Calculate Solar System Output
Once you know how much area you have for solar panels, and what angles and direction you will be working with, use a PV watts calculator to figure out how much power your system will put out on a monthly basis:
Feed In Tariff For Excess Energy
The amount of energy generated by your solar panel system is dictated by the sun, not your energy consumption, so there will be times when surplus energy is created and can be sold back to the grid for a rate called a feed in tariff. These feed in tariffs vary by state and which electricity retailer you are with. Typically you can usually find a feed in tariff between 3-12c per kWh. Your ability to access a feed in tariff is usually limited to a maximum solar system size for a full explanation of what is possible state by state read this guide.
On an electricity bill you will notice that the quantity of energy you are buying will reduce after solar is installed, and you will see an additional line item for the Feed-in credit.
The Electrical Energy Is Converted
You now have solar panels working efficiently to transform sunlight into electricity, but the electricity generated is called direct current electricity, which is not the type of electricity that powers most homes, which is alternating current electricity. Fortunately, DC electricity can easily be changed into AC electricity by a gadget called an inverter. In modern solar systems, these inverters can be configured as one inverter for the entire system or as individual microinverters attached behind the panels.
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What Are Amp Hours
This is a term youll hear a lot when dealing with batteries.
Amp hours is theamount of useful energy stored in a battery.
One Amp-Hour of energy yields one ampere of steady current at a given voltage, for one hour.
The standard way to determine a batterys Ah rating is to measure its total amperage delivered over 20 Hours.
For example, a 100 Ah battery will deliver 20 hours of power at an average of 5 amps per hour.
Wattage is also an important measure of any generator application.
Higher-wattage devices will deplete your battery faster. So, if you plan on using an inverter to power a high wattage appliance like an air conditioner, heater or freezer, then you need to use batteries with high Ah ratings otherwise, your batteries will run out in an hour or two.
Choosing The Best Solar Panels Points To Consider
When shopping around to get the best value from your solar panel rebate, one of the points that will set different installers apart is the type and brand of PV module they recommend to use in the installation.
So how do you assess what the best solar panels are for you? Here are some of the factors you should weigh up in making your choice:
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Do Solar Panels Work When The Power Goes Out
Most people think that solar panels will keep their lights going when the power goes out. Unfortunately, unless you add battery storage , they wont.
Solar power systems automatically go offline in the event of a grid power outage as a safety measure for utility workers who are repairing power lines.
The only way solar panels will power your home during a blackout is if they are paired with battery storage.
Testing The Solar Cell
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Our Top Solar Panels For 2021
For those who wish to take advantage of solar power, the first step is assembling a solar system for home use. This system will generally include a battery, an inverter and of course an array of solar panels. Based on factors such as efficiency, durability, warranty, price point and temperature coefficient, these are the 10 best solar panels for home use:
As you can see, each of these solar panels excels in a certain area, and each one comes with its own pros and cons. Again, as you seek the best residential solar panels, it’s crucial to consider the specific needs of your home and your solar power system.
Find The Best Phoenix Solar Panels Today
If you are looking for great solar panels in Phoenix, it is important that you find a company that you can trust. Not only will they offer better products, but they will also know how to install these solar panels professionally.
If you are looking for residential solar panels, Sunny Energy can help! We are Arizonas leader in solar panels and we can help you save money. Contact our team today to learn more about our solar panels, schedule a free consultation, or calculate your savings when you get solar panels!
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Getting Started With Solar System Sizing
Before you begin to size a solar system, youll want to figure out the main constraints on the project and use those restrictions as the starting point for the design. You can approach the project from one of three angles:
- Budget constraints: Build a system within your target budget.
- Space constraints: Build a system that is as space-efficient as possible.
- Energy offset: Build a system that offsets a certain percentage of your energy usage.
Take into consideration other sizing factors and common stumbling blocks that may impact how to size a solar system:
Solar Panel Shopping Checklist
In summary, these are the major points you should bear in mind when buying solar panels aside from cost:
Questions? Contact our team of friendly experts for free, no-obligation advice on the best solar panels and full systems for your circumstances. You can also generate a quick solar quote or view our current system specials.
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How Much Do Solar Panels Cost
According to SolarQuotes, these are the current price ranges for good quality solar panel systems:
- 3kW: $3,500 $5,000
- 6.6kW: $5,000 $9,000
- 10kW: $8,000 $12,000
Those prices include the usual rebates and incentives. Expect to pay the higher end of the range if you’re going for top-quality components or if your home has unusual installation requirements.
CHOICE tip: Compare prices for whole systems, not just individual panels.
Investigate Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
Before starting the process of powering your home with solar energy, homeowners should investigate their energy use and consider potential efficiency upgrades. Homeowners should be well aware of their total electricity usage, and consider low-cost and easy-to-implement efficiency measures before choosing solar.
Explore the following resources to reduce your electricity use:
- Home energy audits: A home energy audit can help you understand where your home is losing energy and what steps to take to improve the efficiency of your home.
- Appliances and electronics: Use your appliances and electronics more efficiently, or consider investing in highly efficient products.
- Lighting: Switch to energy efficient lighting, such as LED light bulbs.
- Heating and cooling: If you use electricity to heat and cool your home, your heating and cooling needs will significantly affect the amount of solar energy you need. Weatherizing your home and heating and cooling efficiently will reduce the amount of electricity you need to produce with solar.
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How Much Does Home Solar Cost
The price of solar depends on where you live, what type of system and products you select and which solar company you sign up with. As part of our free compare the market service we collect live and up to date price information from 100s of solar installers around Australia and we publish average pricing by capital city on the Solar Price Index:
Note the average prices in the above table include:
- A full turnkey system all products, labour, equipment hire
- The government STC rebate
- GST
Am I Eligible For A Subsidy
It is very important to know if you will receive a subsidy for buying Solar Power Plant or not. A subsidy is provided for the installation of a Solar panel for your house only. This means that if you are getting it for a hospital, school, or petrol pump, then, you wont be getting the subsidy. In India, the subsidy is provided only on the grid-connected solar systems. But, Chattisgarh, is the only Indian state, where subsidy is provided on a battery-connected solar system. Chattisgarh is known for its coal mines. Creda, the renewable agency in Chattisgarh, has studied the disadvantages of the subsidy system and hence, developed a market mode of service. Market mode of service means the customer can freely choose his product. This promotes solar entrepreneurs in the market. If you are from Chattisgarh, you can contact the registered vendor.
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What Are The Different Types Of Solar Panels
When shopping for residential solar panels, it’s also helpful to know the basic types that are available. The three basic categories are monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin-film. Each type of solar panel comes with its own list of pros and cons.
Monocrystalline: Monocrystalline panels are made from a single, pure crystal of silicon. This allows them to have higher efficiency levels, but they also tend to be more expensive due to a more costly manufacturing process. Note: If you have less space on your roof and can only fit a small number of panels, monocrystalline solar panels may be the only viable option.
Polycrystalline: Polycrystalline solar panels are also made of silicon, but in this case, they are assembled from smaller fragments. This means they are often a little less efficient than monocrystalline panels, but they are also a more affordable option.
Thin-Film: Finally, thin-film solar panels can be made from a variety of ultra-thin materials. Thin-film panels are recommended when you need something that’s lightweight, flexible and portable they may work better for RVs and campsites than for homes. Thin-film panels can be relatively low in efficiency when compared to the other two options.
Connecting The Array Of Solar Panels
Once you have your stanchions and rails installed properly, have the solar panels mounted, its time to connect the solar panels together.
What we will be doing here is connecting the solar panels you installed in PARALLEL. This will help to keep voltage the same while at the same time, increase amperage. As mentioned earlier, it is VERY important your entire array of solar panels are exactly the same in size and WATT output.
Also, when you wire everything together use as little wire as possible because long wires lose energy due to resistance.
Lets say you have 4X 100 watt solar panels and you want to connect them all together in parallel, all positive cables are connected together and all negative cables are connected together. What you get in the end is just two cables which represent all inputs from our solar panels.
Side Note: To connect all solar panels together, since most use the MC4 connections, we recommend you get the appropriate MC4 Y adapters found here.
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Future Changes To The Electricity Market
The electricity grid in Australia wasn’t originally designed to cope with large numbers of homes exporting solar power into it. There are proposals for how to modernise the grid and manage it more effectively and fairly, and these include a possible surcharge or “solar tax” to owners of solar PV systems who want to sell their excess power to the grid. What’s this all about, and does it mean a storage battery becomes a better option?
What’s the problem with the electricity grid?
The electricity grid in Australia was originally built with the expectation that electricity went in one direction only, from power stations to homes and businesses. It wasn’t designed to also allow for solar-generated power to flow back the other way. While that’s been possible to a reasonable extent so far, the grid is starting to hit the limits of how much electricity it can handle from domestic rooftop solar.
The grid needs a lot of work to update it to become flexible enough to take full advantage of renewable energy sources including domestic solar feed-in, but also allow flexibility for all consumers. This work has to be paid for somehow. Currently, some consumers have little access to the benefits of solar power but must still pay for electricity, and to some extent they subsidise the benefits that solar owners obtain.
What’s the solution?
The proposal includes the option of a surcharge to solar PV system owners who export power to the grid .
When is all this going to happen?
Upcycled Solar Cells Panels Idea
If youre looking to save money, consider making a solar panel out of broken solar cell pieces. These can easily be reused and cost only a few dollars for a whole bag of them.
To complete this DIY project, youll also need a multimeter, hot glue gun, conductive copper mesh, and a conductive pen. Simply link the cells together and youre good to go.
You can also apply a silicone coating to this for added structural integrity.
To harness the power from this, youll need to attach it to a battery or power source.
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How Much Solar Power Will You Need
To determine your homes average energy requirements, look at past utility bills. You can calculate how many solar panels you need by multiplying your households hourly energy requirement by the peak sunlight hours for your area and dividing that by a panels wattage. Use a low-wattage and high-wattage example to establish a range . Note that the size of your roof and how much sunlight your roof gets are factors as well.
If you work with an experienced solar installer, they will handle all these calculations for you. If youre searching for a calculator to figure out how many solar panels do I need?, look no further. You can use SunPower Design Studio to estimate your own system size, monthly savings, and the actual appearance of a solar array on your own roof. This interactive tool provides a solar estimate in just a few seconds and can be done on your own or on a call with a SunPower 786-7693.
Do Solar Panels Require Maintenance
When weighing solar energy pros and cons before making an investment, one of the most common questions that homeowners have is whether their solar panels will require maintenance.
For the most part, all the hard work comes on the front end. Installing a home solar system requires in-depth knowledge of electronics as well as solar power, and in most cases, a solar installation will take a few days. We recommend outsourcing this to trained solar professionals.
Once your system is in place, however, the level of upkeep required is extremely minimal. You will likely have little or no issue with your solar panels for 20 to 30 years. And if you do run into an issue, your warranty will hopefully cover it.
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What Are The Best Solar Panels
Theres no one-size-fits-all answer to which solar panels are the best. That answer changes based on a variety of factors, like your budget, how much electricity youd like to generate, the space you have to install the system, and what aesthetic concerns you have.
With the sheer amount of options available, this process can be overwhelming. Trying to determine the best combination of panel size, output rating, and efficiency is the most economical for your space, all while ensuring the panels are high quality and backed by extensive warranties takes experience. At Paradise Energy, well maximize your budget and space with panels that suit your specific goals, be them budgetary, energy-related, aesthetically driven, or a combination of them all.
