What is solar?

Solar FAQ

• Is solar right for me?

  The benefits of solar energy are pretty straightforward, but there are still a few things to consider before you take the first step. Upfront and ongoing costs, the varying types and sizes of solar energy systems and the associated advantages of each.

  Our solar experts will be able to provide recommendations based around your unique requirements.

• How does solar work?

  Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels, are arranged in a modular fashion to take advantage of the space you have available. Sunlight is absorbed by the panels, and is converted to DC (Direct Current) electricity. This is then converted to AC (Alternating Current) power by the inverter, which can be utilised by standard household appliances.

  When insufficient power is being generated by the system (ie at night), your power comes from the grid. If you generate more power than you use, it will be fed back into the grid.

• What dictates the output of my solar system?

  Primarily, the size of your solar system will govern your energy output. There are other factors that come into play also; your location, the facing direction and angle of your panels, the weather, and the season.

• Will shading effect the performance of my solar panels?

  Yes, it will. Both hard shade (created by a solid object) and soft shade (light diffusion from a source such as clouds) will affect the flow of energy through your panels, thus reducing their effective performance. Best-case-scenario for your PV panels is for them to receive full-sun exposure from at least 9am - 3pm every day.

• Can solar panels be install on a flat roof?

  Yes, they can! When installed on a flat roof, however, we generally install with a tilt frame, to emulate the slope which most roofs have. This increases their capacity to harness the sun and therefore the amount of energy they generate.

  In addition to optimal energy generation, tilted installation has the added benefit of making the panels self-cleaning.

• Can I increase the size of my solar PV system?

  So maybe you only need something small now - but what about further down the track? Whether or not you can grow your solar energy system is an obvious question. The simple answer is yes - as long as you have space on your roof, and an inverter with additional capacity, you can grow your solar energy system.