates for the usual drop in efficiency during this season.
A light-colored surface is also preferable: placed on the lawn, the double-sided side will be of little interest, since the light reflects little off the grass. However, on a terrace with light-colored tiles, for example, it will be perfect. The same applies when mounted on a light-colored wall.
The Beem Energy Mobile App
This Beem On 460W station comes with a mobile app to track its solar production. Whether on iOS or Android, all you have to do is install it and create a user account. When starting from scratch, you start by creating an account. Here, I already had two kits installed, so I'm simply asking to add a new set, because yes, the app allows you to manage multiple installations without any problems. It actually allows you to manage the entire Beem ecosystem, from the rooftop panels (Beem Roof) to the upcoming Beem Battery, all found here.
You'll need to enter the serial number visible on the BeemBox (or scan the QR code).
The app then connects to the Wi-Fi network created by the BeemBox to configure it. All that's left is to select your Wi-Fi network and enter its code, so the BeemBox can connect to the internet.
After a few seconds, the Beem On station is added!
All that's left is to indicate the installation's power, its location, its orientation, and its postal code:
- You can even add a photo to personalize the display, which is useful when you have multiple stations :)
- And this time, the installation is completely finished. The home screen will display our live electricity production since the beginning of the month, and the equivalent in devices powered (1 month of smartphone charging, 1 month of internet box, etc.).
It's even possible to view hour-by-hour details for a day, or even for each day.
The daily production curve allows you to ensure that everything is going well and that the panels are correctly oriented. Production here remains low, as it is January, the worst month of the year for solar production. Despite everything, the Beem On station is doing respectably. I'll give you an update in a few months, when the sun is back and we have “normal” solar production. But the app goes further than just showing us our production: it also allows us to track our consumption, simply by linking it to our Enedis account. It's a good way to raise awareness about it:
This is one of the key selling points of the Beem solution: by combining solar production, which therefore provides free electricity, and by raising users' awareness of their electricity consumption, displaying their actual consumption, and also offering them small challenges to complete, the company estimates that it's possible to save up to €270 per year on your electricity bill (€150 of solar electricity + €120 in savings thanks to simple actions).
Beem On: How does it work? You're probably wondering if connecting a power source to an already powered outlet wouldn't risk blowing the fuses. It's a valid question, and here's how it works. First, the key element here is the inverter. It must synchronize with the electrical grid. For this, an electronic meter is required. If you still have an old meter, don't panic: when you declare your solar installation, Enedis will replace it. In France, the use of solar panels with old meters is prohibited, because in the event of overproduction, they could reduce your electricity bill… a little too much!
In the event of a power outage, these solar panels won't work because they must be connected to the grid. So, they don't offer total autonomy, but this feature also prevents the risk of electrocution when handling the plug.
Next, we rely on a simple rule of physics: electrons, by nature, take the shortest path. Solar panels capture the sun's rays, converting them into electrons. The inverter, synchronized to the grid, injects these electrons into your home's circuit. They prioritize powering the closest electrical appliances that are currently operating. For every solar electron used in your home, that's one less grid electron to pay for.
The goal isn't to produce all of your daily consumption, which would require a larger and more expensive installation. The idea is to reduce your “electrical bottom line,” that is, the minimum consumption in your home, even when you're not there. This consumption includes the refrigerator, internet box, home automation, etc., and generally reaches around 400 watts. The Beem On solar station aims to offset this basic consumption. If your electrical bottom line is higher, it's possible to add more Beem stations, up to two per circuit breaker or power line. And the good news is that the Beem On can be combined with other Beem products, such as panel kits or the upcoming Beem Battery.
And what about the regulations?
The great thing about the Beem On solar station is that it can be installed anywhere, without any complicated formalities. If the panel is installed on the ground or less than 1.80 meters high, no declaration is required at the town hall.
The only thing to do is to declare the installation to Enedis, the company that manages the electricity grid. The declaration is done directly online at
https://connect-racco.enedis.fr/prac-internet/login/
, ideally one week before the kit is installed, but this doesn't really have any impact, as Enedis doesn't have to intervene in any way, and it's a purely legal formality. The declaration takes less than 10 minutes, especially since Beem Energy provides
a step-by-step guide
that tells us exactly what needs to be declared. And if you really don't want to bother, you can even choose the €15 Zen option when ordering, which delegates the declaration to Beem.
The big question: cost-effectiveness
The question that comes up every time with this type of solution is cost-effectiveness. Because the Beem station
still costs €599
(thanks to our exclusive code BEEM-MAISON). A price that may seem a bit high when you consider the price of a 460W panel and an inverter. But a panel and an inverter aren't everything: there's the BeemBox technology, its app, and the really well-designed support for flexible use :p It's the only solution I've seen that's as modular as this. Not to mention the service: even if the documentation is extremely clear for installation, the team is available to advise you before, during, and after installation. An extremely responsive service, which is worth mentioning (don't expect to get a helping hand from Aliexpress for the panels you have shipped from China…).
We still hear far too many people saying it's not profitable! Quite the opposite, in fact. For the calculations, I'm going to use the completely independent website
Photovoltaic Geographical Information System
, because January's production is really not representative of what this station can produce. I'm based near Orléans, and this tool gives me an average production of 523 kWh per year.
As you can see, January is not at all representative of annual production….
At a rate of €0.2670 per kWh (EDF's peak rate following the February 1st increase), this represents a saving of nearly €140 per year. Let's not forget the increase in the cost of electricity each year. We are among the cheapest countries in Europe, but the price of electricity in France should catch up with the average for European countries. And we know that the tariff shield is due to disappear by the end of 2024, even though we've apparently been promised that there will only be one increase this year, on February 1st. Optimistically, we can assume a 5% increase per year (a minimum in my opinion): (2024) the savings in the first year would be €140
(2025) second year: €147
(2026) third year: €154 (2027) fourth year: €162 This gives us a total of €603, which is the kit's payback period after only 4 years in my case. Beem even claims a payback period of 3 years with the help of their app and advice on optimizing electricity consumption. In the south with a full southern exposure, where production will be even better, this shouldn't be far from the truth. With the increase in electricity prices in recent years, the payback period for such a solution has melted like snow in the sun, almost halving it. A payback period of 3 to 5 years is therefore very attractive. Especially since the panels are guaranteed to maintain 80% production after 25 years.
Beem and home automation… The Beem solution has been around for three years now, and it's interesting to note that there's a plugin for Jeedom, which allows you to retrieve all production information (and much more) directly from the home automation system! But since Beem uses a Hoymiles inverter, it's also possible to retrieve all the information directly from it thanks to the OpenDTU project, which then makes it easy to send the information to third-party systems such as Jeedom or Home Assistant, for example.Beem therefore proves to be a very easy solution to integrate into a home automation solution for those who want to go further (to activate certain devices during production peaks, for example).
While Beem might seem to be lagging behind some of its competitors, the company was hard at work behind the scenes. After raising 20 million euros in 2023, Beem has in fact unveiled an entire ecosystem for energy: we of course find the 300 and 420w solar kits already seen, but also this new Beem On station, Beem Roof roof installations, and even an energy storage system, Beem Battery. All this managed by a single application, which becomes the energy dashboard of the home.In short, Beem is clearly a major player in this area. And the Beem On solution seen today only confirms this. The manufacturer has indeed been able to offer a powerful and versatile solution, meeting many needs, while offering a competitive price compared to the competition. A solution that I can only recommend if you are looking for a simple and effective solution to reduce your electricity bill.The Beem On station is sold at the public price of €629 on the official store. But right now you can enjoy a
reduction of 30€, which bringsthe kit at €599
“only” thanks to our exclusive code
- BEEM-MAISON
- ! Profitability will only be faster! And the additional station is only €500 if your electric heel is more important.
Great review I was surprised to find a detailed review in English of a product in France. I am waiting for my 2 Beem on panels to arrive. Ordered 1 week ago.