Solar PV and batteries | energy.gov.au

Almost half of the houses in Australia use rooftop solar PV. More than three million roof solar PV system installations across Australia will commence in 2021. Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity by emitting no greenhouse gases and generating power from solar panels. It is possible to send excess electricity to the grid via feed-in payments or store it in rechargeable batteries. Batteries provide backup power if power fails or blackout occurs. Solar and battery systems offer the potential for independent electricity generation. This is also an important step in transitioning to renewable energy.

Home Solar Power System - All You Need to Know | Solar Choice

If you want to install solar panel system on the house, we'd suggest reading this guide first. Solar Choice is a non profit organization based in the United States that has remained neutral about product brands or solar types.

Choosing the right panel

A solar panel captures the solar light and converts it into power then feeds it into the solar power system. These are commonly called solar-based photo volts. Panels are available at different power levels depending on their power output. Many brand names have been available and many innovations and efficiencies emerge. While solar panels look similar, the power quality and reliability differ greatly. An exposed roof provides ideal energy to use for solar energy. If it cannot be installed, install it at a sunny place. In Australia solar panel systems have 10-year warranties as well as 25 year warranties on performance.

Plan before buying

Solar panels provide the best energy efficiency. Markets and technological developments are accelerating. Offers rebates and feeding tariffs vary between states and territory and may change without notice. Several elements and choices are necessary. Solar power plants only provide electricity for electric devices, therefore if you are using electricity for heating hot water and cooking, then you can replace it for electrical purposes as well. Heat pumps are energy efficient and the simplest to operate. It is also advisable to use reverse-cycle heating & cooling equipment.

Small-scale technology certificates

Small-scale renewable energy systems are eligible for a small-scale technologies certificate (STC), which can be purchased for reimbursement if the systems are purchased or installed within the first year. See small-scale systems eligible for certification.

Feed-in tariff

Feeding in is your rate of consumption of energy supplied from your power store. Feed-out tariffs vary by retailer and by state and territory and are subject to change.

Payback time

Solar PV systems start at $3500 for basic installations in homes. Price levels are steadily falling with increased demand and increased production. A Solar PV System is intended as an investment to reduce the costs of electricity production during daylight hours. The typical return on a battery system consists of three to five years. Battery use extends your repayment time. To understand the potential benefits, use your electricity bills or energy bills to determine how much energy your household uses each year.

How does solar power work in Australia?

Most solar panels in Australian households are grid-connected and don't feature solar batteries mounted in a battery storage system. To get an overview of this diagram click here. Grid connections enable you to maintain a link to the grid to get electricity at a low cost (when its cloudy) reducing your electricity bills. Your Solar Inverter will be able to work seamlessly with Grid Power, utilizing solar power first. Grid-connected solar power can even sell power to a grid. It's generally impossible to completely shut off the electrical supply.

How much will I save on my electricity bill?

If you are estimating how much money you can save on energy costs, then the best system size should match you. As mentioned previously, it is possible to save more by offsetting the electricity you buy or by selling electricity at feed-in rates. In order to calculate your savings you need to know what the solar energy you'll consume the you need to work out how many solar panels you need. In this scenario, we created five scenarios that look at the savings of different system sizes with the standard assumptions about energy use.

Batteries

The rechargeable batteries can store the excess energy created by panels that boost the electricity production capability and make power available to users at night. Recent technology upgrades and prices for lithium batteries are making solar storage more affordable than ever before. Assess energy requirements before buying batteries. It's not worth spending more money versus using it. If your house is completely electric you could have a solar panel.

More homes are installing solar panels to reduce electricity costs while providing a greener alternative energy source. Tell me the process of installing solar PV systems on your roof. Here.

Understanding Australia's solar rebate

Introduced in 2011, small scale renewable energy schemes have been supported by Australian Renewable Energy. It provides smallscale technological certificates to households & businesses that are installing DC solar panels with less than 100 kilowatt-watt power. The STCs become operational once Clean Energy Council accredited Solar Installers install the system. The solar installer sells STCs either directly or by aggregating the product with brokers.

How are STCs calculated?

The STCs measure how much renewable electricity your system produces by 2020. The STC is computed by your postcode, the solar panel size of your system and the remaining time until 2030. During the period between January 1 and January 31, 2030, the length of the rebate is subject to change. The rebate is approximately 30-40 % of total system costs.

Inverters

Solar power converters are essential elements in solar power plants. It converts direct voltage (DC) from solar panels into electrical power, which is converted to AC in an alternating current system. Inverters are monitored by computer software or an app that monitors the production and usage of energy. Inverters have a variety of applications in residential systems.

String inverters are most common household models are typically ranging between 1MW and 5KW. It is one piece connected through a ‘string’ of solar modules. In large panels, more than two inverters are needed. A common shortcoming is a shading issue that reduces power consumption in any system. Consequently it can always function as a worst performing panel. Therefore, the use of solar panels for string inverter systems can also be done using this array. String manufacturers typically require a warranty of five to ten years and must cover parts and labour. Some manufacturers' offers provide additional warranty coverage in addition to warranty.

Micro inverters are smaller units mounted on racks or mounted on panel varying in voltage from 250 to 300W. These panels are ideal for applications where the regular intermittent shading of the panels cannot easily be prevented by trees or any building. Micro Inverters allow monitoring of performance for each panel in an inverter. Another advantage is that reduced output of any panel does not significantly affect output from all arrays. Since inverter or panel failure is not an individual problem, all components will generate electricity. Micro inverter systems have much higher costs than string inverter systems.

Hybrids combine an inverter and battery power into one unit. The hybrid inverter may be installed and used before the battery is installed, thus allowing expansion of expansion systems. Talk to your dealer and installer about the possibility of upgrading and expandability.

Typically, it is attainable to upgrade to an existing solar PV system by replacing batteries or micro inverters with batteries. Inverters capture excess electric energy for future use.

Get an instant solar quote

We use the most intelligent solar technology available and help you determine the best solar system for your roof. Are there any questions? Help & Assistance are available online or call 1800 991 4468 (from 8 a.m until 7 p.m).

Get solar for $0 upfront

Purchased from an Origin solar system for the next 24 months is not expensive, there are also government rebates for solar installations! It doesn't require deposit and it doesn't make more sense to start now.

Estimate your solar savings

Tell us how much money can be saved from electricity? Give us your contact information in an online assessment tool and get the best solar performance possible!

Discover Origin Loop

Join our Intelligent Solar Battery Network by using Origin Loops. Find out how virtual power stations work.

Maximise your solar savings

Solar power systems are just a start on renewable technology. The Tesla battery captures and stores energy that is generated during solar power outages in your home or office when the sun doesn't go out.

If you are considering a new solar installation, it is important to know what the effect it will have on your energy consumption. We ignore environmental advantages right now.

Offsetting your energy consumption

Solar energy can reduce your energy consumption by reducing the amount of energy required by your electrical retailer. Solar energy will be prioritized for the grid and supply the rest of solar energy. Typically the average house may offset 30-40% of the energy use using Solar panels depending on how much energy is consumed during daylight hours. This offset percentage could reach more than 100 percent if installed as an energy storage system.

It may happen at some point that your solar panel system produces enough electricity to feed back into your grid at the rate called a ‘feedback in tariff’. These feed-out tariffs differ according to the states and electricity retailers (aGL, Origin, etc.) you have. Usually the feed tariffs range from 3-12 C per kWh. For a complete list of possible states read this guide.

Some options for increasing self-consumption

Increased solar power consumption reduces your energy bill. To increase your return on investment, you should consider installing a timer on most home appliances.