FAQs about Solar
We’ve answered quite a few questions over the years, here’s just a few solar FAQs…
FAQs – What do I need to do before installation?
Before installation, it’s essential to ensure your roof space is ready for solar panels. Australis Solar recommends a free satellite measurement and 3D modelling to assess your roof space accurately. We will provide some options in a proposal specifically tailored to your property in Perth. We will then determine if the solar system you’ve chosen will fit comfortably on your roof and identify any shading issues caused by nearby trees or obstructions.
How should I choose my system size?
When choosing a solar system size, consider your energy consumption and current financial situation. Australis Solar can discuss and provide different solar packages tailored to your needs and budget. Our bespoke designs ensure optimal performance and savings. We can take you on your solar journey to show you your energy consumption in comparison to the different sized energy generating solar PV systems you can have. Our team of solar experts means that you do not have to worry about the technical side and we will provide you the suitable options.
How can I be sure the system size I have ordered will fit my roof space?
We perform a free aerial measurement of your roof space with each enquiry. We then take these measurements and images and create 3D models of your house which will ensure that the panels are compliant and can fit on the roof abiding by the Australian standards. This ensures an accurate assessment, allowing you to see where your system will be placed and identify any potential shading issues before installation. Our accredited design process guarantees the system’s compatibility with your roof.
How do I figure out how much electricity I consume?
To determine your electricity consumption, check your Synergy bill. Look for the comparison graph on the front right-hand side, which shows your average daily consumption in units. This information helps us recommend a solar system that suits your specific requirements and helps reduce your power bills. You can send us your energy bills, monthly consumption, monthly bill total or daily average and we will calculate an estimate of your annual energy consumption. We then perform a savings analysis where we calculate how much you can save by going solar and how long the payback would be for each system.
FAQs – Government Rebates
What are the government rebates and how do they work?
The Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme (DEBS)
The Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme is available to eligible residential, not-for-profit and education customers and offers a buyback rate for electricity exported back into the network, which appears on your bill as a credit. Under DEBS, electricity can now be exported from other sources of distributed energy technology, for example, home battery storage and export-capable electric vehicle batteries. From 6 November 2020, a time of export DEBS Buyback Rate will apply for eligible DEBS customers. The new rates are:
Electricity exported at peak times between 3pm and 9pm will earn 10 c/kWh; Electricity exported at all other times will earn 3c/kWh.
The DEBS Rate will be the same for the export from batteries as export from solar, recognising that batteries will be a growing component of our energy system.
Renewable Energy Certificates (REC)
The government created the RET (renewable energy target) in a commitment to achieve a 20% renewable share of Australia’s electricity supply by 2020. To meet this target, the government introduced the Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) program and is still an umbrella term covering both small-scale and large-scale certificates.
Small-scale Technology Certificate (STC)
Small-scale technology certificates (STCs) are created by eligible installations of:
- Solar water heaters
- Air source heat pump water heaters
- Small generation units (small-scale solar photovoltaic panels, wind and hydroelectricity systems).
STCs in solar generation systems are the Commonwealth Government rebate that is based entirely on panel size capacity. You can calculate yourself how many STCs each system size would create using the calculator here. Australis Solar saves you time, money and headaches by dealing with the complex process of creating these certificates and pass the savings directly back to you.
Large-scale Generation Certificate (LGC)
Large-scale renewable energy projects such as wind and solar farms, and hydroelectric schemes, are entitled to create LGC which are similar to STCs.
Renewable energy certificates are a stock or share that is traded on the STC market. Certificates can be created for every 1 MWh of electricity generated by a renewable generation unit. The price of these certificates fluctuates in line with the sharemarket.
To simplify the process, Australis Solar manages all the paperwork and factors the savings from STCs directly into our prices.
For more information, visit the website for the Office of the Renewable Energy Regulator.
FAQs – Installation Process
How Long Does the Solar Panel Installation Process Take?
The solar panel installation process generally takes between two to four weeks from the start of the paperwork to having your panels operational.
Paperwork and Approvals: It typically takes around two to three weeks for grid connection approvals for residential properties.
Installation Timing: We strive to install your system as quickly as possible, accommodating any specific timing requirements you might have. On average our team of CEC approved installers take 1-2 days for a residential system.
Do I Need to Be Home for the Installation?
Yes, you need to be present at the beginning and end of the installation:
Beginning: You’ll need to be home for the first half-hour to allow the installers access to your property and confirm the location of the panels and inverter.
End: Our installers will do a handover to show you how the system works and sign off documents.
We are more than happy to answer any questions before we get to site, throughout the installation and afterwards.
Who Will Install My Solar System?
Your solar system will be installed by a member of the Australis Solar in-house team. Here’s what sets us apart:
- Certified Installers: We are a proud Clean Energy Council (CEC) member and use only accredited CEC installers.
- Professional Team: Your Solar PV System will be installed by professionally qualified installers and electricians.
- Local Business: Australis Solar is a West Australian-owned and operated business based in Perth.
Do I Need to Change My Meter?
To sell the excess electricity your solar system produces, a digital meter is required to track the energy fed back into the power grid. Here’s what you need to know:
- Upgrading analogue to digital meter: If you have an older analogue meter, in order to install a PV system you must upgrade it to a digital meter. Australis Solar will apply for Approval to Operate the solar PV system and they will schedule in the upgrade.
- Installing a New Digital Meter: The cost ranges between $138 and $235, depending on whether it’s a single or three-phase meter.
- Additional Fees: Synergy charges a $21 administrative fee, and all charges will appear on your next Synergy bill.
FAQs – Warranty & After-Sales Service
What warranty and after sales service is provided?
Australis Solar is committed to providing the highest quality in material and technical support. We purchase system components from internationally renowned manufacturers, specifically for photovoltaic and solar thermal applications.
All our carefully selected solar panels have up to 25-year product warranty and a 25-year output warranty. For inverters, please refer to the specific products page for details about the warranty conditions.
In addition to the product warranties, Australis Solar provides a five-year workmanship guarantee from date of installation.
Upon completion of your installation, you will be provided with an Client Documentation file, which includes an owner’s manual, product specification sheets and factory warranties for panels, inverters and railing. It also contains general information on the operation of the solar system, safety instructions, shutdown procedures, maintenance checklist, troubleshooting and numbers for technical assistance.
Australis Solar is committed to providing the best customer support and can be contacted for technical support and service.
How much maintenance is required?
A grid connect system requires little maintenance because there are no moving parts or components. Generally, the solar panels are self-cleaning with rainfall. However, if there is a noticeable amount of dust or debris on the panels, due to long periods without rain, we recommend you to wash them to gain maximum output. Prune trees and bushes that may shade the panels.
The Clean Energy Council, the peak body representing the clean energy sector, has released a recommended maintenance schedule for PV arrays in the AS/NZS 5033 Standards. They recommend an annual inspection of the wiring integrity, electrical connections and mechanical protection of the wiring.
What do you need to clean your photovoltaic panels?
Although most of the panels are very resistant, you should do your best to avoid scratches on the surface. That’s why we recommend to use the following items:
- Australis Solar – A professional solar company
- Microfiber cloth or Soft sponge
- Squeegee with a plastic blade
- Hose (no high pressure)
- Non-corrosive cleaning products
- Deionised pure clean water
Before you start: Safety first!
Working at heights can be dangerous. We therefore advise against working on roofs unless you are suitably trained and wear appropriate fall-arrest harnesses. Please follow OH&S recommendations to avoid accidents when cleaning your solar panels. Also please follow the “system shut down procedure” to isolate the power to avoid possible electrical contact.
Otherwise, contact our maintenance services.
What you should avoid using while cleaning solar panels:
We recommend caution with high-pressure water jets. The high pressure could cause water ingress in junction boxes and terminations of the photovoltaic system.
Avoid detergents, especially powders and abrasive cleaning products, which can scratch or make the surface dull.
Even if dirt on the panels is hard to remove, we advise not to use cleaning materials such as steel wool or abrasive cleaning pads. If it’s more than dust covering your panels and you are not sure how to clean, send us an email we will give some tips. Otherwise, book an appointment and we’ll do it for you!
As recommended by (AS/NZS 5033 “Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays”), we also advise that you clean and maintain your panels at least once a year, to guarantee the best possible efficiency. Visit our maintenance services section on the website or contact us for more information.
FAQs – Technical
What are the benefits of solar energy?
- Look forward to a great return on investment. You will see immediate reductions in your power bill and could possibly even eliminate your energy bill completely! If you install a system equal to your current power consumption, you can completely wipe out your power bill and save hundreds of dollars every year.
- Reduce your carbon footprint. Greenhouse gas emissions are, without doubt, a serious issue. Installing a solar energy system is a positive way to help reduce your carbon footprint, whilst feeding clean energy into the grid system for others to use, while being paid through the energy buyback scheme. Plus, installing a solar panel system and becoming a self-sufficient mini-power station is the best way to avoid being hit by rising energy costs.
- Increase your home’s value. While eliminating your power bill and helping make the world a greener place, you’ll also increase your home’s value in the process. With the cost of power rising, installing a solar panel system will help eliminate a large bill, which is a valuable asset and valuation feature when assessing your property value.
Why is my solar system output lower than its rated input?
Your solar system size is rated by the solar PV input (i.e. 10 x 250 watt panels = 2500 watts or 2.5 kW input). The important thing to remember is that this rating of 2.5 kW is the rating under STC (Standard Test Conditions). This means that exactly 1000watts of sunlight hits 1 square meter at exactly the correct angle and at a cell temperature of 25°C in a controlled test environment.
Real world conditions have many variances in sunlight intensity, angle of the sun and cell temperature. In Australia, on a hot day it is possible for a solar panel to reach temperatures of 85°C; this is up to 50°C above the STC. Because all solar panels are made from a semiconductor material, usually silicon, they conduct electricity better the colder they are. Solar panels are derated from 0.3% to 0.5% per degree above 25°C. This means that on a hot day, a 25% derating in power output is possible (85°C – 25°C = 50°C x 0.5% = 25% derating). As well as derating due to temperature, there are also some small cable losses (1-4%), inverter conversion losses (3-5%) and dirt and dust on panel losses (5%).
Australis Solar quotes all customers with conservative output estimates, based on real world conditions, deducting all expected derating losses. We base the estimations on a location specific factor provided in the Clean Energy Council guidelines, who provide derating factors for all Australian cities. The output estimates are stated in kWh or units.
Will I still have power during a black-out?
Unless you have backup power and batteries, no. For safety reasons, inverters are designed to shut down when there is a blackout, to prevent any issues for those working on the power lines to restore power. The system will automatically restart when power comes back on.
There are options available to keep power running in a home during blackouts, such as UPS systems with battery and/or diesel/petrol generators as back-up. These systems are generally costly but are rapidly coming down in price.
Can you install panels anywhere?
You can usually install solar panels wherever the sun shines. The direction the panels face in relation to the sun makes differences in power output. In the southern hemisphere, a northerly direction is best.
The angle in relation to the horizon also needs to be considered, as does the degree of latitude you live in, which equates to the perfect angle for panels. Perth is at 32 degrees latitude, so that’s the best angle to have your panels. Most roofs have an angle close to this, ranging from 15 to 45 degrees.
Will shading the solar panels affect the productivity of the panel?
In order for your solar system to work at full capacity, the solar panels must be free of dirt or shading from trees, shrubs, or any other obstructions. Even slight shading from roof antennas or exhaust fans can cause the panels to not function at their peak.
Will my solar system produce energy on cloudy days and be effective in winter?
Yes, it will, although the amount of energy produced will be less than on days with full sun.
Surprisingly solar PV systems actually work more efficiently in colder conditions. Photovoltaic panels rely on visible light, not heat for their energy production. In Australia, we have ideal conditions for solar in winter, with many sunny but cold days and generally no issues with snow on the panels. Naturally, though, there will be less total production in winter because sunlight hours are shorter and the sun is lower in the horizon.
Does my solar system need to be faced directly north to be fully-functioning?
Not necessarily. Ideally we would install your system on a north-facing roof, but we find that solar systems placed on either east or west-facing roof sections function quite well also, only losing about 5% to 10% of efficiency, depending on the angle of the roof. Anywhere from north-east to north-west is preferred.
How do solar cells work?
Solar cells work by converting visible light into electricity through a process called the photovoltaic effect. Photons in visible light hit the solar cell and are absorbed by the semi-conducting material (which in most cases is silicon), creating an electron hole which another electron must fill. This causes movement in the electrons, thus creating a flow of electricity. Visit our page on how solar works.
How does a solar grid connect system work?
Solar grid connect systems work by connecting many cells and panels together to reach a desired power output, for example 1.5kw – 6.5kw. This needs to be converted to match the everyday electricity supply, typically 230volts AC. To do this, an inverter is used to filter the power to the correct values so it can be used for day-to-day power needs. Any excess is fed back to your energy supplier and is bought back.