What you need to know about Australia's solar energy boom
Fuelled by a combination of government incentives, rising energy prices and concern about power shortages, Australia's solar industry has become one of the largest in the world, with one in every six Australian households boasting a solar array by the end of 2016. If you're curious about joining in, here's what you need to know about installing your own solar array.
How does it work?
A solar array consists of a number of solar panels, each of which in turn contains a number of pholtovoltaic cells. When the sun shines on them, these cells generate electricity. All the panels may be connected to a single electricity conversion unit called an inverter; alternatively, each panel may have its own microinverter. Whether the system has a central inverter or microinverters, these units convert the electricity generated by the panels to the 240V AC electricity used by Australian homes. Microinverter systems are more efficient in the long run but typically more expensive to install.
How is the electricity used?
Electricity generated by solar arrays is used in one of three ways: it may be used immediately to power your home, it may be stored in a battery or it may be sent to the energy grid to provide power for others. If you contribute electricity to the grid, you'll receive a tariff from your energy provider, although it won't be as much as what you pay for power you consume yourself. Battery storage can either be used to run your home at night, when the solar array isn't generating power, or sent to the grid if it isn't needed.
Solar power and energy use patterns
Feed-in tariffs -- the payment you receive for contributing energy to the grid -- can vary greatly, so be sure to shop around. However, even the highest aren't comparable to the prices you'll pay your supplier for electricity. As a result, solar arrays are most valuable to households that use a lot of electricity during the daylight hours. If you work from home, for instance, you'll save the money you would have spent running your cooling system and computer. By contrast, if you're out during most of the day, your solar system may take a little longer to pay for itself.
Once you've studied your electricity use patterns, shopped around for a feed-in tariff and decided what kind of inverter you want to install, you know the basics. From here you can choose the solar power system that best meets your needs.