Dirt is one of 5 losses
Is your new solar system producing the power output it should?
A very common question I get from people who have just got a new solar system is: “Now the solar panels are on my roof, how do I know what the solar system output should be?”.
The solar system owners are usually a bit concerned because they have bought, for example, a 5kW system but their inverter is telling them that they only got 4kW of peak power yesterday! Where’s the missing 1kW?
We mocked up Silex solar's concentrating solar technology in the SolarQuotes garden using our unwanted Shannon Noll Cds.
Good news stories about the Australian solar industry have been as rare as hen’s teeth lately. With the taking of the cudgels by state governments to the highly successful feed-in tariffs (can someone please explain that again — just one more time!), to the slow sinking of the fed’s Solar Flagships program, to the march out the door of Australian solar manufacturers, its been a grim time for solar fans.
Don't confuse kW and kWh. It matters!
One of the most common sources of confusion I come across when talking to non-electrical people about solar power is the difference between a kW and kWh.
Please excuse this post if you think I am explaining the bleeding obvious! But I think it is really important to write a post that describes these key units of electricity in a way that requires zero prior knowledge of anything electricity related.
So here is my humble attempt to answer the question:
What is the difference between a kW and kWh?
Twin creeks technologies are claiming a cost reduction breakthrough for solar PV
Last week’s column brought you the latest, world-record-breaking achievements of the University of NSW. This week, just to balance the books a little, we thought we’d bring you news of the latest incredible overseas advance in PV cells from overseas — just to prove that solar research is pushing back the boundaries the world over.
The name of the firm is Twin Creeks, which may or may not be a nod to the superb David Lynch-produced TV series of the early nineties (or am I showing my age here?), and the breakthrough is that photovoltaic cells are created using a hydrogen ion particle accelerator. [Read more...]
Chinese Vs German Inverters: Which ones are best?
Yesterday I received my latest issue of the solar industry bible, Photon International via airmail all the way from Germany. Whilst many people may get excited by the latest issue of Top Gear Australia magazine or Better Homes & Gardens, I’m one of those odd people that gets my kicks looking through the latest solar panel and inverter specs.
The Samil Inverter got a great review in the German Photon Magazine in August 2011
Samil Inverters are very popular in Australia. They are great value, and have great specifications on paper. However I get a lot of emails asking me if this Chinese made solar inverter is any good.
It is a fair question. The inverters are a lot cheaper than their German made competition (like SMA), and are a relatively new player in the market. Plus there are a lot of solar salespeople out there that are peddling the (somewhat xenophobic) line that all Chinese made solar components are crap.
So what’s the truth? Are Samil Inverters any good? [Read more...]
Suntech and The UNSW team up and kick solar ass!
Aussies love awards and stellar achievements. Particularly when we’re on the receiving end. Best and fairest, most valuable player, player of the series, best supporting actor, Treasurer of the Year (hang on!) and so the list goes on. Our collective chests burst with pride when we hear of the achievements and world records of our sports and silver screen idols and this gives us a sense of playing on the world stage with the big boys/girls. [Read more...]
Solar Power is a very new and very fast growing industry. That makes it an exciting thing to be part of, and attracts a lot of interesting, enthusiastic and hard working people, most of whom believe passionately in what they are selling.
Unfortunately it also attracts people and companies that appear to have no other motive than to make as much cash as possible in as short a period of time as possible. Now there is nothing at all wrong with trying to maximise the profitability of your business. That’s just good business. But if you are maximising your short term profits by throwing your ethics out of the window, then that is wrong, dumb and short sighted. In the 21st century your actions will catch up with you.
That is one of the main reasons I started collecting Solar Installer Reviews.
Over the past 4 years, I’ve found that the common theme amongst the bad ‘uns in the Solar Power game seems to be their old school, hard sell, sales tactics. If you’ve ever been cold called by a solar power company knocking on your door, you’ll probably recognise some of these tactics. I personally believe these tactics are wrong, counter productive, insulting to the customer and have no place in this industry. See if you agree:
Rainbow Power Company - one of Australia's oldest solar companies
In this, the first in what we hope will be a number of interviews with solar opinion leaders, business people and experts in the solar industry we chat with Paul O’Reilly, director of the Nimbin-based Rainbow Power Company. Sit back and enjoy as Paul talks feed-in tariffs, the almost constant boom and bust cycles in the Australian solar industry and his optimism for the future.
The solar industry must have changed a lot since Rainbow Power Company first set up? Do you think this has been for better or worse?
Don't mount your inverter where the sun can cook it!
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time you are probably already aware of how high ambient temperatures negatively affect solar panel performance.
But did you know that when it gets hot outside, those scorching Aussie temperatures can also cause the efficiency of your solar inverter to drop? [Read more...]
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