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Solar Batteries and Other Ways to Make the Most of Your Solar Panels

With energy costs constantly on the rise, Australians are seeking ways to save money. If you’ve installed solar panels in Sydney, there are numerous ways to maximise their benefits. Aside from standard factors like correct installation, purchasing high-quality products and optimising your solar panels’ positioning, there are many ways to get more for your money, such as installing a solar battery. As your leading solar retailer in NSW, we’re giving you some tips on how to get more from your solar panels all day, all week and all year. Read on to find out more.

Take Advantage of Feed-in Tariffs

With a standard on-grid solar panel installation, you use solar power during the day while the sun is shining and electricity from the main grid in the evening. You might think this means there’s a lot of wasted solar energy during the day, especially if you’re not home much to use it.

However, most electricity retailers offer a feed-in tariff that gives you credit for the excess solar energy you export to the grid. So, if your system produces more energy than you use during the day, the excess solar goes back to the main grid, and you get paid for it.

Feed-in tariffs are traditionally quite small, but every energy-saving effort adds up. If your feed-in tariff doesn’t deliver much in the way of savings, don’t be afraid to shop around. Many electricity retailers offer introductory tariff rates or better long-term deals than you currently have.

Consider Solar Battery Solutions

While an upfront cost is involved, buying a solar battery is arguably the ultimate way to get more from your solar. A solar battery stores excess energy generated while the sun is shining, giving you a supply of clean, free energy to use in the evenings or when your solar panels don’t produce enough energy (such as in cloudy conditions).

If you’ve gotten used to your feed-in tariff credits by exporting solar power, don’t worry because you can still use this, depending on the size of your system. Once your solar battery is full, excess energy still goes to the main grid for a credit on your account, but in order to fully optimise your system, you may need to consider one with a larger capacity.

Solar batteries save you money in the long term and provide protection in the event of a power outage. While everybody connected to the main grid searches their house for candles, your lights remain on thanks to your batter-stored solar energy.

Use Solar Monitoring Apps

The majority of modern solar systems come with energy monitoring apps and software. Compatible with most smartphones and devices, you can monitor your energy usage and solar panel performance from anywhere. This lets you keep an eye on how much your system generates during the day and also how much energy you use at certain times.

These apps also offer historical reporting, not just real-time monitoring. So, you’ll be able to check the times of day your system produces the most power, allowing you to choose when you use appliances. Ultimately, the data gained from these solar monitoring apps can be used to save you even more money on power.

Getting Clever With Appliances

One of the best ways to maximise solar energy is to be smart about how you use appliances. Household appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers use a lot of energy, not to mention hot water, which requires energy to heat up. The issue is that without battery storage, if you don’t use solar power system as it’s produced, you effectively lose it (aside from your feed-in tariff credits).

If you’re at work all day, it’s common to use a lot of these appliances in the evening when your solar panels aren’t producing. That means you’re accessing main grid electricity and paying for it through your retailer. So, the best way to maximise your solar panels in Sydney is to set energy-sucking appliances to run during the day. Use timers if necessary, and stagger appliance use, otherwise, you may still be drawing more power than your system can produce.

Need Expert Solar Panel Installation in Sydney?

If you’d like to harness the power of the sun’s rays and save money on energy bills, SolarBright is the team to call. With expert advice, high-quality solar panels, solar batteries and solar inverters, and a reputation for installation excellence, we can help you join the clean, green revolution and save money in the process. Contact us today to find out more.

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