Solar Energy Gold Coast | The Basics
The sun is an incredible source of energy. Solar energy is created by the light and heat of the sun. Installing solar panels allows you to harness that energy and convert it into electricity. Through this process, solar energy can power households and heat elements (water and air). On the Gold Coast solar power is even more advantageous due to the extended solar energy Gold Coast generates.
In 2017, there were more than two million Australian households with solar systems installed. Solar technology has advanced significantly over recent years, with the introduction of the Tesla Powerwall. The Tesla Powerwall allows owners to use the energy stored rather than relying on the grid. This will reduce the overall cost of future electricity bills.
Solar Energy Gold Coast | Panels Basics
Solar panels produce electricity directly from the sun’s energy. The panels connect to an isolating switch, then to an inverter which converts the DC power produced by the panels into AC power that can be used at home. The power is then channeled into the electricity grid. The grid feeds electricity to the house during times when electricity consumption is greater than solar power production (e.g. during the night).
Electricity produced by solar panels power appliances that require energy during the day. These appliances include your air conditioner, refrigerator, microwave, television, etc. This is the standard process of distribution for most Australian states.
What Solar Systems are available?
Trying to wrap your head around the different types of solar energy Gold Coast systems have available can be tricky at first. It is however a good idea to gain a basic understanding so you can have a better idea on what system will match your energy needs best. Here’s a quick guide to the most commonly recommend solar systems in the market today:
Grid-connect Solar
Grid connect solar is the most common solar system within Australia. You’ll find a lot of homes use this design because it is one of the most cost effective solar solutions available. This setup simply means your system is connected to the mains electricity. Therefore, when you are generating more energy than you are using, the excess gets sent to the grid. And in opposite, when you are using more energy than you generate, excess energy required is drawn from the grid for you to use. All excess energy generated is credited a feed-in tariff by your electricity retailer (think Energex or AGL).
Hybrid solar
Within Australia, ‘hybrid’ is used to describe a solar energy system that connects to the grid AND has a solar storage solution attached. How this system operates is simple; excess energy you generate during the is stored in your battery. This allows you to use your battery to power your home at night instead of relying on the grid. If your battery is full and you continue to produce excess energy, it will be sent to the grid and you will be credited a FiT. However, should you require more energy than you have stored in your battery, you will draw the excess energy required from the grid just like a grid-connect system. If you aren’t a big energy user, this option could see you earn money from your solar system.
Battery-ready solar
Although not the most common, this is the choice we recommend for customers in Australia. There’s a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, we know that the Government will no doubt continue to introduce rebates for solar, and more importantly batteries, in the coming years as the push for the 2030 target continues. Therefore we suggest customers hold off on purchasing batteries until these are introduced. Secondly, battery technology, whilst pushing boundaries in the solar world, are still not as cost-effective for homeowners as they will be. We believe in providing home owners with the best possible solar system to ensure the highest return on investment. If we genuinely believe your home would benefit more without a battery, that’s what we suggest. So what we do recommend is having a high quality solar system installed on your property, so when better loans AND more affordable battery solutions rollout, we can provide you with it straight away.
