Residential Solar

Many households are continually struggling to seek solutions to household budget woes, especially with the continued increases in the price of electricity. Installing a Solar PV system on your home is one way that can help reduce the financial stresses of life, as well as being safe, proven and environmentally friendly technology. More and more families in the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers regions are making the switch to Solar today.

There are two main types of residential solar installations. The first and most common system, Grid Connect system, connects your Solar PV System with the main electricity grid. This grid connect system allows you to feed excess energy back into the grid through your meter, and be financially rewarded for it by your energy company.

The other is a 'Stand Alone' Solar PV system for remote properties where the cost of connecting the solar panel installation to the main grid is rather costly, or not an option. The system charges a large battery bank, which in turn is used to power a house. A generator is usually kept available to back up the battery system.

How does solar power work?

Solar is a renewable energy resource, that uses Photovoltaic (PV) systems to create electricity. The sun's light is absorbed by the panels installed on your roof. The silicone and conductors in the panels convert the light into Direct Current (DC) electricity which then flows into the inverter. The Inverter convers the DC electricity into Alternate Current (AC) electricity, which you can use in your home.

Any additional electricity that is not used in your home is fed back into the grid. Electricity is drawn from the grid when you need more power that what your solar PV system can generate.

What size system do I need?

Every home is different in size and electrical usage varies per household. See below a guide of what size solar system is suggested for household items. Exact household electrical needs vary significantly depending on many factors including household insulation and the energy efficiencies of different appliances.

• 450 Watt - All your lights, TV, DVD player, sound system, microwave and kettle
• 900 Watt - All the above uses plus your fridge, dishwasher and computer.
• 1.5 kW - All the above uses plus either:   all other kitchen appliances such as your oven, grill and stove; or all laundry appliances.
• 2.25 kW - All the above needs plus almost everything else typically found in an average 3 bedroom home except air conditioning.
• 3 to 5kW - All of the above, including standard use of air conditioning.

With a solar PV system, the power generated and used by your household during the day will mean that you will draw less from the grid. This is turn means that you pay less on your electricity bill.

If your Solar power system generates more electricity than your home requires, you may receive credits on your bill for any excess electricity that is fed back into the grid. The amount of credit varies depending on your energy supplier.

FOR EVERY BIT OF ELECTRICITY YOUR SOLAR SYSTEM IS PRODUCING, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PURCHASE ELECTRICITY FROM THE RETAILER.

Where is the best position on my roof?

Solar panels are ideally installed on a north facing roof with no shade. However, they can be installed on western and eastern roof lines. The panels are generally well integrated into the roof section areas so not to impact on the aesthetic look of your home. Before installation one of our consultants will talk with you about the best combination of roof and limited shade areas to install your panels to ensure maximum efficiency.