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Common Questions
At its most basic, a solar power system consists of photovoltaic panels, an inverter and the wiring to connect them to each other and to the mains power. The PV panels generate DC electricity from sunlight and the inverter converts the DC power into usable AC power).
These simply refer to the size of the system. The higher the number, the more solar panels there are. More solar panels mean more ability to generate electricity.
This entirely depends upon how old your existing electrical system is, but common upgrades that are carried out alongside installing solar include updating meters (usually done by your electricity supplier), upgrading switchboards and replacing aged wiring.
Single-phase power is a two-wire alternating current (AC) power circuit with one power wire and one neutral wire. Three-phase power is a three-wire AC power circuit.
A three-phase power supply delivers power at a more consistent rate as there are fewer peaks and dips in voltage, than with a single-phase power supply. Residential homes are usually served by a single-phase power supply, while commercial and industrial facilities usually use a three-phase supply.
Whether a battery is a worthwhile investment entirely depends upon your energy goals, power consumption and personal circumstances. A battery is a great way to ensure you make the most of all the energy you generate through your solar panels and provides energy security in the event of a blackout. However, if these aren’t essential to you, the cost of the battery may outweigh the benefits of solar. Contact us to book a chat to discuss whether a solar battery is right for you.
Incentives and Rebates
The key federal government incentive in Australia is Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs). These are issued by the Australian federal government to small businesses and households installing renewable energy systems. The number of certificates you’ll get will depend on your solar system capacity, installation date and your system’s location.
A feed-in tariff (FiT) is a tariff paid by electricity providers to homeowners and business when you export excess power to the grid. Most energy providers offer a few cents for every kWh. You receive the amount owed as a credit on your electricity bill.
A feed-in tariff (FiT) is a tariff paid by electricity providers to homeowners and business when you export excess power to the grid. Most energy providers offer a few cents for every kWh. You receive the amount owed as a credit on your electricity bill.
New South Wales offers two solar incentives to households that install solar panels: the Solar for Low-Income Households and Empowering Homes programs. The Empowering Homes program is a solar battery loan that helps homeowners buy solar battery systems or add solar batteries to their existing solar systems. Two interest-free loans are available: a loan of up to $14,000 for a battery system and solar PV, repayable in eight years; or up to $9,000 for retrofitting a battery to an existing solar system, repayable in 10 years.
The Solar for Low-income Households program provides 3kw solar systems to low income households, including installation, at no cost. There are a number of eligibility criteria you must fulfil to qualify for this scheme, which include:
- Currently receiving the Low-Income Household incentive
- Don’t have a solar PV system
- Have a valid Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card or Pensioner Concession Card
- Own your home
- Live in an eligible area
Technical support
Generally, manufacturer warranties extend to up to 25 years on solar panels, up to 10 years for inverters and up to 10 years for batteries.
Yes, Island Solar provides a 10-year workmanship guarantee on all services.
Just get in contact with us and we’ll take it from there!
Regular maintenance of your solar system is essential to keep it working at peak efficiency. Dirt buildup on your panels can reduce the amount of power they generate, and solar modules and electrical cabling can degrade over time. Also, wild weather – cyclones or hail, for example –can damage rooftop solar PV panels, resulting in panels needing to be replaced. If left untouched, this will directly affect the efficiency of your system.
Island Solar’s routine system health check and services packages find and eliminate these problems before they end up costing you additional and unnecessary expense.
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If you've got any questions about solar energy systems, we'd be happy to answer. Give us a call and one of our friendly and expert team will do their best to help you.
