Solar Panels in Australia

Everybody wants to save some money in the long run and if we can benefit the environment as well at the same time, then even better. In the last couple of years there has been a drastic increase in the mount of photovoltaic panels being installed in homes and business throughout Australia. The amount of capacity generated by solar panels has increased tenfold between 2009 and 2011. It is estimated that up till August 2011, solar panels contributed 2.3% of the nation’s energy production. This energy is clean and free and some people are even making money from this.

Some Benefits

Anything that we can do to get our dependency away from fossil fuels is in every ones benefit. By investing in new technology, which can use limitless and free resources available from the sun, harnessing this power and transforming it into energy, we can reduce our own financial costs in the long term. We can also be proud that we are doing an active part in looking after our environment and also may be able to make money off it, if you are producing a surplus of energy which you can then sell back to the electricity companies. You do need to look at the technology as an investment as there is some cost to setting this up, especially if you are looking to remove yourself from the grid. Up until May of 2012 the Australian government was even offering a rebate to schools, business and residents who invested in this technology, which helped to offset the initial set up costs. Although this rebate is now finished, there is still a feed-in tariff, which allows you to negotiate the price that you can sell your surplus energy at. Not everyone can afford to invest in a system to totally remove themselves from the grid and this is something which you can start with small steps first. You should invest in a system which is within your budget as you can add to this at a later date as well to increase the amount of power collected.

Location is Key

To make sure that you can get the most out of solar power, you need to have your solar panels facing the correct direction to make sure they are exposed to the sun’s rays as much as possible during its track across the sky. It is important as well to make sure that the panels are not shadowed by anything such as trees or mountains as this can have a dramatic effect on the efficiency of the solar panels and limiting the amount of energy that they can produce. If you looked at the entire earth through a thermal imaging camera, you would see Australia as a big red dot, as it receives so much direct sunlight. This means that Australia is almost perfect to harness this power and put it to good use. A study in 20012 showed that Australia has the highest average of solar radiation of any of the continents. This is a huge market which is only starting to really take off now so there is a massive potential to increase the production of energy through solar radiation. Wouldn’t it be great to not have any energy bills and actually be able to make money every month by selling your surplus energy back to the energy companies?

The Cost

The technology is improving all of the time which means that solar panels are becoming not only more popular, but more accessible to the vast majority of us as well. The cost of the system that you install will vary depending on the size and types of panels that you use. You need to look at the long term though as a good system will pay for itself within a matter of years after the initial outlay. This weighed up against the impact on the environment and the reduction in your domestic fuel costs makes solar power a viable alternative for a lot of Australians. Solar panels are usually installed to the roofs of homes so the only limitation would be with the size of your roof. Alternatively if you have a large open space, you can install a system in a field or large garden, as long as this is not overshadowed by anything to decrease the efficiency of the solar panels. All in all, if you are looking to be more environmentally friendly and reduce your carbon footprint as well as your reliance on fossil fuels, solar power is an excellent alternative and can save you money, or even make you money in the long run. Go on! Get the neighbours talking and be the envy of your street, start being smart and get your energy for free.

Author Bio:
This article was written by Max Johnson on behalf of AVIC Solar. AVIC Solar is a leading supplier in solar panels Sydney and ranks 250th in the Global Top 500 largest corporations in 2012. Max is a keen blogger on technology and green issues and is always looking for ways to help maintain the planet and reduce such carbon footprint.