What solar system size do I need?
This entirely depends upon your electricity usage, roof size and geographical location. But, in general, for an average household, a 4-5 kW system is sufficient to cover most of the energy consumption. However, it also depends on your meter size, whether it’s a single-phase or three-phase.
What are the warranties?
Most solar panels come with a warranty of 10 years with a performance guarantee of 25 years. Likewise, most solar inverters and batteries come with a warranty of 5-10 years. You also have a minimum workmanship warranty that is provided by your solar installer.
What are STCs?
STCs are small scale certificates that are tradable. You can sell them for around $40 each in an open STCs market. So, for residential solar systems, almost every solar installer will give you a rebate reduction on the purchase cost. To be precise, they will calculate the STC discount and will reflect that discount on your purchase quote.
What happens if there is a power outage?
Your solar system will shut down if there is a power outage. This is a safety precaution because a grid-connected solar power system sends solar power to the grid, and it becomes dangerous for linesmen working on any repairs or maintenance. Hence, it turns off and will automatically turn on when the power comes back during daylight hours.
What happens on cloudy days?
On a cloudy or rainy day, your solar system works. However, they may produce considerably less amount of electricity as low as 10% or 20%. So, in a grid-connected system, your grid connection compensates for it.
What is a grid-connected solar power system?
A grid-connected solar system is connected to the utility grid. It supplies electricity directly through the solar inverters to both your household and to the electricity grid.
Do I need a solar battery?
It depends upon your electricity usage pattern. If you consume more electricity in the evenings and nights, you definitely want a solar battery installed in your solar energy system. However, it may also require you to increase your existing solar power size. In such cases, your solar power installer may assess and provide the right solution.
What is a feed-in tariff?
In a grid-connected solar power system, your solar inverters send the excess energy (the available energy that is not needed for your household) to the main electric grid. So, you get paid for this extra electricity that your inverters send to the mains grid. This is called a feed-in tariff.
What is a solar meter?
When you install a solar panel system, your solar installer will upgrade your old meter to a bi-directional or a polyphase meter to accurately measure the amount of energy used by your household and the amount sent to the grid.
How much does a solar system cost?
The prices of solar energy systems vary according to their size and location. In NSW, a standard solar power system may cost anywhere between $3000 and $7,700, depending upon the size.
Will solar panels work at night?
No, solar panel systems do not work at night. They work only during the sunlight hours, so you may consider buying a solar battery to utilise solar power at night.
Does roof and roof orientation matter?
Although solar panels offer easy installation in almost any roof type and roof orientation, north-facing panels will produce the maximum output.
For more queries and information, contact our friendly team at Bila Energy. We provide superior solar installation services around Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Taree and Nambucca Heads areas of NSW.
