If you’re reading this guide, chances are that you have been convinced of the rewards and benefits that come with tapping into this excellent source of renewable energy – Solar power. Solar powered systems are gaining more and more popularity across Australia and it is for a very good reason. They have proven themselves over the last few years to provide a reliable source of power to thousands of homes along with additional perks given to its users in terms of feed in tariffs and the rebates from the government. The ever increasing prices of electricity and the noticeable rise in your quarterly power bills may have given you the final nudge to explore what the actual return on investment of going solar really is.
Once you take that final leap to get this ever so popular renewable energy source installed on your roof, most people are faced with another hurdle. The actual decision making process from the overwhelming amount of brands and companies out there can get very frustrating. This guide will help break down some of the most basic but most important things to keep in mind and which will help make your final decision much easier.
The first thing to have clarity on as the buyer is the correct system size for your home and whether going solar is even worth it for you. The right system size is influenced by the following factors –
- The size of your roof.
- The space available on the solar preferred areas ( north, west and east facing roofs are most ideal for solar installation)
- Your average power consumption.
- The type of roof you have (There should be a way for the installers to screw on the panels on the roof)
By analysing these pointers, you should first identify the system size you would like to install. One of the most common system sizes sold is a 6.6kW system with a 5kW inverter. This is the standard size which is suitable for homes receiving a quarterly bill of up to $500.
The next thing to consider is the brand of the panels and the inverter. It can feel quite overwhelming with the large number of brands available in the market. One of the tools to help narrow down your research is by checking reviews for the components. Another important factor that can help quicken the decision making process is the amount you are willing to invest. There are both premium as well as value for money options available in the market.
Some examples of premium inverter brands are Fronius, SMA, Sungrow, etc. Some examples of premium panel options are LG, QCELLS, REC, etc. Although these premium options provide excellent quality and have a great reputation in terms of their reliability, their prices often put off potential solar buyers. Many of the interested customers tend to steer toward “value for money” options like Jinko, Trina, Risen panels with inverter brands like Growatt, Solis, Sofar. The majority of the interested solar buyers are keen on getting a quicker return on their investment which is more achievable with the latter options.
Another important part of getting solar is deciding the actual company you will have your system installed by. There are many solar companies presently in Australia, however not everyone is completely qualified or reliable. In order to sieve out the unreliable ones, you need to make sure whether they are Members with the Clean Energy Council and Members of Fair Trade. Check with the company’s representative whether their installers are CEC accredited or not as some companies may cut corners on cost by not providing dependable installation and displaying poor workmanship.
Once you are clear on these three significant areas regarding your final decision for getting a system, you will have a much smoother journey to making your final decision. A dependable solar expert to help guide your decision making process is what Sunmate solar aims to provide so all our customers can make a well informed decision while tapping into this wonderful renewable energy resource.
Contact SunMate Solar today and get a free quote and a free guide to all your solar needs by getting in touch with our solar experts.
