Solar energy is energy generated by the conversion of heat or light which is radiated by the sun. Solar products use this free energy and convert it into usable sources of power or heat for you. Solar products are a clean, green, renewable and quiet source of power that last for many years.
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A Solar Australia Solar Power system:
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Solar is not an off-the-shelf product. Our friendly Site Inspectors will assess your family’s energy requirements and provide an obligation-free quotation on a customised PV system, designed to meet your specific needs. Click here to compare solar panel options.
A Photovoltaic (PV) system consists of an array of solar panels which are designed to convert the sun’s radiant light into electricity. These panels are connected to a solar power inverter which converts the electricity produced by the panels into usable power.
The sun’s rays hit the solar panels which create DC electricity. This electricity flows through the cabling into the solar power inverter, which converts the DC into AC electricity which can be used by common appliances.
In a grid-connected solar PV system, this AC electricity flows into the bidirectional (net) meter at the property which then sends the power into the property as free electricity. If power is being consumed at that point in time then this free power supplements the supply to the property, reducing the amount of power being purchased.
If the solar PV system produces more power than is required, then this excess power flows back out into the grid or into your solar battery if you have one. Talk to our friendly staff or view our How Solar Works page for more information.
Your Solar PV array will supplement your grid power supply. This means that in a suburban residential setting, you will need grid supply for your non-daylight energy consumption as well as any usage in excess of your PV array’s supply. Your PV array will REDUCE the amount of energy drawn from the grid during solar hours.
If you produce more energy from your PV array than your household requires, then the excess energy is fed back into the grid. Your Energy Retailer may pay you for this excess energy so please ask your supplier about their solar Feed-in Tariff.
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At night time, your PV array will shut down and your inverter will go to sleep. During this time your household’s energy consumption will be drawn from the grid. In the morning when the sun hits the PV array, your inverter will wake up again and start producing clean, free energy for your home.
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On cloudy days, your PV array will still produce free energy, albeit at a reduced efficiency due to the diffusing effect of the cloud cover. You can monitor your PV array’s production by accessing the display panel on your Solar PV Inverter. Solar Australia will provide you with an annualised daily estimate of solar production which takes into account normal periods of overcast weather and this Clean Energy Council accredited Design Summary will be provided to you upon installation.
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When the grid supply voltage drops to zero (as in a blackout), your Solar PV Inverter’s safety function disables your Inverter so that it is safe for linesman to repair the fault. When the grid voltage returns to normal parameters your Solar PV Inverter re-activates so that you can start benefitting from free energy again.
A solution for customers in areas prone to blackouts is a grid-connected battery backup system which uses the solar panels to charge a bank of batteries for when the grid voltage drops to zero (blackout). Your power supply will then switch over to the batteries to run your household appliances, uninterrupted by power outages.
For more information on grid-connected battery backup solutions, please Contact Us.
Solar Australia’s panels can be located on your roof or on the ground, depending on your individual requirements. We have solutions for any application.
When you install a solar battery, the excess energy your solar panels generate will be sent to your battery. This stores the sun’s energy throughout the day, often when you are at work. You can then schedule your battery to deliver the stored power to your house when you need it most, such as peak times in the night when the sun has gone down.
This puts you in control of your power and drastically reduces your power bills.
There are various shapes and sizes. A battery for a residential home can resemble that of a small fridge, portable air conditioner or computer tower. For commercial applications the units can be on a larger scale.
If used properly and maintained; Battery Storage is considered perfectly safe. Of course there are potential risks, however they are no different to the many electrical hazards already present in the average home.
The power that you draw from a power point is called AC (alternating current). Solar Panels and Batteries produce DC (direct current).
A typical Solar Storage Solution will produce DC power. The DC power is then converted to AC via the inverter, to make it compatible with the appliances in your home.
Residential Battery Storage Systems typically range from 3 to 12 kWh in size and commercial (small scale) can range up to 200kWh. Various influences can affect the suitable size:
It is possible to take a Battery if you decide to move houses, in the same way that solar panels can be moved.
The system must be removed and re-installed by an accredited installer in order maintain warranty.
Most battery maintenance is not complicated, however it is important for ensuring that your system is performing to it's best ability.
As it is also good practice to carry out visual checks on your inverter, it is also a good idea to do the same with your Battery Storage. If you notice that something doesn't look right, then please call our Battery Support Line on 1300 027 077.
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With a roof mounted solar collector, the sun’s radiant heat hits the solar hot water collector and heats the hot water collector. This heat is transferred into the liquid (potable water or glycol) to then be stored (potable water) or transfer the heat into your potable water supply for later use. Often a backup electrical element supplements this heating process during winter or periods of low solar irradiation and high hot water demand.
A Heat Pump solar hot water system operates similar to a household air conditioner or refrigerator (in reverse). Air is drawn into the heat pump with a fan and then through an evaporator which contains a special type of refrigerant. This refrigerant, R134a has a boiling point of -21oC, meaning that your heat pump will still function in extremely cold conditions. The refrigerant, now in gaseous form, is then compressed by the heat pump, which generates an incredible amount of heat. This heat is then transferred into the storage tank, heating your household’s water supply for later use. Since the heat has been extracted from the refrigerant, the cool liquid returns to the evaporator to start the process all over again.
To learn more about our range of solar hot water products, please talk to our friendly staff or visit the Solar Hot Water page.
The amount of energy you will save varies; based on your location, water usage, and type of system you install. On average, an electric hot water system accounts for about 30% of your total household energy usage. Installing a solar hot water system will save you up to 80% of the energy used by your existing electric hot water unit.
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The main solar hot water technologies currently available in Australia are heat pump solar hot water, flat panel solar hot water and evacuated tube solar hot water.
Check out our Solar Hot Water page or Contact Us to learn more.
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Our qualified Site Inspectors will come to your property, assess your requirements and provide obligation-free advice on the correct system.
This is simple... a GROSS meter sends all the solar electricity generated back to the grid, bypassing the property. A NET meter feeds the property first and any excess solar energy is then sent onto the grid once the house has used what it needs!
In short - No. Changing from a GROSS meter to a NET meter will not cancel your 60c rebate. What will happen with a NET meter is... the solar energy you produce during the day will be used to feed your property first and any excess going back to the grid will be paid at the 60c, until the scheme ends at the end of 2016.
We recommend that you get your gross meter changed as soon as possible. There is already a shortage of net meters available. To avoid losing your free power for an unknown period of time, book now!
If no changes are made to your solar system will continue to send all your free energy back to the grid and you will be paid five cents per kilowatt hour. You will then be paying your energy provider 26 - 47 cents per kilowatt hour for the power you use through the day.
It depends on your energy provider. Electricity companies are not obliged to pay for the solar energy created and sent back to the grid and if they do it will most commonly be at a reduced rate of 5 cents (approx) per kilowatt hour – making it a big difference in value.
Single Phase Meter, including installation* = from $500
Three Phase Meter, including installation* = from $700
* Installation includes: removal of gross meter, all required wiring accessories to meet Australian Standards and installation of new net meter. All associated paperwork.
* The cost to upgrade a meter box is an additional cost and needs to be quoted separately.
It is a requirement in Australia that we keep everyone safe – our employees and your family. When electrical work is performed at a property the switch board (meter box) either needs to be to an Australian Standard or brought to the Australian Standard before work commences. Because requirements can differ from property to property we are unable to quote over the phone without seeing the switch board (meter box) first.
No. A correctly designed system will utilise a high percentage of generated power in-house.
It costs considerably less to generate your own solar power than to purchase it from the grid.
Call us today to speak with one of our friendly consultants about the any benefits of solar power for your business.
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