Solarsps

SOLAR MADE SIMPLE

THE STATE OF SOLAR

With fossil fuels currently providing the planet with more than two-thirds of its energy, solar and other renewable energies clearly have a lot of ground to gain. However, in the next 15 years, the balance is set to tip to solar and other zero emission energy sources to provide the world with more than half of it’s energy.

With household electricity bills rising and the cost of solar PV systems falling, more and more Australian families are turning to alternative sources of power. As one of the sunniest countries in the world, Australian rooftops make the perfect backdrop for solar systems.

Solar Simplified
Simply speaking, solar energy works by converting sunshine into electricity by using photovoltaic (PV) panels installed on rooftops to convert the sunlight into energy. Once the sun’s light or photons have been absorbed into the rooftop panel, the light is then converted into Direct Current (DC) electricity which flows through an inverter. The inverter then converts the DC electricity into Alternate Current (AC) electricity which can be used to power your home. When the sun goes down, your solar panels stop working and your house is powered by energy from the grid.

Depending on the type of solar system you have, any additional energy that’s not used in your home can be fed back to the grid and credited off your energy bill.

Solar Savings
The way that solar works means that when the sun’s shining, you’re saving. Because you’re using the sun’s light to create your own electricity, you’re essentially only paying for the excess power you use from the grid. If you’re creating excess energy and feeding it back to the grid, there’s a good chance that you’re hardly paying anything.

There’s no denying that solar slashes your energy bill. What you save depends on the type of solar system you have installed, your usage patterns and whether your energy retailer pays you for the power you feed back into the grid. It might sound silly, but the sunnier your situation, the more you’ll save. While you’re not producing any solar energy at night, the power you produced during the day offsets what you use from the grid when the sun goes down.

Going solar will save more than dollars, it also saves the environment. Renewable energies like solar reduce your greenhouse gas emissions and as long as the sun keeps shining, solar has the potential to create unlimited energy.

As energy prices continue to rise and renewable energies start to take centre stage, it’s no wonder more and more Australians are taking an interest in solar.