Embarking on the journey to solar energy can be overwhelming, but with the right information, you can navigate this landscape with confidence. Our comprehensive buyer’s guide is designed specifically for Australians looking to make informed decisions about solar energy investments, providing you with the essential knowledge needed to choose the right system for your home or business.
The guide covers every aspect of the solar buying process, starting with an in-depth look at the key components of a solar energy system. You’ll gain a clear understanding of how solar panels, inverters, and batteries work together to power your home efficiently. This knowledge is crucial in helping you select the best products that meet your specific energy needs and budget.
Beyond understanding the components, our guide delves into the importance of choosing the right installation options. Proper installation is vital for ensuring the long-term performance and safety of your solar system. We provide tips on selecting reputable installers, what to look for in installation quotes, and how to ensure your system is set up to maximize efficiency under Australia’s unique climatic conditions.
A major highlight of our guide is the focus on calculating potential savings. We break down how to assess your current energy usage, predict future needs, and estimate the financial benefits of going solar. This includes understanding government incentives, rebates, and feed-in tariffs available in Australia, which can significantly reduce the overall cost of your solar investment.
By the end of our guide, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and tools to confidently make decisions that will benefit you for years to come. Whether you’re motivated by reducing energy bills, increasing property value, or contributing to a sustainable future, our buyer’s guide is your trusted companion in making the most of your solar energy journey in Australia.
It is important to research both the quality and the product warranty of your solar panels before you make your investment. The best way to do this is to check out their in-depth review on our solar panel product review page. Pay particular attention to the length and type of warranty as well as the efficiency and output of the panels. So please make sure you check the type of warranty before buying.
The warranty is one of the most important elements of your solar panels, as this is the part that will safeguard your investment in case something goes wrong. A performance warranty is a guarantee that your panels will continue to perform to a certain standard over the lifetime of the warranty. This is expressed in an expected loss of power output capacity (ie: 10-20% over the first 25 years). These warranties aren’t always as straightforward to redeem, but they provide a good indicator of the expected degradation of the panels.
Cell efficiency is determined by the cell structure and base silicon material used which is generally either P-type or N-type. Cell efficiency is calculated by what is known as the fill factor (FF), which is the maximum conversion efficiency of a PV cell at the optimum operating voltage and current. The cell design plays a significant role in panel efficiency. Key features include silicon type, multiple busbars (MBB), and passivation type (PERC).
When looking to place solar panels on your roof, one of the key factors you’ll have to consider is their size and output. Solar panels come in the standard 1.70m x 1.0m dimensions with an output ranging between 250 – 340 watts. While output varies, in most cases the size of the single solar panel will not change.
Most of the solar panel manufacturers use is the “Tier 1” rating. The Tier rating was developed by Bloomberg New Energy Finance Corporation and is basically used to rate solar panel manufacturers in terms of financial stability. With most established panel manufacturers now rated as Tier 1, it is more important than ever to know how to distinguish a high quality and reliable panel by other means which we explain in more detail in our solar panel quality review. Based on our international rankings, below is our list of the best residential solar panel manufacturers rated according to quality, reliability, performance, warranty and service, along with feedback from solar industry professionals.
Monocrystalline (mono) solar panels are a premium solar panel technology with higher efficiency rates than their poly panel alternatives. As a result, mono panels tend to have a higher starting price. Unlike the poly technology, mono panels use a single crystal of silicon that is cut into wafers. This gives the electrons more room to move and results in a more efficient solar panel. Mono panels have a more sleek design, more efficient solar generating capacity and therefore a higher price point. Mono panels can be identified by the black hue on the face of the panels.
Bi-facial solar panels produce power from both the front and back ‘faces’ of the solar panel. While both the poly and mono panel technologies are ‘monofacial’, bi-facial solar panels leave the rear of the panel exposed so that light can reach the solar cells from both directions. The result is a highly efficient solar panel that has increased durability due to the UV resistance on both sides of the panel. The technology used in bi-facial panels is generally monocrystalline, though there are some polycrystalline bi-facial solar panels on the market.
All crystalline solar cells (mono and poly) are made using a very thin wafer of base silicon with the two main types being p-type and n-type. These are made when the silicon is ‘doped’ with specific chemical elements to create a positive (p-type) or negative (n-type) charge.
N-type silicon cells are more expensive to manufacture but offer higher performance and a lower rate of light induced degradation, plus an improved temperature coefficient.
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