I’ve been busy making videos that answer some common solar questions. Here I talk about Feed In Tariffs and what to do if your nasty energy retailer wants to punish you for going solar…
Transcription below for those who prefer to read: [Read more…]
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Where should your solar inverter go and should you worry about voltage drops?
I got a great email the other day:
“One solar installer has told me that it is best for the inverter to be as close as possible to the panels and NOT to the meter box as your checklist indicates. Is he crazy?”
Short answer. Yes – he’s crazy.
Longer answer:
As close as possible to the panels? Whatcha gonna do put it on the roof?
I get a lot of stick for this advice in one of my solar installation videos:
Sometimes I get heat for recommending that you put your solar inverter as close to your fusebox as possible.
Solar brings down electricity prices says report
Without solar – wholesale electricity would be more expensive.
Last week we here at SolarQuotes HQ we were thrilled to bring you news of a major CSIRO report which found that solar energy intermittency — defined as when cloud cover causes a reduction in the efficiency of energy drawn from the sun — can be successfully managed.
To the great consternation of solar critics and the delight of solar fans, the major study found that, not only could proper management techniques limit the problem of solar intermittency, but it could also contribute to solar energy taking its rightful role as a major energy source in Australia.
This week we’d like to follow up that with another cracker study: this time from the REC Agents Association (RAA). According to this report, the increased takeup of solar by Australian consumers has contributed to a reduction in power consumption and a lowering of wholesale electricity prices across the National Electricity Market. [Read more…]
How to work out if your solar system is performing properly.
Stop guessing, start measuring!
I got an email from Dec in Melbourne this week who is very worried that his solar installers have sold him a lemon:
Hi Finn, Since my last email, my 4.0kw solar has been independently checked and I have been told it was found to be installed correctly. At this time it is producing only 1800w on a clear sunny day. It seems that no one has an answer as to why the production is low as the system is only producing an average of 7.2kwh/day. Do you have any idea as to what I can do to try and resolve this as I am really struggling with getting this sorted out.
So has Dec been sold a heap of junk? Is his solar power system producing enough power for its size, location and the time of year (June) ? [Read more…]
Solar Panel Orientation: Is West the new North?
The following is a very common question that comes in to SQ HQ.
“My roofline is North/South, so my largest roof areas face either East or West. I have been told that North Facing is ideal, but I have a tiny North facing roof! Can I put some solar panels on the East or West Facing roof (or both) ?”
Short Answer: Stick some (perhaps all) on the West!
Longer Answer: In terms of the amount of power produced, facing your panels East will produce exactly the same amount of power as facing them West. In either case you’ll generally take a 10-15% power hit compared to having them facing the ideal direction (North).
Is North always the best direction for solar panels?
So why do I say “probably West” as the short answer to the question?
Well, the reason I err on the West facing roof is because that part of your roof will get the sun later in the day. An East Facing solar array will generally produce its peak power at 10-11am. A West Facing array will produce its peak at closer to 2pm.
Most people use more energy later in the day. And most people want to use as much of their solar energy as possible, without exporting it. Why? Because at the time of writing most Feed In Tariffs give you less per kWh if you export the electricity than you pay for imported electricity. So most people will pay off their solar system quicker if they minimise exports.
Hybrid Solar Systems Part 3: Costs and Payback
What’s the payback?
Note: This post was written in 2012 and is way out of date. For the latest payback figures please read this page which is kept up to date >>> Are Solar Batteries Worth It
In my previous 2 posts I looked at the concept and design of Hybrid Solar systems.
The main conclusion of those 2 articles was that
a) Hybrid solar rocks!
b) But you gotta pay for it!
So the question this post will try to answer is:
How Much Extra Does Hybrid Solar Cost?
and bearing in mind the extra costs:
What is the payback of Hybrid Solar Compared To Regular Grid Connect Solar?
So let’s look at the cost of a quality 5kW system and then see what it costs to upgrade it to “Hybrid”. [Read more…]
Hybrid Solar Part 2: How To Future Proof Your Solar System
Hybrid Solar Too?
Please note: this post was written in 2012 and is way out of date.
>>> Please visit this page on solar batteries, which is constantly updated. <<<
In my previous blog post on hybrid solar systems (aka grid connect with battery backup) I promised to follow up with a post that went into more detail on the costs and give examples of inverter hardware that can be used to make such a beast.
I’ve realised that if I go into the costs and paybacks then this blog post may be longer than War and Peace. So in this post I’ll cover the hardware and I’ll save the financials for next time.
As I said in the previous post, your motivation for spending more on a hybrid solar system will likely be either: [Read more…]
The inflated STC Price Scam : The Solar Cowboy’s Favourite Trick?
Don’t fall for it!
I’m angry.
I get a lot of emails asking for me to look over quotes. I try to answer every one. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks to reply, but generally I manage to reply.
Tonight I got 3 emails in a row with quotes from 3 separate companies which all appeared to be trying the same trick. They appear to be deceiving the customer into thinking they are getting a great deal and then hitting them with a bill for thousands more than the quoted price when the system is installed.
I love the solar industry, and to see these guys operating like this makes me so freaking angry I want to scream! [Read more…]
Dubbo: Solar Power Capital of Australia!
Well done Dubbo solar power installers!
Sunny in Dubbo
If you read the mainstream press in Australia, you’d think the towns and suburbs with the biggest average take up of solar panels would be the well-to-do inner city suburbs of our major cities. Perhaps Vaucluse, Toorak or the leafy eastern suburbs of Adelaide?
Obviously they’d be more likely where wealth is concentrated right?
Wrong (as you may have guessed by the headline!). In a sign that solar energy is becoming more accessible to mainstream Aussie folk, a recent survey by the Clean Energy Council (CEC) found the central-west NSW city of Dubbo to have the highest average percentage of houses with solar panels.
Grid Connected Solar Panels with Battery Backup (aka Hybrid Solar)
Batteries + Solar?
Note: This post was written in 2012 and is way out of date.
>>> Please read this post on solar batteries for the latest information. <<<
A few weeks ago I blogged about my mate who really hates his electricity company. In fact he hates them so much he wanted his new house to have an expensive off grid solar system with battery backup, diesel genset, the works.
I blogged how the cost of going off grid with solar would be over $50,000 compared to about $12,000 for a standard, grid connect 5kW system and that it would be economically barmy to go completely off grid if your home already has a connection to the grid which you can use.
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