I have been in the solar industry for 15 years. Throughout that time, I've designed and installed for residential and commercial customers alike. I love saving people money, adding real value to peoples homes and helping create a greener future.
You live in Australia and you’ve got a roof that doesn’t face north. Is it still worth getting a solar power system if the panels face a different direction – like east or west?
The short answer is generally YES.
That’s because solar panel efficiencies have improved so much, you only lose a relatively small percentage of your solar production if your panels aren’t facing north. For example, west facing panels produce only around 10-15 per cent less solar power than north facing panels in Australia according to solar monitoring experts Solar Analytics .
In fact – depending on the time of day when you use electricity – you may get a faster payback on your solar panel investment if your panels face east or west, or a combination of east and west.
Even south facing panels can be worth doing as the cost of solar panel systems have falling by over 80 per cent in the last 10 years. All you do, is add a few more solar panels to compensate for the lower production. Because solar panels are now so affordable, you can still get a great return on your solar power system.
What you’ll learn from reading this article
This article explains why a north facing panel layout may not always be the optimal solution, even if you have a terrific north facing unshaded roof.
We’ll also dispel some of the myths about the best time to export your solar power to the grid – as this is part of the same story.
The best way to save with solar
These days if you are getting solar installed, it’s a different game. The best way to save money off your electricity bill is to use as much as possible of your self-generated solar electricity in the daytime. It’s the exact opposite of how it used to be!
Why’s this so?
In a nutshell, it’s because the solar feed-in tariff is now only worth around 7 cents per kilowatt hour – whilst the rate your pay for grid electricity is typically around 25-30 cents per kilowatt hour.
So, the way to save money with solar now is to use it – and try to minimise the amount you send to the grid.
By using free solar electricity in your home, you don’t have to pay the high rates for electricity charged by your retailer. The trick is that this doesn’t show up as a saving on your electricity bill – so most people don’t realise the entirety of what their solar panel system is really saving them.
But if you get one of the best solar power monitoring systems like Solar Analytics you’ll see exactly how much you’re saving. It’s an add-on software tool that works with virtually all solar power systems and is well-worth having. Get in touch if you’d like a quote.
Matching time of electricity usage with panel direction
What best describes your household?
One where everyone is up early and off to school/work – and back in the late afternoon/early evening?
One where at least one household member is home much of the day – maybe working from home, looking after small children etc
If your household resembles the first example, your biggest electricity usage is likely to be early morning and late afternoon/early evening – as this is when everyone’s home doing the cooking, having showers, running the aircon etc. If this is the case, then solar panels facing east and west will be the best solution for your home – and the way to maximise your electricity bill savings. That’s because the solar power being generated by your east facing panels will supply most of your electricity needs in the morning and the west-facing panels will supply you with power in the late afternoon.
If, however, your home is more like the second example, getting solar panels installed on your north facing roof or a combination of north/east or north/west – depending on roof suitability – might be the best way to save most on electricity costs.
It’s a question of matching your household electricity usage profile with the best possible solar panel layout given your roof space and whether there’s any shading.
Get in touch
Talk to a solar expert from Solar Run to get the best advice on solar panel layout for your property.
Solar panel design is a specialised task requiring specialist solar software and knowledge. We’ve got the skills and technology to assess what’s right for your property, so you get the best return on your solar dollar.
Before we start – completely shaded solar panels aren’t worth it!
First things first… If your roof is fully shaded between the hours of 10am and 4pm for most of the year, then forget it. Rooftop solar is not a viable option for your home. Solar panels need sunlight to work. No sunlight = no solar power.
If this is your situation, you might like to invest in a community solar bank (when these start to popup in your region) Note: potential to link on this to an article on this topic or purchase green power from your electricity retailer to offset your carbon emissions.
But if your roof is partially shaded only some of the time, solar may be worthwhile. That’s because there are some clever solar technologies that minimise the impact of shading on the performance of your solar panel system.
Different types of shading and impact on solar output
There are different types of shade, with some having a more detrimental impact on solar output than others. In the same vein, there are some types of shading you can do something about and others that are beyond your control.
Clouds: A solar power system can still generate some energy on a cloudy day. That’s because some sunlight will still reach the solar panels in the form of diffuse radiation. With a high quality shade-tolerant solar panels system installed, the loss of solar energy from cloud cover can be minimised.
Trees: Depending on the density of the trees, some light may still reach the solar panels. Shading from trees is something you can control (more on this later).
Nearby buildings:This is ‘hard shade’ (i.e. zero sunlight) and is virtually impossible to do anything about. If you’ve got neighbouring properties that shade your roof during the peak sunshine hours, solar probably isn’t for you.
Objects on your roof: Antennas, chimney, an evaporative air conditioner (aka swampy) – these types of objects create hard shade which is bad for solar. The good news is that – as these ‘sunlight-blockers’ are your property – you can do something about them!
Actions you can take to minimise shading
Get shade mapping from a good solar installer
The first step is to get shade mapping for your rooftop from a qualified solar installer. This will determine how much shading there is on your rooftop for each hour of the day and at different times of year. With this information, the solar installer can estimate the impact of shading on the solar yield – i.e. the amount of solar energy that your solar panels system will produce.
Avoid installing panels where there’s shading
If possible, install solar panels on those parts of the roof that aren’t shaded – or a shed if you have one. If your north-facing roof is shaded but your east and west roofline isn’t, installing solar panels on the east and west could result in a higher solar yield.
Adding a few more panels to make up for the reduction in solar energy production caused by partial shading is another option. This can be a cost-effective way to generate more solar energy – as the additional cost of the solar panels is likely to be less than the extra electricity bill savings you could achieve with a bigger solar system.
Remove the object that’s shading your roof
If we’re talking about your neighbour’s house, this clearly isn’t possible. But if your neighbour is planning an extension, have a chat to them and ask to see the shading analysis diagrams.
If the object is something on your property, try to remove it or minimise the impact. Trim trees, remove antennas, remove your evaporative air conditioner (aka swampy) and get a split system with the unit installed under your house.
Why most solar panels systems don’t work well in the shade
Most solar panels systems use string inverters. They’re a great option is your roof is in full sunlight and they can perform at high levels of efficiency. They’re also the most cost-effective type of solar panels system.
However, when it comes to shading, string inverters struggle. That’s because when even one panel in a string inverter solar system is shaded, the entire array (or string) of solar panels will drop in output to the level of the worst performing panel. This means that if the worst performing panel is at zero output, the entire array will be at zero output.
Fortunately, new solar technologies have been developed that minimise the impacts of partial shading and generate good levels of solar energy.
Which solar technologies minimise the impacts of shading?
Shade resistant solar panels
Purchasing high quality solar panels – like LG and SunPower – that have clever shade-resistant technology can help to alleviate the impacts of small amounts of shading. Often these panels combined with other solutions – such as microinverters and power optimisers (see below) – give the best outcome in terms of maximising output in partially shaded conditions.
Microinverters and power optimisers
Microinverters and power optimisers are little boxes that are installed at the back of each solar panel. They both minimise the impact of shading by limiting the loss of power output to just those panels with shade on them.
Microinverters have a mini-inverter on the back of each panel, performing the conversion of DC power to AC power at individual panel level. Whereas power optimisers require a string inverter for converting DC power to AC power.
Differences between Power Optimisers and Microinverters
Power Optimisers
Microinverters
Little box installed at the back of each panel
Yes
Yes
Loss of power output from shading restricted to shaded panels only
Yes
Yes
Inverter location
One central string inverter located on an exterior wall
Microinverters attached to the back of each panel.
No central string inverter
The best solar panels system for a partially shaded roof
Which is best, power optimisers or string inverters?
In our opinion, power optimisers are the best solar solution for partially shaded roofs. They have the same advantages when it comes to shading as microinverters – at a lower price point.
Pros and cons of power optimisers versus string inverters
Power optimisers
Microinverters
Pros
Allow each solar panel to work independently from every other panel
Effective in combatting the loss of power output from partial shading
Monitoring will show power output for each panel individually
More cost effective than microinverters
Allow each solar panel to work independently from every other panel
Effective in combatting the loss of power output from partial shading
Monitoring will show power output for each panel individually
Cons
When it comes to minimising the impact of shading, Power Optimisers don’t have any cons
More expensive than Power Optimisers
At Solar Run, we recommend SunPower SunPower shingled panels as the best solar panels system for partially shaded roofs. The SolarEdge solution comprises of:
shade-resistant, high performance solar panels
built-in power optimisers on the back of each panel
Shading on one solar panel does not affect other power output of other panels
When half the panel is in shade, the other half will continue to work
Greater control
Includes panel-level solar monitoring – so you can see exactly how much power each panel is producing at any time of day
Lower installation costs
Power optimisers are pre-installed on the back of each panel by the manufacturer (so no work involved by the solar installer)
Industry leading warranties
Better than industry-average warranties on panels, inverter and optimisers
Lower purchase cost and faster payback
SunPower shingled panels Inverter is a more cost-effective solution than a microinverter solar system. What’s more, the solar yield – i.e. the amount of solar electricity that the system will generate – is comparable. The bottom line for you is a faster payback on your solar dollar!
Interested in getting a quote for SolarEdge? Would you like advice on solar and shading? Get in touch and we’ll be glad to help out!
Using more of your self-generated solar electricity during the day is the key to lower electricity bills and a faster payback on your solar panels system.
The more you consume of your own solar electricity, the less you need to buy from the grid. This is where you get the biggest savings with solar.
Why?
It’s because using your own solar electricity doesn’t cost you anything, whereas grid power costs around 27-30 cents per kilowatt hour (the Aussie average).
What’s more – strange as it may sound – forget about trying to export lots of your solar power to the grid. With current solar feed-in tariffs around 7 cents per kilowatt hour, it’s not worrying too much about. It’s certainly not the way to get the lowest possible electricity bills!
The smart approach is to use as much of your solar power as possible during the daytime – when it’s being generated – and minimise the amount you export to the grid. The result will be a higher solar self-consumption ratio and, most importantly, lower electricity bills.
What solar self-consumption rate should you be aiming for
Ideally, you should be looking to achieve a solar self-consumption ratio of at least 50 per cent assuming you have a well-designed, high quality solar power system. That’s where choosing a reputable Clean Energy Solar Retailer who installs only the best quality solar panels systems is important.
Then, by implementing the steps recommended below, you should be able to increase your solar self-consumption rate to 60 per cent or more.
If you decide to go ‘all out’ and invest in battery storage, you should be able to get to 100% solar self-consumption and be virtually grid independent. This will result in near zero electricity bills or even a credit from your electricity retailer!
Best ways to increase solar self-consumption
Here’s twelve ways you can maximise your solar self-consumption and slash your electricity bills. We start with the basics, then move onto some easy wins – and finish with bigger ticket items that can get you all the way to 100% solar self-consumption.
Get a well-designed solar system that matches your energy usage
The first step is to get a solar panels system that’s facing the direction [link to solar post on this topic] (i.e. north, east, west) that will generate power when you most need it.
Whilst north facing solar panels will – in most cases – maximise your solar energy production, this may not get you the highest solar self-consumption rate.
That’s because your household may use more electricity at the beginning of the day and later in the afternoon. If that’s the case, then an east-facing solar array combined with a west-facing array would result in a higher solar self-consumption rate.
If you’ve already got solar installed, then understanding the times of day when the solar panels generate the most electricity is important – which bring us to the next point…
Use a solar monitoring app
Having data on when your solar system is producing power – and how much power – is key to increasing solar self-consumption.
All modern solar inverters come with a solar monitoring app. You can use this app on your smart phone or laptop to get real-time information on solar generation as well as historical data. This will show you the times of day when your solar system is generating the most power. Your goal is to use electricity at those time – in other words matching solar generation with solar consumption.
A word of warning…. Not all solar monitoring apps give you the full picture. What you really need is graphs showing your solar consumption data alongside your solar generation data. That’s where the best solar power monitoring systems add more value – and can save thousands off your electricity bills over lifetime of your solar system.
We recommend Solar Analytics as the smart solar monitoring that should sit alongside every solar power system. It’s a third-party add-on tool designed by an Australian software company – and it’s your ticket to improving your solar self-consumption rate and a lot more besides.
Know your electricity tariff
Flat rate or time of use (peak, off-peak, shoulder) – what tariff are you on? Understanding your tariff is important as you’ll want to minimise your use of grid electricity at those times when you’ve charged the most.
Know the best times to use electricity
As a result of following steps 1-3, you’ll know best times of day to use electricity to maximise solar self-consumption and avoid high electricity prices. This will be different for every household and depend on:
your solar panel design
your household lifestyle/energy usage
your electricity tariff.
Once you’ve got this information, you’re in a great position to take action to drive down your electricity bills with better use of your solar energy.
Use timers to shift more of your electricity use to daytime
If you’re out and about during the day, consider using timers on appliances so they run when your solar system is producing energy. Some advanced heating and cooling systems have a feature allowing you to activate the system remotely with an app. This can be great if you’re at work during the daytime and want to return to a nice cool home in the early evening, that’s cost you nothing in electricity!
Charge your devices during the day
Lots of people plug in their devices before they go to bed, so they’re fully charged by morning. But doing this can add hundreds of dollars to your electricity.
It’s more cost-effective to charge your devices when you get home (assuming it’s still daylight) or in the morning before you head out. Invest in fast chargers if necessary – you’ll find they’re worth their weight in gold.
Make sure your devices are not on standby mode
It’s surprising how much power is used if you leave your devices in standby mode. Where possible switch off laptops, TVs, video games and electronics that you aren’t using for any extended period.
Switch off your aircon, heating etc at night
On heatwave nights, having the aircon running all night is a godsend. But for most of the year when the weather is more temperate, it’s worth putting your heating and cooling on a timer. That way you can go to sleep with the heating or cooling on, and it will automatically turn off in an hour or so when you’re fast asleep.
Improve the energy efficiency of your home
If you haven’t done so already, getting your home fully insulated is one of the most cost-effective ways you can improve the energy efficiency of your home. Heating and cooling can account for up to 50 per cent of your power bill. If you’ve got a home that’s well insulated, your home will be more comfortable and cost less to run.
Gradually move your home to all-electric
An efficient all-electric home is the best way to reduce your total energy costs and maximise the potential of your solar power system. In the medium to long term, moving off gas to efficient all-electric hot water, heating and cooking will save you thousands of dollars in energy costs.
Install a solar panel battery storage system
With solar battery storage, your excess solar power is stored in a battery for use when the sun goes down and on cloudy days. This means you can use your battery to power your home through the night, reducing your reliance on grid power. If the solar and battery system is sized correctly, this can result in 100 per cent energy self-sufficiency.
Purchase an electric car
With fuel costs skyrocketing, many people are considering purchasing an electric vehicle at some point in the next 5-10 years. Both state and federal governments are starting to put in place financial incentives to make electric vehicle purchase more affordable, as well as investing in charging infrastructure.
For solar owners, having an electric vehicle means that, with the right set-up, you can charge your car with the electricity generated by your solar panels system.
And why stop at an electric car? Why not get an electric bike as well for those short trips into town?
Summing up
Each step you take towards increasing solar self-consumption will help reduce your electricity bills and reliance on the electricity grid. Start slowly, implementing the changes one by one. Over time you’ll see the results with lower power bills and a more energy efficient home.
At Solar Run, designing solar and battery systems that maximise solar self-consumption and electricity bill savings is what we do! We’ll work with you to understand your electricity usage – both today and in the future. We’ll design the best solar panels system to meet your needs and fit your budget. Get in touch if you’d like a quote!
Did you know that the Victorian Government is offering interest-free solar loans to households for approved solar power systems?
Worth up to $1,400, the interest-free government loan is part of the Solar Homes Program, a $1.3 billion Victorian Government scheme designed to help 770,000 Victorian households and businesses take control of their energy bills and cut CO2 emissions.
Whilst public awareness of the Victorian solar panels rebate is high, not as many people know that you can also apply for a no-strings, no-interest government solar loan. The loan is repayable over four years or can be repaid sooner in one lump sum – and there are no fees or hidden costs.
Interest-free loan cuts upfront cost of solar
The purpose of the zero-interest loan is to help reduce the upfront cost of getting solar panels installed and make solar systems even more affordable.
Together the Victorian Government’s solar loan and solar panels rebate are worth up to $2,800 – money that’s directly deducted off the cost of your solar power system.
On one of our Melbourne solar panel10kW solar deals, this brings the upfront cost to just under $5,000. Not bad, when you think that 10kW solar panel system 10 years ago cost closer to $20,000!
Interest-free solar loan – available to Victorian homeowners and rental properties
The good news is that both homeowners and renters (through their landlords) can apply for the interest-free loan through the Victorian Solar Homes Program.
More good news is that the interest-free loan is an extra financial incentive on top of the solar panels rebate for Victorian homeowners and rental properties. This means you can get the solar panels rebate + interest-free loan – but you can’t apply for the interest-free loan on its own (who would want that anyway?).
Solar panels rebate
Solar interest-free loan (only available in conjunction with the solar panels rebate)
Total
Homeowners
Up to $1,400
Up to $1,400
Up to $2,800
Landlords (residential properties)
Up to $1,400
Up to $1,400
Up to $2,800
Who’s eligible for the interest-free solar loan?
Step 1: You first need to be eligible for the solar panels rebate
To be eligible for the Victorian Government’s interest-free solar loan, you first need to meet the eligibility criteria for the solar panels rebate. These criteria are very broad brush, i.e. your home must be worth less than $3m and your joint household income must not be more than $180,000. However, there are some subtleties you should be aware of and they’re definitely worth checking out.
Get in touch if you’d like us to talk you through the eligibility criteria for the solar panels rebate. Alternatively visit the Solar Homes website.
Step 2: You then need to meet the – straightforward -eligibility criteria for the solar loan
Once you are approved for the solar panels rebate, you’re pretty much there when it comes to the loan.
The only loan eligibility criteria you’ll need to meet is that your solar power system must be cash flow positive. What this means is that the monthly repayments on the loan MUST be less than the monthly electricity bill savings from your solar power system.
You don’t need any collateral to apply for the loan.
How much are the monthly loan repayments?
Assuming you’re eligible for the $1,400 solar panels rebate, you’ll also be able to apply for an interest-free loan of the same value, i.e. $1,400. Given that the loan is repayable over 4 years, this means your loan repayments will be $1,400 / 48 months = $29.16 a month.
A quality solar power system designed by a reputable solar retailer should be cash flow positive. If not, the solar system isn’t worth having!
This means that the monthly electricity bill savings you’ll need to be getting from your new solar power system must be more than $29.16 a month.
With rising electricity prices and solar systems becoming ever more efficient, it’s not hard to save that much with a well-designed solar panels system. We’d expect to be able to save you at least 5x that much on a typical 6.6kW Melbourne solar power system – if not more!
Interested in a cash flow positive solar system that ticks all the boxes?
Get in touch if you’d like a quote for a cash flow positive solar power system that meets the requirements of the Solar Homes program. We can also answer any questions you have on the application process for the Solar Homes solar panels rebate and interest-free loan.
You’ll be saving money off your electricity bill from day 1!
We can also help with additional low-cost solar financing if that’s of interest. Combining the government zero-interest loan with low-cost financing can reduce your upfront cost on a 6.6kW solar panel system to around $100. And, even with the additional financing, we can make sure you’re ahead from day 1.
What’s monitored, is measured. When you think about it, this saying is only too true. Your bank balance, your child’s progress at school, your health… and so the list goes on.
If you’re in touch with what’s happening, you can find areas for improvement and identify issues before they spiral out of control.
The thing is, most of us don’t relish the idea of wading through masses of hard-to-understand data. So many so-called solar power monitoring systems have been designed with absolutely no thought of the typical layperson. They assume we’ve got an engineering degree and heaps of time to spend pouring over incredibly boring dashboards, wading through voluminous graphs in an attempt to cobble together some actionable data.
Problem is, most solar manufacturing companies aren’t software companies.
The good news is that, in recent years, this situation has changed. There are now some much better third-party solar monitoring systems on the market that don’t assume you are a data geek. And the best of the bunch comes from an Australian software company, Solar Analytics (more on this later… read on!).
What are solar power monitoring systems?
A solar monitoring system helps you monitor the performance of your solar system. The ultimate goal of any solar power monitoring system worth its salt is to:
save you more money off your electricity bills
proactively identify any system underperformance issues.
Solar power monitoring systems utilize the data from your solar inverter and present that data to you via a software dashboard you can view on your laptop or mobile phone.
Limitations with most solar power monitoring systems
All new solar inverters these days come with their own proprietary built-in solar power monitoring. With some notable exceptions like SolarEdge, most are pretty basic – only showing how much solar energy your system has produced. A handful go a bit further, providing data on how much solar you are exporting to the grid for example.
Aside from limited functionality, most of these monitoring systems have a graphical user-interface that leaves a lot to be desired. But a far bigger drawback is that – whilst they may send you an SMS or email alert if your system trips off – virtually none will alert you to system underperformance issues.
Solar inverters older than five or six years may not even have built-in solar power monitoring and probably won’t be able to connect to Wi-Fi. You may be able to get some insight on your solar production data via the inverter’s LED screen or on a computer via an ethernet port. The problem with the LED screen check-method is that it requires you – the system owner – to remember to go check the inverter display on a regular basis. Something that’s easy to forget.
The consequences of forgetting to pop out and check if your solar inverter is working correctly can be huge. For instance, you get your quarterly electricity bill and wonder why on earth it’s suddenly gone through the roof. The penny drops – your solar system has stopped working!
To put some numbers around this scenario, a typical Aussie home with a 10kW solar power system will be saving around $500 a quarter off their electricity bill. Imagine if you don’t spot there’s a problem with your solar power system and it goes undetected for a few months – you could be down hundreds of dollars!
That’s where one of the best solar power monitoring systems like Solar Analytics can help you out – and ensure that you never again get electricity bill shock!
What do the best solar power monitoring systems track?
If you opt for one of the best solar monitoring systems on the market, it will most likely be a third-party software system – designed by a specialist software company – that can you add on to your existing solar power system.
It should enable you to track:
Solar energy production
Solar energy consumption
Grid exports and imports
Electricity costs
Performance issues/faults
Solar energy production
The solar energy production will show you how much solar electricity your solar power system is producing in kilowatt hours. It will show real-time solar production data, as well as historical data for any time period you select. This is useful if you want to compare previous readings with the current period to see if there’s significant variation in solar energy production. You’ll find that all solar inverters will have built-in production monitoring.
Solar energy consumption
Solar energy consumption is one of the most important stats you need to track – and this is where buying an advanced solar monitoring system really pays off.
What is solar energy consumption? The concept is simple – solar energy consumption is the amount of solar electricity (expressed in kilowatt hours) that you use in your home.
Why is it so important to track? Because by maximizing the amount of the solar you use in your home – to run your lights, dishwasher etc – you minimise the amount of expensive grid power you need to buy. This is where the biggest solar savings are to be had (and you won’t see this as a solar credit on your electricity bill, contrary to popular belief, as it is a cost you haven’t incurred).
It’s important to realise that when solar power is produced, your solar system will try to use it to satisfy any power requirements in your home BEFORE exporting it to the grid. This is a real-time process. So, when the sun’s shining, your solar panels are producing power. At that exact point in time, the free solar power that’s being produced can potentially be used to power your home. If you aren’t using much power at that point in time in your home, most of it will be sent to the grid (for a very small feed-in tariff) – or stored in your solar battery system.
Grid exports and imports
This feature is useful because it focuses the mind on how much electricity you’re buying from the grid – and how much you’re exporting. The objective is minimise both your exports and your imports. That’s because buying grid power costs around 25-30 cents per kilowatt hour (so you want to avoid that) – and exporting it only pays around 7 cents per kilowatt hour (much better to use your free solar power and avoid paying the expensive grid rate).
Electricity costs
With advanced solar power monitoring systems like Solar Analytics, can you enter your electricity rates. This includes time of use tariffs (if relevant), solar feed-in tariff, daily supply charge, weekday/weekend rates etc.
The big benefit is you’ll never get an electricity bill shock again. That’s because the monitoring system will use live data from your solar inverter to show exactly how much you are spending on electricity for any period you choose (a minute, an hour, a day, a week, your billing period etc).
Performance issues/faults
There are two important features that you should expect from the best solar power monitoring systems:
SMS and/or email alert sent to you if your solar power system stops working
SMS and/or email alert if the performance of your solar power system falls below the expected minimum performance (in kilowatt hours) shown in the solar quotation from your Solar Retailer.
An advanced solar monitoring system will have built-in algorithms to check the actual weather for your location, the direction and angle of your roof and specifications of your solar power system. This provides sophisticated monitoring of actual v. expected solar production and should be accurate to within a few per cent.
It should also be able to detect faults in your system to warn you if something is about to stop working. This is a built-in safety device to ensure that any faults get identified before they cause damage.
With high voltage power on your roof, you want to be sure that everything’s running properly – and get plenty of warning of any issues that might need fixing.
Think of it as an insurance policy – it’s cheap at the price!
What are the best solar power monitoring systems?
The best solar power monitoring system is SolarAnalytics. It does everything mentioned above – and more!
This is not just our view, but also the opinion of industry expert the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) who found that Solar Analytics increased household solar generation by 15 per cent. The biggest reason for this strong result is the ability of Solar Analytics to quickly identify faults before they escalate, allowing the issues to be fixed quickly with minimal loss of solar production.
Solar Analytics also cuts out the mind-numbingly boring task of comparing deals from different electricity retailers. The smart software knows which retailers operate in your area and uses the data from your system to model the various offers and present the best electricity deals to you. Pilot testing of this new feature shows the average bill savings to be $400 a year – with some customers saving up to $2,000 annually!
How much does Solar Analytics cost? Is it worth it?
Solar Analytics comes in two versions:
Classic:
Work with any solar inverter except hybrid and DC-coupled batteries.
Requires a piece of hardware to be installed called a Solar Smart Monitor and uses a 4G connection which doesn’t rely on Wi-Fi.
Cost: up to $800 inc GST including a lifetime subscription to the software.
Data is communicated via your home’s Wi-Fi to the cloud.
Cost: $165 inc GST including a 5-year subscription (for systems up to 15kW)
We reckon that Solar Analytics is worth well the price tag. Increased bill savings, better electricity deals, less system downtime, improved safety, better evidence in case of a warranty claim – the list is endless.
To get a Solar Analytics quote for your home or business, get in touch with us today.
Getting your solar panel system maintained on a regular basis is not just important – it’s essential. A professional solar maintenance service will ensure:
your solar system is working properly.
your electricity bill savings are maximized.
the solar system is safe for everyone in your home or business, as well as technicians working on the electricity distribution network.
There are no ‘ifs and buts’ from industry authorities on this topic either. Both the Clean Energy Regulator and the Clean Energy Council clearly state that anyone who owns a solar panel system must get it serviced regularly by either a licensed electrician or a Clean Energy Accredited Solar Installer.
Whilst this is a good starting point it’s useful to have some practical guidance to make sure that when you get your solar system serviced, the job’s done right.
That’s the purpose of this article. Read on to get answers to the most common questions about solar panel maintenance, in particular:
How do I know if my solar panel system is working correctly?
What are the biggest risks if my solar panel system isn’t properly maintained? What needs to be checked to reduce these risks?
What should be checked during a solar panel maintenance service?
How often should I get my solar panel system serviced?
How do I know if my solar panel system is working correctly?
Signs that your solar system needs a health check include a big increase in your electricity bill, an orange or red light on your inverter during the day, or panels that are noticeably dirty.
Your solar monitoring system may provide information that alerts you to any issues with your solar panel system. The better the solar monitoring you have, the better the information you’ll receive to help you – and your solar installer – proactively identify faults that need fixing.
Older solar systems tend to have very basic solar monitoring – if any at all. One of the advantages of getting your solar panel system upgraded is that you can get one of the latest smart solar monitoring apps set up on your phone or laptop. Not only does this give you peace of mind that your solar system is working correctly and efficiently, you’ll also be safeguarding the electrical safety of your property.
The very best advanced solar monitoring systems – like Solar Analytics – can instantly identify issues, send alert messages to your installer who can get on the job of sorting them out. Talk to us today if you’d like to find out more about Solar Analytics. It’s an investment you’ll find pays dividends in terms of improved solar performance, bigger bill savings and improved solar safety.
Before leaving this topic, it’s important to be aware that some potentially dangerous solar system faults are not immediately visible to the untrained eye – for example microcracks on solar panels, hot spots and damaged DC isolators. If left undetected, these faults can cause a lot of damage – even a solar roof fire. That’s why getting an accredited Clean Energy Council solar installer to undertake your solar panel maintenance on a regular basis is so crucial. Our Australian network of CEC solar installers have the skills to check your solar panel system is working properly. Get in touch if you’d like to arrange a solar system health check……………….
What are the biggest risks if my solar panel system isn’t properly maintained? What needs to be checked to reduce these risks?
The absolute number one risk of a poorly maintained solar panel system is electrical fire – and the most common cause of solar panel fires are DC isolators.
A DC isolator is a manually operated switch next to a solar panel array which turns off the power flow from the panels to the inverter. It is currently a requirement under the Australian Standard that all solar power installations include a DC isolator switch as a safety feature to help protect firefighters from electrocution during a house fire.
But it seems that these DC isolator switches are the main culprit. Solar panel fires have increased more than 20 per cent in the last year, according to Fire NSW, with DC isolators identified as the cause in almost half these emergencies.
Worse still, the Clean Energy Regulator found that 3.3 per cent of solar power systems installed between 2010-2018 are either unsafe or potentially unsafe, based on an inspection of almost 30,000 solar installations. Whilst most of these systems don’t pose an immediate risk, if left un-serviced they could become unsafe.
As a response to this major safety issue, the Australian Standard was updated in 2019. It now requires all DC isolators to have a metallic shroud to protect them from the elements. That’s great news if you had a quality solar power system installed (with a quality DC isolator switch) after this Standard came into force – and it was installed properly by an accredited CEC solar installer. If that’s the case, you should expect your isolator to pose minimal fire risk.
However, if your isolator switch doesn’t have a cover, our recommendation is that the DC isolator should either be replaced or have a metal cover fitted over it. These are points that would be checked out as part of a thorough solar panel maintenance check.
The actual cost of a new DC isolator switch is next-to-nothing compared to the total cost of a solar system – under $100, plus installation costs. It’s well worth getting checked out if you have any concerns as the risks aren’t worth taking!
What should be checked during a solar panel maintenance service?
According to the Clean Energy Regulator, regular maintenance of your solar panel system should include the following checks:
solar panels are clean, secure and free of defects
no parts have deteriorated or corroded
DC isolator switches don’t have any defects
wiring has not been damaged and hasn’t deteriorated
vents are free of debris
all electrical components are operating properly
fittings and cables are securely attached
the inverter display panel doesn’t show any recorded faults
access to the isolator switches has not been compromised
the emergency procedures for shutdown and isolation are clearly displayed.
It’s good practice to ask to see your provider’s solar panel maintenance checklist before you confirm your booking and make sure it covers the above points. You’ll also want to check that they’ll provide you with a detailed inspection report, so you know that everything has been properly reviewed. This will help sort out the good solar professional providers from the sloppy ones – and make sure your money is well spent.
Don’t forget: keep all paperwork from your solar installation as some faults may be covered by warranties.
How often should I get my solar panel system serviced?
Energy Safe Victoria recommends that solar panel systems are serviced every two years. They state that “the best way to identify faults and avoid house fires is regular servicing, especially for those systems installed prior to 2018.”
Clearly, if you have an older system getting it checked sooner rather than later is highly advisable – and then putting in place a regular maintenance schedule with your solar installer.
For a newer solar system installed from 2019 onwards, there should be less of a risk with the DC isolator. Having said that, erring on the side of caution and getting a bi-annual check makes sense when you consider the potential risks.
Energy Safe Victoria makes the important point that solar panel system maintenance should be undertaken by a licensed (A Grade) electrician, employed by a Registered Electrical Contractor. They also recommend that the electrician is accredited with the Clean Energy Council.
That advice makes complete sense when you think about it. After all, when you’re talking about the electrical safety of your home, you shouldn’t be making any compromises.
What about solar panels cleaning?
Whilst having grimy solar panels isn’t going to cause a house fire, getting them properly cleaned on a regular basis is worth doing.
In the same way that leaving your car out in the rain doesn’t get it clean, relying on rain to clean your panels doesn’t work either. Pollution, dust, bird droppings, sea salt, leaf litter – you name it – leaves a grimy film which compromises the performance of your solar panels.
No sunlight on panels = no power! If you don’t get them cleaned, hotspots and microcracks can form on your solar panels reducing their efficiency and increasing your power bills.
Where you live will depend on how dirty your solar panels get. There’s no hard and fast rule on how often you get them cleaned, but once every two years or so should be about right for most people.
That’s something you can ask your provider when they complete the solar panel maintenance check. They will be best positioned to give you the right advice – and probably even arrange for the solar panels to be professionally cleaned.
Want to book a solar panels maintenance check?
Get in touch with one of our solar experts who’ll be able to discuss your solar panel maintenance requirements and organize a solar system health check.
And, if you’re thinking about upgrading your solar system in Melbourne, Sydney or purchasing a new Solar Panels system in Gold Coast, talk to our solar experts to ensure you get the best quality on all your solar panel system components and system monitoring.
Is it worth getting solar if your network distributor – the company who owns the poles and lines in your region – limits how much solar power you can export back to the grid?
The short answer is YES. This post explains why.
Network distributor approval
Before you can get a solar power system installed, your Solar Retailer is required to submit an application to the network distributor for connection of your proposed solar system to the grid. The network distributor will respond in one of three ways:
Approve the size system you’ve requested.
Limit the amount of power you can export to the grid (e.g. you request 5kW and the distributor says you can only export 2.5kW)
Set a ‘zero export’ limit – i.e. you aren’t allowed to export any power from your solar system to the grid.
The good news is that in each of the above scenarios you can still get a solar power system installed.
Why you can still get a large solar system, even if you are export limited
It’s important to know that – just because your network distributor says you can only export a certain amount to the grid (for example 5kW) – you don’t have to limit the size of your solar power system to 5kW.
It’s completely within the rules to get a larger solar power system installed – for example 10kW – and get the exports throttled back to meet the limits set by your network distributor.
Most quality modern solar inverters have the functionality to change export limits within the settings. Make sure to check this feature is included when you are getting quotes.
Networks are being upgraded – and export limits are being lifted
What if you do get export limited? Is this decision set in stone?
The first thing to be aware of is that network distributors ARE upgrading the electricity network. It’s a slow process but it is happening!
We are seeing customers who were previously export limited to zero (only a year ago), now being told that the export limited has been lifted.
What a shame if they had installed a small solar system because of the export limit!
Don’t fall into this trap and let an export limit put you off getting a bigger system.
In the next few years, we can expect big changes in the way our national electricity grid operates to allow for more solar exports from the millions of homes across Australia. That’s the future for distributed energy generation in Australia – and the technology to make that happen is being rolled out now.
Solar feed-in tariffs – a quick history
It’s true that if you can’t export solar, you won’t get paid a feed-in tariff for it. But now that feed-in tariffs have dropped to an average 7 cents per kilowatt hour, does that really matter?
Back in the day (around 2010), feed-in tariffs were REALLY worth having. That’s where there was big money paid in solar feed-in credits – around 60 cents per kilowatt hour!
But, back then, the cost of a solar power system was around 4 times higher than now. High feed-in tariffs were a financial mechanism to encourage early adopters to purchase solar.
It worked well for a time. Then, as the cost of solar panels plummeted, the need for a premium feed-in reduced.
The payback period – the time it takes for the amount you paid to be recouped through your electricity bill savings – is now around 3-5 years.
Solar is now more affordable than ever, thanks to attractive Government rebates and a drop of around 80 per cent in the cost of solar power systems in the last 10 years.
Now, the way to get the best payback on your solar power system, is to use your free solar power in your home rather than buy it from the grid. (That’s called self-consumption – a geek term you may come across when looking at solar quotes).
Financial impact of export limits
Now for some number crunching to show the financial impact of getting export limited. We’ll keep it nice and straightforward so keep reading!
Taking the example of a 10kW solar panel system in Melbourne where the home uses 50 per cent of the solar power in the home and is export limited to 5kW.
The financial savings of using free solar power – rather than buying it from the grid – are around $1,700 a year.
The solar feed-in credit they could get if they were allowed to export all their surplus power at 7 cents per kilowatt hour would be worth around $470.
If their network distributor says they can’t export any of this surplus power, that’s potentially a loss of $470.
But it doesn’t have to be that way!
Instead of writing off the value of that excess solar, the household could use it in other ways where the financial benefit would be far greater. This includes:
Assuming this household pays 25 cents a kilowatt hour for electricity, they would save $1,700 a year by diverting the excess power into a home battery storage system. This saving is far greater than the $470 they’ve lost out on from the solar feed-in. In fact, they’re $1,230 a year better off.
And, with some battery brands able to cycle more than once a day, the savings could be even higher. Factor in the benefits of a continuous power supply (no more blackouts!), and the future opportunities presented by selling your battery power at a premium via a Virtual Power Plant, the financial upside to battery storage looks even rosier!
Whilst battery storage is still quite pricey, costs are falling and government battery rebates are available in many states.
It’s worth getting a quote for battery storage – as it may not be an expensive as you think. Plus it’s worth thinking about what value of guaranteed power is worth to you, particularly as working from home becomes the ‘new normal’.
Summing up
Going solar makes sense for the most households, even if your network distributor restricts the amount of power you can export.
As this article has shown, you can make at least three times more money from using your excess solar power in your home, rather than exporting it to the grid. Battery storage is just one of the ways to get a better financial return from your solar power. Home automation and solar monitoring are other useful ways of making the most of your solar power.
Don’t let the loss of a measly feed-in credit put you off solar. The financial benefits of using your own free solar power in your home are far greater.
Get in touch with us today for a free consultation about how you can get the best return from your solar power system.
Keeping your solar panels clean and your solar power system maintained is worth doing to ensure it works as efficiently as possible. Like getting your car serviced or cleaning your gutters, it’s important to stick to a regular maintenance schedule to keep your solar panels in top working order.
Some people will be wondering if they can clean their solar panels themselves or whether it’s worth paying a professional solar cleaner.
Others may be wondering whether the rain is enough to wash away any dirt on the panels.
In this blog we’ll cover:
Dust, grime, leaves and bird droppings. What’s the biggest culprit?
Pros and cons of DIY solar panels cleaning versus bringing in the professionals
Tips if you do decide to do it yourself
Best practice solar panel cleaning advice from Clean Energy Regulator
How often should you get your panels cleaned and your system checked?
Solar Analytics Tool: A smart way to check your solar system is working properly
Can Solar Run help?
Dust, grime, leaves and bird droppings. What’s the biggest culprit?
Top marks if you guess bird poo! Leaves would be number two. The reason being that they both completely block sunlight from reaching the part of the panel they cover.
If you have a solar system with optimizers – like SolarEdge – this won’t be much of an issue as only the affected panel will drop in power output.
But if you have a string inverter system (which is what most people have), the entire row of solar panels will drop in power output – sometimes even down to zero.
When it comes to dust and grime, if your panels are angled correctly, the rain will help keep them clean. However, research by the World Renewable Energy Congress in Sweden showed that dust buildup does have a significant effect on solar energy production – causing a drop in power output by up to 15 percent.
Naturally, this all depends on where you live. If your home is off a dusty track or inner city, dust and grime caused by pollution will be a lot worse than if you live off a tarmac road in a small town.
Pros and cons of DIY solar panels cleaning versus bringing in the professionals
The obvious advantage of cleaning solar panels yourself is that it’s cheaper. The biggest potential downside is the risk of hurting yourself if you go up on the roof.
But there is another downside of not using the professionals. As part of having a trained professional cleaning your solar panels, they can check other aspects of your solar panels and do a general system check. This includes looking for:
Potential fire safety issues, hot spots and cracks
Any peeling off of the laminate on your panels
Damage from vermin including to the wiring
Bird nests under the panels
Water and moisture seepage
Recorded faults on the inverter display panel
Tips if you decide to clean solar panels yourself
If possible, panels should be cleaned with purified water as tap water can leave a residue on your panels that can result in more dirt build-up. You should use a soft sponge and that should be enough. Don’t use any chemicals.
For safety reasons, it’s best to clean your panels from the ground with a hose. Don’t use a pressure washer to clean your solar panels as this may cause damage.
If you decide to go up on the roof, be careful and take the necessary precautions such as a rope attached to a safety harness.
Solar panel cleaning advice from Clean Energy Regulator
According to the Clean Energy Regulator, “It is important that regular maintenance is carried out on your solar panel system. Undertaking regular maintenance will ensure your solar panel system is operating safely, correctly and efficiently.”
The Regulator also strongly advises that, for safety reasons, solar panel systems should only be inspected and maintained by a licenced electrician or Clean Energy Council accredited solar panel system installer.
How often should you get your panels cleaned and your system checked?
This all depends on whether you live in an area that’s prone to dust and grime – and of course bird droppings. If, for example, your home is surrounded by trees there’s a greater chance of our feathered friends making a mess on your panels. If those trees are deciduous, then you’ll need to get your panels cleaned more frequently to clear away leaf matter.
As a rule of thumb, we recommend getting your panels cleaned once a year and having your system thoroughly checked by a professional every two years.
Solar Analytics Tool: A smart way to check your system is working properly
Smart software can help identify any loss in power performance of your solar power system. Solar Analytics is one of the best tools for doing this – and it’s compatible with all solar power systems.
What makes Solar Analytics a stand-out choice for solar monitoring is that it doesn’t just check the power output of your system. It goes a step further and, using its patented algorithms, calculates exactly how much energy you should be producing every day of the year. It compares this with the actual generation and sends alerts to your Solar Retailer if there’s a discrepancy.
That’s why at Solar Run we have partnered with Solar Analytics to offer their solution to all our customers. We can retrofit Solar Analytics to existing solar power systems, as well as set it up on new solar systems.
Can Solar Run help with solar panel cleaning and maintenance?
Yes, we can!
No matter where you live in Australia, we can help you with solar panels cleaning and solar system maintenance. Plus, we can get smart software installed with your system – like Solar Analytics and SolarEdge – so that any drop-off in power output is immediately identified and fixed.
Chat to us today on 1300076527 about getting your solar panels cleaned and maintained.
It’s a stunning fact that in just one and a half hours, the amount of the sun’s energy that reaches Earth is more than the world’s total yearly energy consumption.
An equally mind-blowing stat is that only 2.4% of our planet’s global electricity supply is from the sun.
So what’s stopping us from converting more of the sun’s rays into electricity?
The answer is low levels of solar panel efficiency. On average, only 17-20% of the sunlight that hits solar panels is converted into electricity. This means than 80-83% of solar energy is wasted. Even the very best solar panel in the world according to solar panels ranking 2022 – the Sunpower Maxeon 3 – converts only 22.8% of sunshine into usable energy.
One of the biggest challenges facing the solar industry is how to achieve a massive step up in the efficiency of solar panels – at a reasonable cost.
What if there was a technology that revolutionized solar cell efficiency and achieved 30, 40 or even 80% efficiency?
This opportunity hasn’t escaped the notice of the solar industry. There’s a worldwide race, from San Francisco to Shanghai, to make a more efficient cell according to a BBC report.
The technology that breaks through the magic 30% efficiency number has the potential to change how the world uses energy.
Limitations with today’s solar cells
Most solar cells are made using silicon crystalline wafers. There are two main types of wafers: monocrystalline and polycrystalline.
The most efficient type is monocrystalline and these are used in the world’s best solar panels. Monocrystalline solar panels are more expensive to manufacture as they use silicon of much higher purity, but this results in better generation and performance over time. So whilst the upfront cost is generally higher, the payback over the 25-30 year life of the solar system is generally much better than lower cost polycrystalline panels.
But the big problem is that wafer-based crystalline silicon is getting close to its theoretical maximum efficiency. For solar cells made of only of silicon, this is around 30% according to the Shockley-Quiesser limit.
Major photovoltaic discovery may be the answer
Researchers in Germany have discovered a way of dramatically increasing the photovoltaic effect. This photovoltaic effect is at the core of how solar energy is produced. It is the process by which the solar cell converts the absorbed sunlight energy into electricity.
Their starting point was that silicon-based solar cells are limited in terms of their efficiency. That prompted them to examine the properties of other raw materials – specifically barium titanate.
They found that if they embedded the barium titanate between strontium titanate and calcium titanate the current flow was up to 10 times stronger than just using pure barium titanate.
An advantage of this technology is that, unlike silicon, there is no need for a so-called pn-junction. The pn-junction is at the crux of silicon-based solar cell technology. It creates an electric field which enables the flow of electrons when sunlight passes through the cell.
The German researchers say that because the barium-based technology doesn’t require a pn-junction to create the photovoltaic effect, it makes it much easier to produce solar panels. They also say that the barium crystals are much more durable than silicon and don’t require special packaging.
Far-reaching benefits
A massive step-up in solar cell efficiency would have huge benefits for worldwide renewable energy generation.
For a start, it would mean that the mega-scale solar farms would not need to take up as much land to generate the same amount of power as they do currently. This is because more power would be produced from fewer panels. For habitat as well as agricultural development, this is great news as not much can grow and flourish on land that is covered by panels.
For households and businesses, it’s also good news. Roof space is precious – even if you think you have a lot of it. That’s because the way we use power is changing fast, with greater electrification in all aspects of our lives. With that, comes a corresponding need for more electricity.
Whilst you may think you have enough space for the solar energy you need today, this is about to change. In ten years time, you may need a lot more roof space to generate the power you are likely to need to run your all-electric home, your all-electric vehicle and provide secure energy storage.
That’s why solar panels made with solar cells that are 30%-plus efficient, would be huge news for solar power in Australia and worldwide. You’ll need around 50% fewer panels to generate the same amount of electricity you would today using silicon-based cells.
That means lower installation costs, lower manufacturing costs (as less raw materials would be used in the production process) which, in turn, is better for the environment.
Bring on the new solar cell technology. We can’t wait!
The term net zero is bandied around a lot at the moment. What does it mean?
“Going net zero means removing as many emissions as we produce”, according to Friends of the Earth.
In other words, our homes reach net zero when every tonne of CO2 emissions produced is cancelled out through energy efficiency improvements and use of renewable energy sources like solar power.
And with now being a great time to go solar, there are some great deals around to make it simpler and more affordable for you to get solar installed.
We need to take action
Australian homes produce a lot of CO2 emissions – 20 tonnes a year, on average. This can very from 3 to 30 tonnes depending on which state you live, your lifestyle, how energy efficient your home is and the sources of energy used to power it.
Australia is one of the highest per person emitters of CO2 in the world.
Reducing our CO2 emissions to 2.5 tonnes per person – or 10 tonnes for a 4-person household – is what we must do to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, according to the UN Environment’s latest Emission Gap Report.
The message is clear. Aussie homes need to cut household emissions by at least 50 per cent.
If we can go further – and reach net zero emissions for our homes – that’s even better.
Why do our homes produce so much CO2?
To answer this question, the starting point is to take a close look at where we get the power to run our homes
Across Australia, the statistic is that two-thirds of the energy we use in our homes is electricity from the national grid and one-third is directly from fossil fuels, in particular natural gas.
Three-quarters of the electricity across the Australian electricity grid is from non-renewable sources, predominantly coal. The varies state-by-state with Tasmania and South Australia doing much better with grids that are 50 per cent plus renewable.
But this is changing, with Australia’s energy market operator setting ambitious targets for the nation’s electricity grid to handle 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025.
Natural gas is inherently a dirty source of power – and that won’t change.
Put the two together and you can see why it makes sense – for anyone who’s keen to cut their carbon footprint – to start making the transition to an all-electric home.
It also makes sense to generate your own clean energy with solar. It’s one of the fastest ways to get your home to net zero.
How solar can fast track you to net zero
Installing a decent size solar power system can get you quickly on the path to net zero carbon emissions.
The average Australian home uses 20 kilowatt hours of electricity a day. This would justify a solar power system of around 6.6kW in size.
But 6.6kW is unlikely to be sufficient if you are serious about decarbonizing your home, your private transport – and making your home all-electric.
With an electric vehicle requiring around 2kW of solar panels, not to mention the addition of battery storage which would also contribute to your net zero goal, you can see that 6.6kW is most probably not going to be large enough if you’ve got an eye to the future.
Install a 10kW solar power system and you’re generating around 40 kilowatt hours of clean solar energy. Over a year, this is a reduction of around 17 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Going back to our stat that the average Aussie home produces 20 tonnes of CO2 a year, you can see that by installing 10kW of solar panels, you are already almost at net zero.
Battery storage for a reduced carbon footprint
Getting a decent size solar power system installed is a great starting point for making your home more energy efficient and cutting both your CO2 emissions and energy bills.
It provides you with a firm basis to make your home all-electric, providing enough solar energy to power your heating and cooling, heat your water and run your appliances.
But the big issue is that solar panels only work in the daytime.
With solar battery storage, you can store the surplus energy your solar produces during the daytime and use it at night. By doing this, you are using clean energy to run your household systems during the night, rather than dirty grid electricity or gas.
Battery storage systems like Powerwall, Sonnen and LG battery have the capacity to power a large family home through the night using your own clean solar energy.
Not only does that mean you are a lot more independent from the grid, it also takes you much closer towards a net zero home.
Image credit and data from – www.particle.scitech.org.au/people/reducing-your-carbon-footprint/
Tackling the biggest energy guzzlers in your home
Heating and cooling as well as hot water are the two biggest users of energy in your home. Making these more energy efficient and switching them to all-electric is vital if you want to reach zero net emissions.
Heating and cooling is the biggest use of energy in most Australian homes – at 40 per cent of total home energy consumption on average. So what’s the best all-electric heating and cooling solution for your home?
An electric reverse-cycle split system is the most energy efficient, lowest cost heating and cooling option that generates the lowest greenhouse gases, according to Sustainability Victoria. Power it with your solar system and the CO2 emissions savings – and bill savings – are even greater.
The next big item to tackle is your hot water system which accounts for around 25 per cent of energy used in the average Australian home. There are Government incentives in place to help reduce the cost of moving solar hot water and the bill savings are typically around $140-$400 a year.
A hot-water heat pump can be the cheapest way of heating your water and one of the most efficient. For every one unit of energy used to heat your water, you get four units of heated water – that’s 400 per cent efficiency. Compare this with a gas-fired hot water service that is only around 75 per cent efficient.
Hot water heat pumps collect free renewable heat from the air outside your home and therefore quality for the Federal Government form of rebate – the so-called STCs (Small-scale Technology Certificates). This further reduces the cost of installation.
Latest technologies for home energy efficiency
Home automation, energy monitoring as well as bi-directional chargers for electric vehicles are some of the new technologies that will improve energy use in your home and cut your carbon emissions.
At Solar Run, we pride ourselves on keeping abreast of new developments that help our customers make their homes run smarter, minimizing both your carbon footprint and energy bills.
We’re on the cusp of exciting new developments that have the potential to significantly improve the comfort and efficiency of powering our homes and cars. Solar and battery storage will be central to how this works. Getting the right advice now is critical if you want to take advantage of what’s coming – and at the same time making your home net zero.
Get in touch with us today for a free consultation.
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