What are the best conditions for solar panels?

Unsurprisingly, most people get the most benefit from their solar panels during summer. When the skies are clear of clouds and the sun is shining, most solar systems will work to their peak capacity. The best time of day is generally between 10am – 4am, however during summer the days are longer. As a result, you might get an hour or two more of peak solar production during the day.

Some panels have better low light performance and are to start producing earlier in the day and into the late afternoon. This adds up to increased yield across the life of the system, so it is important to install a panel that has great low light performance.

Temperature

There is a common misconception that the hotter it is, the more solar energy you’ll produce. While you certainly need that bright sunlight for best results, too much heat can actually hinder your system’s performance. Most solar panels in Australia work best at around 25 degrees Celsius, provided the skies are clear.

You can check your solar panels for the temperature coefficient, which is essentially the percentage of performance you will lose with every degree over 25. The rate is generally 0.20 – 0.50, so you won’t notice an alarming difference in production.

For example, if it’s 30 degrees outside, you could expect to lose between 1% – 2.5% of productivity.

Cloudy conditions

Cloud cover certainly affects your solar system’s performance. This is because it obstructs the sunlight from reaching your panels, and therefore limits the amount of solar energy you can produce. On days where the cloud cover is thick, you can expect to lose up to 25% efficiency, especially if the clouds aren’t moving.

Windy conditions work in your favour when there are clouds around though, as the wind blows and moves the clouds. This at least gives you occasional bursts of sunlight between the clouds, so you may only lose around 10% efficiency. Ultimately, it depends on how much unaffected sunlight reaches your panels.

On cloudy days panels that have excellent low light performance can add to the system yield compared to standard panels.

Rain

Surprisingly, rain won’t affect your solar panels’ performance directly. In fact, regular rain helps to wash away grime, dust and other debris that may build up on your panels and diminish performance. So, in that sense, you don’t need to worry about rain reducing your output.

The issue with rainy conditions, though, is that you don’t get rain without clouds. Usually, when it’s raining, there’s a significant cloud cover which does affect performance. When it comes to rain, the best circumstance is a sun shower, where plenty of sunlight still reaches your panels.

Wind

Fortunately, the wind doesn’t really affect the performance of your solar panels either. As long as there’s direct sunlight hitting those panels, your production will still be high. However, much like rain, windy conditions need to be considered more broadly.

The wind won’t directly decrease performance, however, wind can affect your solar panels in the long term. Wind often blows dust and other debris onto your solar panels, meaning you might need to clean them more frequently.

In windy climates, you also need to ensure you’ve had the panels installed by a qualified professional. Not all solar panels lay flat against your roof – mounting is sometimes required to achieve the optimal angle. As such, severe winds can damage mounting frames and solar panels, especially if they’re not well installed.

Find the solar system that’s right for your climate

If you need help choosing the right type of solar panels and inverter, we’d love to help you out. A free consultation with SolarBright is the easiest way to find out exactly what you need. Not only will we analyse your existing energy consumption to recommend the right size of the solar power system, but we’ll also suggest the best products for the local climate.

SolarBright is your local NSW solar installer, and we’ve got the local knowledge and best products to ensure you maximise the benefit of your panels. Book a free consultation today, and find out why so many satisfied customers love SolarBright.

Read Also:
Everything You Need To Know About MaxLight Skylights: Benefits, Options And How To Choose
Solar Panel Prices – Why Install A Solar Power System?

The post How Will Rain, Wind and Other Weather Conditions Affect My Solar Panels? appeared first on SolarBright.

The benefits of a solar and battery combination benefits are obvious.

From increased electricity bill savings to blackout prevention, why are not all customers in Sydney and regional NSW choosing a battery and solar bundle?

Why are some customers still commit to solar only and leave the battery purchase for another day?

More recently the feed-in tariff FIT), meaning the money solar system owners get paid to export solar to the grid has been reduced again.

From a high of 60cents for each kWh exported in 2009, we are now seeing offers as low as 6c per kWh from energy retailers.

In the case of charging for electricity in NSW during peak as high as 45 cents per kWh nowadays, and then buying the electricity from solar owners for 6c, no wonder that solar system owners feel a storage battery can be the solution to maximise solar savings and avoid the energy retailer making maximum profits on the back of solar system owners.

A battery with solar certainly will increase your independence from the big energy retailers, a desirable outcome for many consumers.

Today at SolarBright we are getting many calls for solar and battery bundles, as consumers realising the feed-in tariffs are lower.

Another driver for battery enquiries is a sudden local interest in electric cars.

EVs in the future will most likely require a home battery to be able to charge vehicles at night and to get the best outcome from a solar system, meaning using one’s solar system to charge the electric car, and literally avoid the fuel costs.

Battery storage costs, while they have not dropped as fast a solar system costs, have overall seen gradual reductions as more battery manufacturers have entered the market since 2019.

The increased competition has put a lid on solar battery price and in some instances when new battery models have been released, these models were offered at a slightly lower cost, or with new features compared to the earlier models.

What battery technology is best for my home?

Overall, there are two key product ranges and technologies on offer for the home battery market. One is the Tesla home battery style technology – also known as AC technology.

AC stands for Alternate Current – and is the electricity which we all use in our home.

The AC battery is connected to the meter on the grid side, meaning one could put an AC battery on a house and not even have solar.

The batteries benefit would be to be charged when electricity fees are low, such as in an off-peak period, and release the power when prices are high. This type of AC battery, just like Tesla will also provide backup power in case of a blackout.

DC Battery

The 2nd technology is the DC battery.
DC stands for Direct Current. It is the type of electricity which is is produced via solar panels.

DC batteries required a hybrid inverter to charge the battery. The battery is managed via a BMS (Battery Management System). So, for a DC battery system, one needs solar panels, a hybrid inverter and a battery.

Most hybrid DC battery systems also supply backup power, when the grid is down. Some of the bigger DC battery manufacturers are LG Energy Solution (formerly LG Chem), BYD, and Sungrow to name a few. Our SolarBright energy specialist can give you free advice as to which battery would suit your needs best.

How solar reduced in costs and is battery following this path?

I remember in 2007 a solar panel system of 1.5kw cost over $12,000 and the Federal Government supplied an $8,000 rebate to many, letting customers pay $4000 for a 1.5kW system. At this price per kW, a 10 KW system should now cost $80,000.

Luckily since then, solar system costs have dropped rapidly and for the same initial $12,000 cost, one could have a 10-12kW size solar system or even larger.

We have seen costs reduce by around 70% over 14 years, an annual reduction of around 5%.

The reason that costs were reduced so dramatically is that manufacturing volumes for solar cells, solar panels, and inverters increased dramatically, leading to cost savings, which have been passed on.

Panel wattage also increased from around 165W before 2008, to close to 400W for a residential panel in 2021.

While the panels have also increased in size to get to this wattage, they did not double in size, so increases in solar technology, especially efficiency gains also contributed to the price reductions.

It is now becoming more apparent that home storage batteries have started to see similar production-related reductions.

These efficiencies have not been fully passed on so far by all battery manufacturers.

One counter force to the increased price reductions for batteries is the growing demand for home and electric vehicle batteries worldwide, causing raw material price pressures.

Right now, as even more battery manufacturers like Tesla, LG Energy Solutions, AlphaESS, Sonnen, BYD, and Sungrow enter the Australian market, this increased competition is finally leading to battery price drops.

SolarBright passing this development on to the end customers and we have many offers and solutions available, so it is worthwhile exploring the solar and battery combo market right now.

Good reasons for buying a home storage battery now.

1) A combined installation can save costs

There is no doubt that buying and installing a PV system today and a battery in let’s say 2 years, makes little financial sense.

By getting the solar and battery together now one can save at least $500 to $800 in administration and installation costs, compared to have these two products installed a few years apart.

By having the installation crew coming only once travel and labour efficiencies can be achieved.

Also, SolarBright, having a higher overall turnover will reduce margins and create customer savings.

Many owners of renewable energy-only systems finding out the hard way, when they are finally ready for a battery, that the inverter they purchased for their system is not compatible with many of the battery solutions on the market.

To work well with a DC battery, the inverter requires to be a hybrid inverter, not just a standard inverter.

So, if batteries reduce let’s say in practice by 15% in 2 years, but one needs to pay more for labour, travel, administration and also requires a new inverter, the solar battery storage cost reductions have been offset by all the other increased costs, and waiting has not created any significant savings.

2) The feed-in tariff reductions drive battery interest

Your PV system produces electricity any time of the day, from sunset to sunset. As the consumption in your property varies, depending on your activities and if you are home, the electricity after it has been produced, if it is not consumed in your home, then it still has to go somewhere.

In cases of unused renewable electricity from your home PV system, this electricity is put back into the grid, also known as export electricity.

You will get paid for this electricity, but in past years, as the unit produces most electricity between 11 am and 2 pm, the more solar is on Australian roofs, the more electricity is suddenly available in the middle of the day when there are not so many takers.

This is one of the reasons that the money offered as a feed-in tariff has reduced substantially from 60 cents a decade ago to 15c a few years ago per kWh to 11c and now as low as 6c.

This means the difference between the price you have to pay for electricity at night from the grid (can be as high as 42cents) and the money you get paid in the middle of the day can now be a staggering 36cents per kWh.

That is an excellent profit margin of 600% for the energy retailers.

Think of solar power as a water hose that produces continual water during the day and stops at night. During the day you get 6c per litre for your water, but at night, for the same water, you now pay 42 cents per litre.

Imagine the home battery is your bucket, to keep the water – not sell it at 6cents but store it and consume it when its value has increased to 42 cents – at night.

If you get a 13.6kWh Tesla battery and each day you get let’s say gain a benefit of 11kWh of night consumption at the 36cent per kWh benefit this means each day you could save 11 x 36cents = $3,96. In this scenario, this is over $1,400 per year in savings from the battery alone.

3) The upcoming “solar tax” threat and how batteries can help

Many homeowners and small businesses were originally encouraged by the Australian Government to source energy from the sun through solar power.

But they will now be potentially hit with a recent charge for producing clean energy and exporting it. A home battery can help avoid this charge.

The Australian government has recently proposed a plan to charge rooftop solar users for outsourcing excess electricity to the grid, and consumers have been calling it a “sun-tax”.

The Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) who sets the rules around the energy market, has proposed that electricity networks will be allowed to charge solar panel owners for sending excess energy back to the network, to address growing network problems.

The proposed rule is also based on the argument that charging households solar would ensure network companies had the funds needed to invest in the power network to accommodate a two-way energy flow while not penalising non-solar residences and encouraging the development of more rooftop solar on the grid.

So, in the middle of the “largest threat to mankind “as Climate Change has been described by some politicians and high-profile personalities such as Prince Charles the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) is now proposing to “tax “renewable energy system homeowners.

“Owners of PV systems are currently able to earn additional income for exported solar energy via the feed-in tariff, a fee paid by energy retailers for renewable electricity exported to the grid and sold to other households and businesses” explained Paul Yako, the director of SolarBright, in Prestons, NSW.

“These homeowners and businesses, who try to make their contribution for a more sustainable planet by creating more renewable energy, have run head-on into the complex policies of the Federal Government’s Energy direction”, he added.

The fear is that in the future such solar owners might see themself taxed for any solar exports as foreshadowed by the AEMC. So, we tell customers that a home battery will limit these exports, and therefore the threat of this potential “sun tax” is reduced, he concluded.

Markus Lambert, a solar industry veteran of 15 years said: “It makes absolutely no sense to stop the creation of solar energy in the middle of the day. “With the uptake of EV charging by electric cars in the not-too-distant future, we will need more localised energy generation, if we do not want to see a massive need to invest in grid infrastructure.”

“I believe the whole solar tax debate is a big Government plan to reduce the record solar system demand, invented by persons with an anti-solar political agenda” Lambert added.

“I want to see the politician who will tell the close to 9 million Australians that live in a home with solar on the roof, that they will now be taxed for trying to save money and save the planet.

The proposal simply defies any common sense. It will only add to the uptake of home solar batteries, as customers would not like to see themselves taxed for doing the right thing.”

When a rising number of solar PV owners leave the grid and go full battery and solar, a ‘death spiral’ occurs, leading to higher network charges for the remaining customers.

The price increase then has more consumers leave the electricity network, also going solar and battery, causing the spiral to keep going.

What about the payback period for a solar and battery bundle?

Now is the best time to purchase a solar battery if you are having solar panels installed. Our mid-sized battery and solar package (includes installation) can pay for itself in around 5-6 years. While this is a little longer than solar-only systems, the benefits clearly outway, the slightly longer wait to get the initial investment back.

Solar panels became more and more popular around 2010/11 when the payback reached 7 years, so 5–6-year payback is a key milestone to ensure home batteries are the future. At SolarBright we say: ”Make more of your solar investment by using a battery”.

It is more economical to keep as much solar power as you can in your home than to export it at a low price. What if you don’t have a financial motive for going solar and battery? Perhaps you are interested in doing your part for the environment or becoming more energy independent.

If you want to be more energy independent, you will need to maximize your energy storage to reduce the amount of energy you have to purchase back from the grid. You can only use so much electricity when the sun is shining, but you can’t live without electricity at night.

This is where a battery comes into play. You can use solar power all day and night with a battery. Your excess solar power can be stored in batteries and used at any hour of the day or night. You can even use solar power during blackouts.

Blackout protection is a feature that many solar batteries and inverter combos have. This means that in the event of a power cut, you would be able to use your solar electricity to power your home or part thereof, potentially for weeks, as the solar will charge the battery during the night.

Your house could be the only one in the street with lights and the fridge running. You can also stay connected to the radio and the internet in an emergency, such as the bushfires last summer. This is not possible with solar panels by themselves.

SolarBright’s solar and home battery packages are designed for households that want to add solar panels and a battery at the same time. It combines world-leading, Tier 1 solar panels with a SolarBright locally designed, cost-effective battery solution.

The bottom line is that batteries can offer a variety of benefits that can save you money and help to create a more sustainable environment. Although battery storage can seem costly upfront, an energy consultant can help you find the right system for your needs and budget, including finance options.

If you would like any further information on battery storage for your home, please call SolarBright today.

Read Also:
Is Solar For Business A No Brainer?
Skylight Warranty – It Is All In The Tube!

The post Are solar home batteries the future? appeared first on SolarBright.

With unprecedented numbers of Australians working from home, cooking more meals, and not going on holidays, household energy usage across the country has more than doubled. In fact, since stay-at-home restrictions began in March, energy bills have shot up by 105% on average.

According to Domain, “in March 2019, the average household used 513kWh of power across the month, or 16.5kWh per day, which shot up to 1052kWh in March this year as lockdown measures were implemented around the country. It rose again in April with an average use of 1094kWh over the month, or 36.4kWh a day. As a result, the quarterly average bill of $406.75 is expected to rise to over $800, with those who routinely have much higher bills facing at least a doubling too.”

Now, as families receive their power bills from the past several months in lockdown, many are facing bill shock as they learn that they owe double the usual amount to their energy providers. And unfortunately, these exorbitant energy costs may stick around for some time, since some coronavirus restrictions will be here to stay for an unknown period of time. These increases are particularly troubling for individuals and families who are already facing tough economic times as a result of COVID-19.

The painful truth is that there isn’t much you can do to lower a pricey energy bill that you’ve already racked up. But the good news is that you can make changes at home to reduce your future energy costs. In particular, switching to solar power is a smart and affordable way to lower your electricity bills and reduce energy usage.

Many Australians are recognising the advantages that come with solar power, including cost savings and environmental benefits. As a result, more households are investing in solar panels, skylights and solar hot water systems. In fact, more than 2 million households across the country use solar panels at home, a number that is increasing each day — and it’s easy to understand why.

Once installed, solar pays for itself. For instance, if you were to add a 6.6kW solar system to your home and used 65% of the power it generate and exported the rest back to the grid, you would recover the initial costs in about 2 and half years. With electricity costs at record highs in Australia, a solar system is a savvy investment that will pay off soon after installation and put money in your pocket for many years

It’s clear that now is the right time to protect your family with an investment in solar power. SolarBright is an Australian-owned family business and CEC Approved Solar Retailer that offers affordable and efficient solar solutions to help homeowners and businesses save money on their energy bills. We will work with you to create a solar power system that is right for your home and suits your budget.

We are one of the largest solar panel and solar battery -installers in Sydney, with operations extending through regional New South Wales as well. To learn more about SolarBright products or arrange for a free consultation, call us today on 1300 852 622 or submit your information on our website.

Read Also:

How to Reduce Your Power Usage – and Your Bill – at Night

The post Power Bills Doubling appeared first on SolarBright.

The size you choose will vary greatly between individual households or commercial properties and there are factors you need to consider when determining which will be most beneficial to you. An exact calculation accounting for a comprehensive list of variables, requires professional advice, but some general information is still useful and will help you gauge an appropriate solar power system size.

After many years installing solar panels for many thousands of satisfied clients, SolarBright will provide you with the very best advice and a system of the highest quality. Whether you want a 3kW solar system for a small household or a commercial system in excess of 100kW, we will satisfy all your solar needs.

Roof Size

In order to harness the power of the sun, you first need to capture it and your rooftop is the best location for this. The dimensions of your roof will help you determine how many panels can be installed and how much power can be generated. Keep in mind that not all areas of your roof will be appropriate for solar panels. Any south facing sections of rooftop for example, will not receive enough sunlight to offer efficient solar power. Most homes, however, have ample space.

To help plan the right sized system for you and to make sure it will fit, SolarBright uses satellite solar mapping software. We map the panels directly on your roof and produce a report for you to estimate the annual power output of your system and the estimated yearly savings from the solar system.

Electricity Bill

The details of your electricity bill can be very illuminating when determining your energy needs and the most appropriate system for your house. Most energy providers include a graph of your electricity usage over a day, month or year on your bill. An average Australian household uses somewhere in the vicinity of 12 to 18 kWh (kilowatt hours) a day. Most of Australia’s main urban centres produce around 4kWh per 1kW of installed solar each day. If you divide the daily energy consumption of your house by the solar kilowatts per day, you can gauge the size of an appropriate solar power system.

For example, if you use 20kWh a day, you divide it by 4, which is 5. This means that a 5kW solar system would generate roughly the same amount of electricity that you use, resulting in a significant reduction in ‘on the grid’ consumption. For couples or those living alone, a 3kW solar system may be large enough to make substantial savings on your bills.

This is just a general guide and the optimal solar power system for your home is unique to your situation. Your best option is to give the team at Solar Bright a call and let us offer our expert advice.

Read More:

• Commercial Solar – A Business Case Study
• Solar Panel Prices – Why Install a Solar Power System?
• How Much Does a Solar Power System Save and is Solar Worth It?

The post How To Choose The Right Sized Solar Power System appeared first on SolarBright.

We previously reviewed the chemical balance and health benefits involved in safe increases in sunlight exposure. They are profound, and this is even more noticeable when one considers the downside of modern fluorescent lights. While it is not noticeable to the naked eye, fluorescent tube lighting actually produces a strobe effect, a situation unsuitable to those suffering from epilepsy. It also results in eye fatigue in otherwise healthy individuals. Studies have shown the difference in productivity between those sitting in the glare of indoor lighting, compared to those in environments lit with natural light.

By contrast, solar exposure is calming. It has a meditative effect on people, who in the midst of their busy lives, often need a moment to relax. It has a calming effect on high blood pressure, acting almost immediately. Bringing solar power in to your home can have a calming impact on your day-to-day life, and can increase the output of your working pursuits.

Clearly, one must exercise restraint. As we have been taught throughout our lives, and have likely experienced on a careless day, too much direct sun exposure is not healthy, and comes with its own set of health risks. Temperance is key. However, natural sunlight does not deserve to be avoided, and an adequate amount of sunlight is a key element to a healthy lifestyle.

Read More:

• How Much Does a Solar Power System Save and is Solar Worth It?
• Solar Panel Prices – Why Install a Solar Power System?
• How To Choose The Right Sized Solar Power System

The post The Health Benefits of Natural Sunlight: Pt. III appeared first on SolarBright.

Vitamin D

Absorbed through your skin (and diet), this vitamin is actually closer to a hormone. It is biologically inactive until it is processed by your liver and kidneys. Once activated, however, it plays a vital role in bone and dental health due to its ability to aid in the absorption of calcium, strengthening your skeletal structure and the enamel on your teeth. It plays a key role in several immune qualities, as well: as counter-intuitive as it may sound, exposure to sunlight boosts the same immune function which works against the expression of cancer cells. A recent study has also suggested the hormone reduces the risk of multiple sclerosis.

Finally, the hormone itself has been repeatedly linked to higher levels of estrogen in women and testosterone in men. Levels of the latter have plummeted in the last fifty years or so, due to a variety of causes. Solar power could well be the answer to a weakening sex drive.

Considering these benefits, it is notable that recent studies have suggested that globally, fifty percent of adults are Vitamin D deficient. This has grown beyond mere vanity – it is becoming a public health issue. At Solar Bright , our solar tubes, dome skylights, and roof skylights can help you to attain healthy exposure, right in your own home. In Part III, we will discuss further the health benefits of healthy exposure.

Read More:

• Skylights Take off in Sydney
• Tubular Skylights and Traditional Skylights – What is the Difference?Skylight installers
• How Much Does a Solar Power System Save and is Solar Worth It?

The post The Health Benefits of Natural Sunlight: Pt. II appeared first on SolarBright.

One of the contributing factors to this decline in mental health has been attributed to a lack of sunlight. Over time, people evolved with daily exposure. We grew accustomed to it regulating our circadian rhythm and sleep cycles, among other body processes.

Our modern lack of direct exposure has become a health issue today, when we are quite often limited to artificial lighting. At Solar Bright, we are committed to using solar power to shape customer health, both indirectly through the usage and popularization of solar power, and directly, through in-home applications. Our solar tubes, dome skylights and roof skylights allow an easy and suitable method to enjoy natural light in your own home, and reap the rewards of its numerous health benefits. This three-part series will take us through some of the advantages of safe and regulated exposure to natural sunlight.

Endorphins

Endorphins are any one of a group of hormones released by your brain, with an analgesic effect upon your opiate receptors. Put plainly, they make you feel good. They are your body’s natural method of encouraging a behaviour or environment, and exposure to direct light causes a release of these little peptides.

What does that do for us? It improves our mood. More than that, it improves our bodies’ ability to regulate our sleep cycle, meaning we are better rested. It can guard against Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, a mood disorder directly related to the availability of daily sunlight. While daily sunlight exposure may seem a remarkably simple method of improving one’s health, the health effects are profound. Indeed, the notion of ‘solar power’ goes well beyond that of the solar panels. Part II will discuss further the chemical impacts of solar exposure, through your own solar tube, dome skylight, or roof skylight, and what it can do for your health.

Read More:

• Skylights Take off in Sydney
• Tubular Skylights and Traditional Skylights – What is the Difference?Skylight installers
• How Much Does a Solar Power System Save and is Solar Worth It?

The post The Health Benefits of Natural Sunlight: Pt. I appeared first on SolarBright.

What are whirlybirds?

The whirlybird, or turbine vent, is a semi mechanical ventilation system that utilises wind to cool our houses. They have a distinctive bulb shaped appearance with fins on the external surface which allow the unit to spin in the wind. This, in turn, creates a vacuum that forces warmer air from roof cavities, effectively cooling your house.

How effective are whirlybirds?

There are two broad categories of Whirlybirds. Active whirlybirds are driven mechanically and spin constantly, while passive units rely on the wind to propel them. As they are dependent on the elements, passive whirlybirds have greater operational limitations. The other significant factor determining efficiency is the diameter of the dome. The larger the diameter, the greater the volume of air that can be removed from your house.

Who benefits most from a whirlybird?

Whirlybirds in Sydney are more effective in some situations than others. Because of their somewhat limited output, they often achieve the best results in smaller homes or apartments. Alternatively, they can also be combined with other ventilation systems to increase efficiency and reduce running costs. The other great advantages of whirlybird installation are the convenience and affordability. These types of vents are cheap, have little to no running costs and are easy to fit.

Those seeking reliable, efficient and effective cooling for a large property may be better served using mechanical or solar roof ventilation. Others on a budget, or with a small area to cool, may find that a whirlybird serves their purposes well. To organise whirlybird installation, discuss your options or make any other roof ventilation inquiry, get in touch with the team at Solar Bright today.

Read More:

• Don’t vent if you haven’t got proper ventilation
• Solar Panel Prices – Why Install a Solar Power System?
• How Much Does a Solar Power System Save and is Solar Worth It?

The post To Whirlybird or not to Whirlybird appeared first on SolarBright.