When it comes to powering your home, there are many options. And with new technologies being developed, there are now more environmentally friendly ways to create electricity. This includes solar power.
So, how does solar power work and what benefits does it have? Let’s find out all about the benefits of installing solar panels.
How Effective Is Solar Power For Your Home?
You may have heard good things about solar power, you can save money and save the planet at the same time! But how do you know if it will be suitable for your home? There are definitely some factors that will make solar power more or less effective on a home. Here are some things to consider before you make the change.
Saving money and helping the planet are two things most people are happy to do. Installing a solar panel is a good way to cover both these bases, but how effective will they be for your home.
Climate
Living in Australia means that in just about any area of the country, the climate is right for solar panels. Australia clocks in one of the highest amount of sunlight hours in the world and as most Australians will know it’s most effective in summer and springtime when there’s an average of 7-8 hours each day. Plenty of light to power your home.
Roof Size and Shade
It’s ideal to have around 9 square metres of roof space per kW, with most systems sitting between 5-7 kW. Obstructions such as chimneys and skylights can make this difficult, however, most installers will be able to work around obstacles. Shade from trees and neighbours can decrease the benefits of installing solar panels. You might not be able to change the position of buildings but tree branches can be trimmed to get the full force of the sun on your roof.
Roof Angle and Aspect
Solar panels work best when they are orientated in the right direction. In Australia solar panels work best when they are facing north, northeast, northwest or west, however, adequate energy can still be harvested on other angles. A slope of 30 degrees is ideal, however anything from 0, (flat) to 45 degrees works, however, a solar installer can mount panels so that they sit at an optimal angle.
Roof Age
Your roof should be relatively new. It isn’t a great idea to put new solar panels on a roof that will need replacing in a couple of years, so if your roofing is towards the end of its life, it might be a good idea to redo it before installing solar panels.
Incentives and Rebates
There are a number of good reasons for switching to solar, one of the main ones being lower electricity bills. Setting up a new system, however, can be costly. Luckily most state governments around the country have incentives for homeowners switching to solar power.
In NSW you can earn Small-scale Technology Certificates, or STC’s, which can be traded for rebates. The number of certificates earned depends on the size of the system installed and the amount of energy generated.
Victorian houses benefit from the $1.24 billion dollars Victorian Solar Homes program, which allows for a 50% rebate and from next year an interest-free loan program for new systems.
Check on your state government website to see if you can benefit from a rebate program.
How does solar power work?
Solar power is one way that free, renewable energy can be created. It works by transforming radiation from the sun into electricity. By installing Solar Panels on your roof, you can generate Direct Current electricity which is fed into a solar inverter. The direct current electricity is then converted into alternating current electricity to be used in your home. By storing the energy captured during the day, solar panels can continue to power your home during the night.
Benefits of installing solar panels in your home
There are many benefits of installing solar panels in your home. Take a look at some of the great advantages of solar power.
Affordability
When solar power first came about, it was not an affordable option for many households. However, solar panels have gotten far cheaper over the years. In fact, you can expect to save at least 40% of the original prices of solar power systems. Right now, you can steal a 5kW system for about $12,000.
Value for money
As the prices of solar panels have gradually reduced, the average size of solar power systems has increased. The larger systems will almost always offer a much better value for money and generate much more power.
Fast payback
The savings you make from generating your own electricity will mean that you can make up the cost of installing your system in as little as six years. In order to maximise the speed of payback and returns, you can increase your rate of direct solar energy consumption, or by reducing other energy use.
Increases your home’s value
The more solar panels you have, the higher your home’s value will be. On average you can expect about $6,000 of value to be added per kW of solar power. So, if you installed a 5kW system into your home, your home’s value will go up by more than $29,000. Furthermore, solar panels can help you sell a home up to 20% faster than usual.
Reduces energy bills
Installing solar panels will lead to many future savings. Over multiple years, households can save thousands of dollars on their energy bills, leaving more money for other important things.
Reduces electricity transmission loss
Solar panels increase electricity efficiency in multiple ways. One way is as a result of the electricity actually being generated and used in the same place. Through reducing electricity transmission loss, energy efficiency is improved and so too are your savings.
Improve power grid security
Every house that has solar panels installed is self-sustaining. This works to improve power grid security meaning that if a natural or human-caused disaster occurs, your home will be far less likely to experience a blackout or other issues.
Contact HunterCON today!
HunterCON is a fully licensed electrical and air con specialist located in Sydney, servicing the greater metropolitan area, including the Eastern Suburbs, Lower North Shore and South West.
If you have any questions about solar power or would like to book a quote for repairs, installation or maintenance, contact HunterCON today. With over 9 years of experience, we pride ourselves on providing air-con and electrical services of the highest quality.
