TIPS TO CHOOSE THE BEST SOLAR PANELS | SOLAR PANELS SYDNEY
You could decide to invest in solar power for your home like many other Australians. They are future-proofing their energy costs whilst also offsetting their carbon footprint and working towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. Without the right advice though, choosing the best solar panels for your home can become quite a challenge.
Over recent years we’ve seen the cost of solar panels decrease dramatically with prices anywhere from under 100 dollars to upwards of 500 dollars each….So where do you start? SunflowSolar accredited to NSW Master Building Association and Clean Energy Council (CEC). More than 50 years of combined experience including renewable energy, electrical engineering and roofing. The experts at Sunflow Solar have a few tips and to choose the perfect solar panels for your home.
So what solar panels are the best for you?
Australia’s 3 most popular solar panels are:
Monocrystalline – high efficiency and good heat tolerance properties. Often used in limited-space instalments. Panels degrade very slowly and are used for more than 50 years now.
Polycrystalline/Multicrystalline – now the most popular choice in residential installs. Feature high-quality silicon that can be used in any climate and perform well in remote area power systems.
Quasi-Monocrystalline – a hybrid panel, morphing the top characteristics of mono and polycrystalline panels.
With this in mind, you can use these 3 steps to choose which panels are the best for you.
- To determine solar panel efficiency and compare to the industry average of 16-18%.
- Check solar panel manufacturer warranties against the industry average of 10-25 years.
- Compare costs to relative efficiency- efficient panels are important, but they might not always be the best for value.
Not all panels are alike. Factors like size, brand reputation, material quality, durability, warranty and any certifications the panels might offer a varied price. Cost depends on the number of panels as part of the package if you’re installing a full solar system. Similar modules in the system, the less cost per unit, traditionally speaking.
An investment in solar power will long term, so the return of your investment needs to be the best it can be.
What guideline should I use when selecting solar panels?
You’ll want extended warranties on equipment and workmanship. Solar panels are a big investment, one that will be paying for itself very quickly. As such, you want it to last.
Here we’re looking at the production, durability and manufacturer quality of the panels and the quality of the installer. We recommend investing in a solar system with a 25 year performance warranty to get as much as possible.
Total amount of solar power that a panel produces dependents on various factors including the power rating, power tolerance, efficiency and temperature coefficient. All of these factors inform you of how much power your panel poduces.
Like all products, solar panels deteriorate and become less energy efficient over time and depending on the conditions of your living area such as high wind or heavy snow. You should look for panels that are designed to withstand such conditions. To avoid poor workmanship, insist on a 10-year installation warranty. So only choose a solar power system and installer that have CEC accreditation. You will meet the eligibility criteria for small-scale technology certificates with CEC accreditation.
What’s the best solar panel size for my home?
Each system design would be based on your energy consumption, roof space, meter set-up and future goals but no one size fits all. By speaking to our Solar experts you can be sure that your system will be tailored to suit you now and in the future.
Here are the size guidelines we follow to find the best solar panels for our clients:
Small to medium households: Average-sized households (one to four people) use about 7,500 to 7,665 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. For them, a 5-kilowatt system should be adequate for their needs.
Larger households: If you have four to six people in your home, you probably use around 9,500 to 10,500 kWh per year, which translates to a 6.6-kilowatt system.
Extremely large households: If you have a large family household with more than six people living under your roof. You probably need about 14,900 to 15,330 kWh per year to accommodate everyone’s needs with a 10-kilowatt solar panel system to provide the power.
What energy output can I expect?
The solar PV system output in Sydney (Popular system sizes)
| Solar system size (kilowatts) | Avg daily system output* (kilowatt-hours) |
| 1.5kW 2kW3kW4kW5kW10kW |
5.8kWh 7.8kWh 11.6kWh 15.5kWh 19.4kWh 38.7kWh |
* Output is calculated using PVsyst software
When is the best time to buy Solar panels?
Many cowboy solar companies suggests that ‘now’ is the best time to buy solar and lasso you into a financial ditch. There’s no need to rush this decision. With prepared research, you could take advantage of the few incentives that make investing in solar so appealing, like government rebates and competitive feed-in tariffs (FiTs).
If you’re lucky to live in an area where you’re eligible to receive the government rebate, this could be the swaying decision to unplug and renew your energy.
Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme
Under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, eligible customers who install a renewable energy generator (be it solar, wind or hydro), are entitled to a number of ‘Small-Scale Technology Certificates’ (STCs). Number of STCs you receive depends on the expected output of the installation over the course of its lifetime (15 years max), as well as the geographical location of the premise. You can calculate the number of certificates you are entitled to using the small generation unit calculator. To illustrate, a Sydney home that installs a 5kW solar system with an expected lifetime of 15 years in January 2016 received 103 STCs.
STCs can be sold to electricity retailers, who are required by law to purchase a quota of STCs each year. One of the easiest way to sell these certificates is by allowing your installer to sell them on your behalf in exchange for a lower return. To maximise the value of your certificates, however, they can be sold on in an open market where the price is determined by supply and demand. Alternatively, the STC clearing house will purchase certificates for a flat price of $40 per certificate.
Feed-in tariffs
Solar panels alone are unable to store electricity collected from the sun, meaning any energy you don’t immediate use feeds on to the energy network. In exchange for this, your energy retailer. The state government supplies you with a feed-in tariff, a small rebate on your electricity bill for each kWh your solar system exported. For NSW 2020/21, 6.0 to 7.3 cents per kWh.
What’s your Solar checklist?
- – Property under your name
- – Access to sunlight on the roof
- – Large enough roof ( usually a 15 square meter minimum)
- – Roof can support the weight of solar panels
- – Home faces the right direction. Only north-facing panels produce full capacity.
- – There are no conflicts with local government by-laws.
- – Do your due diligence. Shop around and get multiple quotes to find the best deal for your home.
- -You wouldn’t risk buying a new roof over the phone, so why risk thousands of kilograms of solar products going on your roof without it being assessed?
At Sunflow Solar, we offer each customer a free on-site consultation to assess the eligibility of your property and your individual power needs for the best solar panel/ solar system on your home.
