Interested in getting solar panels installed on your rooftop?  And why wouldn’t you? We live in one of the sunniest places on earth, and it makes sense to make the most of new technologies that allow us to convert the powerhouse energy from the sun to warm our homes and provide energy to get our stuff done.

You can read more about renewables here.

In recent times, the Federal and State Governments have been keen to kick start the solar industry by helping households and businesses with the cost of installations. These rebates have gradually been wound back, so it’s best to do a little research before investing in solar technology, so you know how much rebate you are entitled to. Check out this link from Choice for some up-to-date information. But, taking into account a period of time to payback the initial outlay, and many householders are able to minimise their energy bills with the help of solar panels on their rooftops.

Here’s how it works

When solar or photovoltaic (PV) panels are installed, they are usually positioned north, in order to absorb as much sunlight as possible. The PV panels convert the sunlight into a direct electrical current (DC). The energy is then converted, using an inverter, into AC electricity, which we use in our homes.

That’s all very well. However, most systems need to use that electricity immediately, as they are unable to store it. Which is awesome if you want to run your air-conditioner all day, but not so great if you want to run your dishwasher at night.

Any energy that you don’t use is fed back into the electricity grid to be used for general consumption. The amount of electricity you feed back into the grid is deducted from your electricity bill. This is known as a Feed-In tariff. This fee changes from state to state, and from supplier to supplier. Check out this website for up-to-date comparisons.

It’s all in the timing

Up to now few households have been able to go “off-grid”, and run completely off the energy they produce. This is because the price of battery storage has, until now, been prohibitive.

Still, by feeding back excess into the power grid, and then drawing back what you need to use at night or on cold and cloudy days means that your electricity supply will not run out, and you’ll have plenty of power when you need it.

However, the rate you’ll be paid for the energy you supply to the grid will probably be a lot lower than the rate you’ll pay to draw energy off the grid when you need it. It’s best to shop around different energy suppliers to find a good deal.

The amount of energy your panels will produce will fluctuate from month to month. Obviously you’ll create a lot more energy in summer than you will in winter, and so over the course of the year you will average out your energy spend.

So how do I save money with solar panels?

• Step one? Speak to an expert. Find out how much it’ll cost to install a solar system. You can find an expert here. Find out how much energy solar panels will be expected to produce.
• Analyse your energy bills over the past few years, and work out what you spend annually. That way you’ll be able to see how long it’ll take a solar system to pay for itself.
• Make sure your installer helps you claim all available rebates.
• Shop around different energy suppliers for a great feed-in-tariff.  
• Make sure your panels are installed correctly – (including facing the right way to maximise solar absorption) and are correctly attached.
• Install energy efficient appliances. This will help cut down your power costs, so you can conserve your own energy outputs.
• A solar hot water system is much more cost effective that an electric hot water system. If you’re looking to invest in solar power, this is a relatively easy first step. Talk to a solar hot-water-system expert today.