A well-designed solar power system will generate enough electricity to meet your needs and export any excess energy into the grid. This will reduce your power bills, significantly reducing your greenhouse gas emissions.
Choosing a highly qualified and experienced designer, installer, and electrician is essential. Cheaper systems often do not meet expectations and can be costly in the long run. For quality solar panel Adelaide, check this out.
Photovoltaic Cells
Each atom in the semiconductor material that makes up your solar panels carries a tiny electric charge. When sunlight hits this layer, it can knock electrons loose from their atomic bonds, forming an electric current siphoned off via conductors on your solar panel’s positive and negative sides.
This creates a flow of direct current, which, when fed into an inverter, turns into alternating current – the kind of electricity we use to power our lights, television, and other household gadgets.
The most efficient solar panels are made from crystalline silicon. Still, researchers are exploring other materials that may make them cheaper and easier to manufacture. Aside from lowering energy costs, these panels can be used to generate electricity in remote areas and as part of stand-alone systems alongside batteries that are charged by sunlight during the day. They’re also great to help offset peak demand times when the grid is at its busiest.
The Grid
When your solar panel in Adelaide produces more electricity than you utilise, it can be sent back to the grid. This is called ‘exporting’; the utility company will compensate you for each kilowatt of power you send back. For quality solar panel Adelaide, check this out.
A specialised inverter called an optimiser converts the DC electricity reproduced by your panels into AC electricity so that you can use it. It is best to install the inverter as close as possible to your electricity meter so that it can do its job effectively.
The system operator has had to introduce new inverter standards that allow it to “orchestrate” rooftop solar, making it into an asset that can be controlled. It is also looking to add more storage to the grid experiment with big loads, such as hydrogen electrolysers that can act like large batteries, absorbing excess power at peak demand and switching it off if needed. This is part of a push to shift Australia’s energy mix towards renewables.
The Inverter
As the sun shines, a solar system’s inverter converts DC energy from the panels into AC power for your use. It also tracks and records unused or excess energy, which is sent back into the grid under the feed-in tariff.
Your electrical provider pays this supplementary income – rates vary between electricity retailers. This can drastically improve your payback period and savings compared to purchasing energy from the grid.
It’s essential to ensure your solar system Adelaide installation uses quality components and is installed by a reputable installer. While lower prices don’t necessarily indicate a more inferior quality product, any repairs not covered by warranty can reduce your savings and extend the payback period. Also, remember that households can install rooftop solar systems with a total capacity more significant than their inverter size – this is known as oversizing. For quality solar panel Adelaide, check this out.
Solar Panel Installation
With South Australia having one of the sunniest climates in the world, installing solar panels on your roof can help you power your home or business and reduce your carbon footprint. It can also add value to your property and generate income from the excess electricity you export back to the grid.
Your energy needs and the size of your solar power system will impact how long your solar panel investment takes to pay itself off. But in general, Go Sunny estimates that a 6.6kW system can produce enough free energy to offset your electricity costs within five years.
A trusted solar installer like Mannix will offer a range of solar solutions suited to your property, with finance options available. Their expert team comprises CEC-accredited designers, installers and electricians who complete all the sophisticated wiring and critical tasks and provide a comprehensive installation warranty. They also use quality brands such as QCells, LG and SolarEdge.