Solar Panels For The Home: The Top 5 Installation Considerations

A new solar installation at your home is a great way to save money on electricity bills. With energy prices rising, there’s never a bad time to make the switch to solar. Plus, you get to be part of the green revolution and do your part for the environment. Whatever your motivating factor is, you should consider everything before purchasing solar panels. Of course, working with a reputable solar retailer and installer makes the process a lot easier. But for those who like to do a bit of research first, here’s what you should consider for a new solar installation.

Understand Your Energy Requirements

Before you even start looking at local solar installation providers, you need to understand what your energy requirements are. The best way to do this is to look over your previous energy bills. You’ll be able to identify what times of year you use the most energy, and your bill also provides detailed energy consumption data.

When you book a consultation with Solar Bright, we help you assess your energy needs based on the size of your home, your family circumstances and your historical energy usage. You can leave the in-depth analysis to us, and we will suggest the solar panel system size that would best suit your needs.

Consider Your Roof

Every roof is a little different. You may have a sloped roof or a flatter roof. Neither of these precludes you from having solar panels, but certain installations can cost more depending on complexity.

Firstly, there needs to be enough room on your roof for the number of solar panels you wish to install, and the roof needs to support the weight. This is usually not an issue, but on some older homes, it doesn’t hurt to check.

Also, check that your solar retailer will visit your home prior to preparing a solar quote for you. They will take the time to understand your energy needs, check your roof condition and the main switchboard. This will ensure all is OK for a solar panel installation.

Be aware that many installers will only do business over the phone and online. Take this as a warning sign. In this instance, the only person you will ever see will be the unknown man in the white van who turns up on the day of installation. If they perceive any “site issues”, they will demand extra payments on the day prior to starting work.

Solar Panel Positioning

For maximum solar efficiency, your panels should be facing north. This ensures they capture as much sun as possible during daylight hours. However, you also need to make sure your panels aren’t obscured by shade. So, if north-facing panels aren’t possible, east or west-facing is also fine.

In every state, there is also an ideal tilt that your panels should be installed with. Typically, the tilt angle should be around the same as your location’s latitude. See the table below for ideal solar panel tilt angles across all capital cities.

  • Sydney – 33.9 degrees
  • Melbourne – 37.8 degrees
  • Brisbane – 27.5 degrees
  • Adelaide – 34.9 degrees
  • Perth – 31.9 degrees
  • Darwin – 12.5 degrees
  • Hobart – 42.9 degrees

Choose The Right Type Of Solar Panel For You

There are several types of solar panels out there, and even more brands. The key is finding the best quality solar panels at the most reasonable prices, rather than simply looking for the cheapest. Generally, you get what you pay for with cheap solar panels. If you want them to last and continue offering good output for years to come, it’s important to choose from reputable manufacturers.

Make sure the panel They should also be made from Dual Glass to ensure they don’t suffer from moisture ingress and other problems in future.

Choose Licensed Solar Installers

When choosing a solar panel installation company, make sure they are licensed by the Clean Energy Council. This will ensure that they have met all of the requirements for a professional installer and have also gone through an extensive training program.

It’s also important to note that some states require additional licenses for electrical work and HVAC systems. So, ensure your solar installer has all the relevant certifications allowing them to work in your state.

Be aware that one of the most expensive parts of the solar system is not the panels or the inverter, but the technicians on the roof. Many solar companies can offer appealingly cheap solar systems as they cut corners on the installation. Again, you get what you pay for.

Learn more by reading our blog on the dangers of cheap solar.

Looking for the best solar installation in Sydney?

SolarBright is your trusted provider of solar panels and solar installations in Sydney. If you want to know more about how solar can benefit your family, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us today for an obligation-free consultation. We will assess your home’s suitability for solar and even tell you how much money you can expect to save on energy bills.

Read Also:
4 Common Solar Panel Problems In Australia – And How To Avoid Them
How To Choose The Best Solar Panels

How Solar Roof Vents Help Cool Your Home

One of the best ways to keep your home cool this summer is to add a solar powered rooftop ventilation fan. Solar roof vent will draw heat from the roof space which will help to keep your living spaces much cooler and reduce the cost of running air conditioning.

The temperatures in your roof cavity can reach between 50 to 70°C during an Australia summer. This heat is transferred to the ceiling in the home,  impacting living spaces. The best way to reduce these high temperatures is to install a MaxBreeze Solar Roof Fan.

How Does A MaxBreeze Solar Roof Vent Work?

The MaxBreeze is a new generation rooftop ventilation system that replaces the traditional wind driven (whirly-bird) vents. It works like a whirly-bird by removing heat and stale air however it operates using solar as the power source.

The compact MaxBreeze has a

that generates, clean free electricity when the sun is shining. This power is used to run a brushless DC electric motor that is connected to the extraction fan.

The smart, efficient MaxBreeze is thermostat controlled. When the roof cavity heats up to about 30°C, the thermostat turns on the MaxBreeze allowing the fan to extract the warm air.

Just one MaxBreeze has been proven to replace 6-8 whirly-birds – making for a much cheaper and simpler installation, with more impressive outcomes.

Key Features Of The MaxBreeze Solar Powered Roof Fan

By removing the hot air MaxBreeze keeps your roof space cooler. This results in a more comfortable home and reduces the load on the air-conditioner to help save on power costs.

Moves Air Efficiently

MaxBreeze has been proven to move over 20 times more air than traditional whirly-birds.

Saves On Energy Costs

Roof cavities can get extremely hot during the day making living spaces expensive to cool. MaxBreeze works effectively during the day to make your living spaces comfortable and reduce your air conditioning costs.

Reduces The Risk Of Moisture To Prevent Mould

The MaxBreeze ensures that air is continuously and efficiently circulating through the home reducing the condensation to help prevent mould.

Turns On And Off Automatically

MaxBreeaze uses a smart thermostat to turn the unit on when the heat builds up inside the roof cavity. It turns itself off after removing the heat. Unlike the old fashion whirley birds on a cold day, the MaxBreeze will not turn on. This keeps the warm air inside your roof cavity to help warm your home.

Made For Harsh Australian Conditions

MaxBreeze has been designed and tested in our harsh Australia conditions. On a stifling hot summer day with no breeze, the MaxBreeze will work quietly and efficiently to extract the hot air from the roof cavity helping to cool your home.

Australian Designed And Owned.

The MaxBreeze is designed and owned by SolarBright.

 

Can Solar Roof Vents Work At Night?

Standard solar roof vents can only operate when the sun is shining. However, there are MaxBreeze models that can operate night.

The MB400 Zephyr is a model that can run at night. During the day when the sun is shining the units works like a standard solar roof vent removing the hot air.

However, it features a second solar panel with a built-in battery. During the day the sun charges this battery. At night the battery powers the MaxBreeze solar roof vent, allowing the fan to continue cooling the roof cavity.

There are also models available that can be plugged into a power point to provide power to run the fan at night.

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Australian summers produce some of the most hot and harsh conditions and home-owners want to make their homes as comfortable as possible.

With power companies forecasting a 35% rise in power prices over the next year, this means running air-conditioners will become more expensive. The MaxBreeze solar roof fan is an easy, cost-effective solution to help make your living spaces cooler.

It helps reduces the workload on the air conditioner on hot days by removing hot air from the roof cavity. It has the added benefit of helping protect your home from moisture build up in the roof.

Let the free power of the sun do the work for you while you become more energy independent!

For more information contact SolarBright today

Read Also:
A Look At Solar Finance
Commercial Solar Installation: Advancing Businesses Towards Sustainability

How Does The Weather Affect The Efficiency Of My Solar Panels?

It is obviously no secret that solar energy systems rely on sunlight to do their best work. However, many people wonder whether solar panels can still work in cloudy or less optimal conditions. We’re quite lucky in Australia to have good weather all year round, however, the amount of sunlight certainly fluctuates.

Let’s look at how your solar systems perform under different conditions.

The Best Conditions

Naturally, bright sunlight at the height of summer is the best time to for maximum power output from your solar power system. The days are longer during summer, so the number of hours per day that are considered ‘peak’ performance time is longer. The best times of day are usually 10 am – 4 pm, but in summer, you can probably add an hour or two on to either end of this.

Basically, clear, unaffected sunlight for prolonged periods will deliver you the best results.

Does Temperature Matter?

The outdoor temperature does affect solar panel energy production, but perhaps not in the way you’d think. The ideal temperature for solar energy production is around 25 degrees Celsius. Rather than producing more energy if the temperature rises, solar panel efficiency is actually negatively affected.

All solar panels have a coefficient listed on them, generally between 0.20 – 0.50 percent. Essentially, this is the percentage of efficiency your solar panel will lose for every degree Celsius over the optimal temperature.

For example, in high temperatures such as 35 degrees, you could lose around 5% efficiency in your panels.

The Impact Of Clouds

Clouds generally reduce the amount of direct sunlight that can reach your solar panels. As a result, this decreases the efficiency of your solar energy system. It’s difficult to accurately predict the difference in energy production on a cloudy day because the clouds vary so greatly. Thick, consistent cloud cover will certainly impact your system’s performance. However, on windy days where clouds move quickly, your panels may still receive bursts of direct sunlight.

Some panels work better than other panels on dull or cloudy days. Solar panels that use N-Type solar cells have much better performance in low light situations.

Ideally, a clear, cloud-free day is best for maximum efficiency. However, during winter, where clouds are prevalent, you may lose anywhere between 10% – 25% depending on the type of cloud cover. To keep an eye on this, you can use a solar energy monitoring app attached to your solar inverter (like the mySolarEdge app if you have a SolarEdge system) and monitor it in a range of other weather conditions.

What Other Factors Affect Solar Energy Production?

Naturally, the number of solar panels and the capacity of your solar inverter will affect how much energy you can produce. However, in terms of efficiency, there are a couple of other factors that can limit your energy production.

Shade

If your solar panels are affected by shade, it can reduce the amount of energy produced. Most importantly, with traditional string inverter solar systems, if one panel is affected by shade, all the panels on that string will suffer. The output of each panel will drop to the level of the lowest performing panel. So, always try to install panels on parts of the roof that aren’t obstructed by trees or other forms of shade.

If you have shade issues that cannot be avoided, a system that has power optimisers attached to the panels will help. The optimisers let every panel in the system work to its maximum output. So, if one panel is affected by shade, all the other panels will keep pumping out full power.

Position Of Solar Panels

The direction that panels point in relation to north can vastly affect the power production of the system. A professional solar retailer will use a specialised, satellite-based solar mapping tool. This is used to map the panels onto your roof. It considers the direction that panels face and the geographic location and can calculate the estimated power output of the system.

In every state around Australia, there are recommended angles that solar panels should be installed on for maximum efficiency. Most roofs are pitched to a certain angle, and many solar panels are installed to match the roof pitch. However, if you have a flat roof the panels can be mounted on tilted mounts to reach the recommended angle for best production.

Solar Panel Cleanliness

You need to keep your solar panels clean and preferably have them cleaned professionally once a year. This removes the build-up of grime, dust, dirt or even bird droppings that can affect solar energy production. If you do choose to clean solar panels yourself, make sure you’re safe on the roof and never use harsh cleaning products.

Professional Solar Panel Installation

SolarBright is your local expert for solar panels in Sydney. We partner with only the best solar panel, inverter and solar battery storage solutions, so you can be assured of high quality every time. You can even book a free consultation with our team, and we’ll analyse your current consumption to recommend the best system for your needs.

Read Also:
The MySolarEdge App Revolutionising The Future Of Home Solar
How To Choose The Best Solar Panels

A Look At Solar Finance

Solar Finance can be a good idea. The reason is the currently there is a Federal Government rebate helping with the solar purchase. These are called STC’s – Small Technology Certificates. This rebate reduces every year by around 7%. Currently in 2021 with a 6.6kW residential solar system consumers will get just over $3,300 in support.

So if you have not got the cash for solar today, and wait for example three years, you could have lost close to $1000 in rebate support.  Solar with finance, given the current low-interest environment, can still give you great savings.

with-without-solar-bill-difference-768x395

*This graph is not an accurate reflection of the financial outcome for each customer. It is there to highlight the overall beneficial opportunities of solar finance.

At SolarBright we offer several ways to finance solar through our partners with easy monthly instalments, which are often lower than the amount of electricity savings you will enjoy. So this means financially you will be ahead from day one.

Solar Finance – Some Options Available

Some of the major finance options we offer at SolarBright are:

Brighte Green Loan is a type of credit provided by Brighte to a customer on the condition that the money is used for something the lender deems eco-friendly such as solar PV systemshome batteriesMaxBreeze or solar hot water products.

A Brighter Green Loan is structured much the same as a personal loan. However, a green loan is used to finance energy-efficient products and benefits from a reduced rate compared to a personal loan.

Aside from the loan’s purpose, the eligibility criteria for the Brighte Green Loan is similar to those for other credit products.

When you apply, Brighte will consider your income, credit history (and credit score), whether you are an Australian citizen/resident, and whether you have filed for bankruptcy in the past.

You will be required to provide Brighte with your personal information, including your address and phone number, as well as proof of your income, employment status, assets etc.

Brighte offers a fast and easy payment platform and a quick and simple application process.

A Look At Solar Finance

The Brighte Green Loan has an easy to understand and complete application process and our friendly staff can assist you with some general questions you might have about this finance option about the details.

Brighte’s Green Loans offer a long loan term varying from 2 to 7 years, and they come with a fixed interest rate of 5.89% p.a. A range of $1,000 to $30,000 can be borrowed and there is an account keeping fee of $1.50 per week, and a loan establishment fee applies. The loan terms can go from 24 to 84 months.

The eligibility criteria include to be over 18 years old and an Australian resident or citizen; to own or purchasing a home; be employed, self-employed, a self-funded retiree; or receiving the Government Age Pension; have an Australian driver’s license or Passport or Medicare Card and provide the two most recent payslips or 90 days of bank statements. Another advantageous feature of Brighte’s finance options is that there are no early repayment fees.

Plenti previously known as RateSetter has financed many thousands of residential and commercial solar systems over many years.

They provide both variable and fixed unsecured personal loans. Their interest rate is linked with the length of the loan, the amount applied for and the information you provide in your application.

Plenti strives to build a ‘smarter, fairer and faster’ borrowing experience and SolarBright has been using them with a high customer satisfaction level for many years.

The lending platform is not only simple to navigate, but makes it quick and easy to check your rate, fill in the application, get the approval and finalise your loan

Plenti offers a personalised rate that rewards you for your good credit history. The interest rates can start from a low of 6.5% per annum.

A Plenti loan allows you to benefit from solar sooner and more easily than you would otherwise be able to. Paying for your solar energy system while enjoying the savings often results in money in your pocket right away with a good return when comparing your new energy bills to what you’re paying per month.

Our friendly SolarBright staff can run with you through your likely solar savings and the regular loan payments to show you how the loan for solar can be financed relatively easily.

The Plenti loan terms range from 3 to 7 years, and with many plans to choose from, it’s easy to find the one that’s just right for you. Making the switch to solar helps save the environment and helps you save big money in the long term.

Their green personal loan is flexible, allowing you to borrow an affordable amount between $2,001 to $50,000 that they feel confident is within your capability to repay, over the 3 to 7 years term.

They do not charge early repayment fees, so if you have an additional income and decide to pay back the loan earlier – no problem. One key condition for the loan is that you have an annual income greater than $20,000.

 

Energy Ease is an Australian payment option provider that specialises in commercial solar and energy efficiency projects. They boast no upfront payments and instant pre-approval on their competitive payment plans.

Energy Ease is geared towards businesses looking to finance their large-scale energy-saving projects to cut down their power bills, with payment plans that span from $3,000 to $5 million and repayment terms of up to 10 years.

Energy Ease offers a range of solar financing options as Power Purchase Agreements (PPA), Performance Guarantee Agreements (PGA) and Loan/Chattel Mortgage.

SolarBright’s Commercial Solar specialists have assisted our clients with guiding them through the Commercial Solar Finance process in many instances and can assist you anytime.

Power Purchase Agreements are ideal for companies that are committed to reducing their carbon footprint but do not have the substantial physical space to install their own renewable energy system or do not want the liability of maintenance upkeep.

Performance Guarantee Agreements are similar to a Power Purchase Agreement, but also comes with a performance guarantee on your system’s electricity generation, only available through select Energy Ease premium installers such as SolarBright.

Their Loan/Chattel Mortgage allows you to own the solar equipment from day one with no upfront costs, as well as claim depreciation on the equipment on your balance sheet.

The equipment itself serves as security for the loan, and often, the interest of the loan repayments are tax-deductible.

These finance products each have their own pros and cons that must be considered to choose a loan or financial product most suitable to your solar power installation needs and situation.

Talk to us about your commercial solar needs and finance options today.

Is The LG NeON H Ideal For Australia Conditions?

With improved high temperature performance, salt corrosion resistance, hail and wind resistance and a country wide LG 25-year product and performance warranty, LG NeON H solar Panels are uniquely suited to Australian climate and conditions.

The Australian environment features harsh conditions with extremes from storms to winter snows to searing summer heat. WithBacked with LG’s stability, the characteristics of the LG NeON H panels make them the ideal choice of solar panels for Australia.

The LG NeON H Panel Is A Safe Choice

There is now way to sugarcoat it – the Australian solar market has been a minefield for Australian consumers. We see old Australian cricket captains on TV pushing solar panel “brands” that no one outside of the solar industry has ever heard of.

The facts are alarming. Since 2013 over 360 panel brands have disappeared from the Australian market, leaving consumers exposed with worthless warranties. In this stormy market LG represents stability with $60 billion in global sales.

Number of Solar Panel Brands Active in Australia, Source LG

LG are the largest consumer brand operating in solar in Australia and NZ and since 2010 have installed 1.2 million solar panels in this market. The LG NeON H solar panels, backed with the stability of LG are a safe choice for Australian consumers.

Improved High Temperature Performance With The NeON H

We all know Australia is blessed with plenty of sunshine and our summers are hot. One would automatically assume that the sunnier and hotter it gets, the better a solar panel will perform.

Wrong. It is counter intuitive that solar panel performance actually drops as the temperature rises. A sunny day is great for solar energy production, but as the temperature rises all panels lose production capacity. There is a factor called the “temperature coefficient”. This measures the performance of a solar panel as the temperature rises, and the lower the temperature coefficient the better the panel performs in higher temperatures.

To calculate the temperature coefficient, the solar panel output is measured in the laboratory beginning at the industry standard testing temperature of 25°C. The temperature is then raised and the reduction in power output is measured to calculate the temperature coefficient.

This is an important characteristic to consider when selecting a solar panel for your system. With hot Australian summers, roof temperatures in the suburbs can soar to over 65°C.

Compared to standard modules, the improved temperature coefficient of the LG Neon H means that in hot Australian summers the NeON H will deliver higher output, meaning increased savings for the customer over the life of the system.

Salt Mist Corrosion Resistance

GeoScience Australia estimates that over 80% of Australians live in what is called the coastal zone, and it is estimated that 6% of all Australian addresses, around 700,000 residences, are located within 6km of the coast.

Salt mist is created by the interaction action of surf swell and wind and can be carried inland on the breeze. For solar system longevity in the Australian coastal environment, it is very important to take into consideration the corrosion resistance of the solar panels for their ability to withstand harsh coastal conditions.

Residential Solar 13kW LG Solar System with Tesla Powerwall Battery
LG Panels are a Good Choice for Coastal Installations

The LG NeON H panels are rated for Salt Mist Corrosion under international standard IEC 61701 to severity 6 (the highest), and have they also passed the Ammonia Corrosion Test under IEC 62719 2013.

This means the LG NeON H panels are a confident choice for installation by Australian customers living in coastal areas and other harsh environments.

LG NeON H Hail Resistance

The Insurance Council of Australia warns that “As Australia warms, we can expect more frequent extreme natural hazard events; more bushfires, floods, hailstorms and cyclones.”

When choosing solar panels, smart consumers will consider there is a chance that their solar system may be subject to impact by hailstones during its life, and the hail resistance of the solar panel needs to be considered.

The testing standards for solar panel hail resistance under the IEC 61215-2:2016Ed2 standard, subjects the panels to testing with ice balls of 25mm diameter launched at the panel with a speed of 23 metres per second.

In testing the hail resistance of the LG NeON H range, LG tested the panels with larger 35mm diameter hailstones hitting the panels at a faster speed of 27.7m/sec.

This testing shows that the significantly stronger NeON H solar panels are the smart choice for Australian conditions by withstanding larger hailstones than standard panels.

High Wind Load Rating

With southerly busters, wild east coast lows, and strong winds associated with low pressure systems moving across the continent, windy conditions are a part of the Australian environment.

This means resistance to wind loading is another important factor that consumers need to consider when choosing solar panels.

The robust NeON H panels are manufactured with strong double walled frames. Under load testing the panels withstood a rear wind loading of 4000Pascals. Some other panel brands are only rated to a rear loading of just 2400 Pascals.

Combined with the front load rating of 5400 Pascals the lead ratings mean the LG NeON H will handle windy Australian conditions.

25-Year Product And Performance Warranty

Australia is a big country. It does not matter whether your panels are installed in the city, a regional centre or the bush, LG has you covered with a leading 25-year parts and labour product warranty and performance warranty on the LG NeON H panels.

All solar panels approved by the Clean Energy Council must have a 25-year performance warranty. The performance warranty just warrants the power output of panels. As all panels degrade overtime, after 25-years the output of cheaper panels can decrease by almost 20%.

LG warrant the NeON H panel output at 90.6% after 25-years meaning over its lifetime it will generate more power than cheaper panels, increasing the savings and return for the customer.

Solar Panel Warrantors Sales in 2019

When the advertisements for cheaper panels boast “25-year Warranty” they mean the performance warranty. They do not boast about the important product warranty covering the panels, which for cheap panels is only 10 or 12-years. This is only how long they are confident the panel itself will last.

(For a look at the risks of cheap solar see our blog on this topic.)

Most panel brands only have very limited or no official corporate presence in Australia. They rely on the solar installer to cover the warranty obligations. Since 2011 over 700 solar installers have gone out of business, so this a high-risk option for consumers and an important consideration when selecting solar panels suitable for the Australian environment.

With a 25-year product and performance warranty backed by LG, the NeON H solar panel is a safe and smart choice for Australian families and businesses considering solar.

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These superior characteristics of the LG NeON H solar panel range, combined with the backing of a leading 25-year product warranty and the stability of LG, make the LG NeON H solar panels ideally suited for the for the Australian environment and a superior choice Australian consumers.

Contact SolarBright today for an obligation free, customised LG Solar Proposal that will suit the specific requirements of your home or business.

SolarBright is one of the largest LG solar panel installers in Sydney and NSW, an LG Solar Authorised Platinum Partner and a CEC Approved Solar Retailer.

Commercial Solar Installation Process

You might be wondering whether it makes sense to go solar on your business premises. The answer is a very clear “Yes”, and in fact, solar installations are perhaps even more beneficial for commercial customers than residential ones. Here we look at the commercial solar installation process for a business.

The Benefits Of Commercial Solar For Your Business

First up let’s look at the main reasons why you should consider commercial solar energy to help power your business.

Massive Savings On Energy Bills

Every business wants to lower its operating costs. Energy bills are a big part of your ongoing expenses that affect your cash flow. Unless you have solar battery storage, free energy from the sun needs to be used as it is generated to get the maximum savings, which is perfect for most businesses.

If you conduct most of your operations during daylight hours, you’ll be wiping out much of your energy bill with a big enough solar system because your business will run primarily on solar. You’ll only use energy from the main grid during times when the sun isn’t shining or your system isn’t producing enough to power your whole building or business.

Check out our commercial solar case studies. 

Finance Payments May Be Tax-Deductible

There is an upfront cost to installing a solar system, and many businesses choose to finance this cost. The great thing is these finance payments may be tax-deductible (always check with your accountant first). Secondly, the savings you make on your energy bills is usually more than the monthly finance payment. So, it’s actually a cash-flow-positive move. Of course, this is not financial advice, and you should seek professional taxation and financial advice prior to making a decision.

The System Pays For Itself

Before too long, your solar system will pay for itself. By that, we mean the savings you’ve made on your electricity bills will outweigh the upfront cost/finance costs for the system. After that, you begin to realise the full benefit and maximum savings because you’ll have no finance payments and reduced electricity bills.

Commercial Solar Installation Process Explained

The commercial solar installation process is more complex than residential solar. With a stronger emphasis on planning and design, this is where you need experienced professionals on your side. Here are the 4 main steps of getting your commercial solar system installed.

1. Site Evaluation And Power Use Analysis

All commercial solar installations start with a site evaluation. Your solar installer will look over your site to determine how your system will connect to the grid. They will also evaluate the building itself, checking for shaded rooftop areas that may limit solar production, as well as undertaking any surveys required.

Prior to designing a system, the solar provider will analyse your current energy consumption and usage patterns to determine the size of the system you’ll need. It is best to give them your bills for the previous 12 months so they can see the usage patterns and seasonal variations.

This information will allow them to understand your actual costs per kWh so they are able to calculate your estimated savings and return on investment. Understand that the power costs for businesses per kWh are lower than for domestic consumers. Other costs are made of fixed fees and charges such as your daily connection cost, which will remain the same after solar.

2. System Design

All commercial buildings are different, and installing solar panels is usually more complex than a residential rooftop. So, careful planning is required to design a system that provides you with maximum benefit. The system design will not only show where the panels will be mounted (rooftop, ground, other structures), but they will also show how they will be arranged to ensure the system catches maximum sunlight.

As part of the system design, the solar retailer will provide details of the estimated power output of the system using specialized solar mapping software. Using this information, they will be able to model your estimated financial savings and return on investment.

Your solar supplier will need to advise you on the regulatory and local government requirements regarding a commercial solar installation. For systems over 10kW in size, most councils require you to seek approval. The installer will also advise you regarding any special requirements from the energy distributor.

Any system up to 30kW is subject to the same grid connection rules as residential solar. Commercial solar systems between 30 and 100kW have special requirements to protect the power grid from all the power that they produce.

In many cases, the power distributor will insist on an export limiter being fixed to the system. This limits the amount of power that can be sent back to the grid. This will be stated in the documentation from the power distributor covering the permission to connect. Ensure that you see this documentation prior to installation.

3. Construction And Installation Of Your System

The time it takes to construct your system can vary depending on the size of the system and the complexity of installation. Because most commercial buildings have flat roofs, in some cases the solar panels need to be mounted on tilts to achieve an optimal angle.

Cherrypickers will need to be used to access the roof. In larger installations with taller buildings, cranes may be used to lift the panels and the mounting rails and materials onto the roof.

The installation time frame will vary with the size and complexity of the system and whether the system requires tilt mounts. Your installer will advise you regarding installation timing.

It’s crucial to work with solar installers who are experienced in commercial work because they will complete the construction and installation phase with minimal disruption to your business.

4. Connection

Finally, it’s time to connect your system. The system will have been tested and checked and now commissioned. This is the final step, where your installer confirms that your system is up and running, and your energy retailer is notified of the change in your energy setup.

Make sure that the installer has set up a good monitoring system for your commercial solar system that allows you to measure both the power production of the system as well as your power consumption and trained you on how to use it. This should allow you to check production and consumption down the hour. Make sure someone in your business has the responsibility to check this at least once a week.

Your solar provider should have also provided an inspection and maintenance schedule for your system.

If you want expert advice, experienced commercial system designers and the highest standard of workmanship, look no further than Solar Bright. We’ve helped hundreds of businesses realise the benefits of solar, and we tailor every installation to suit the needs and budget of each business. Contact the professional team at Solar Bright and find out how you can start saving money.

Read Also:
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7 Reasons Why Now Is The Right Time To Install Solar