Why Solar
Unpacking Solar Energy’s Power
Solar energy is a renewable energy source, so harnessing the power of the sun to generate free electricity simply makes sense.
It’s clear when you consider that the amount of sunlight that strikes the earth’s surface in just 90 minutes is enough to fulfil the entire world’s energy consumption for an entire year.
Western Australia is one of the sunniest spots on Earth and Perth city receives an average of 8 hours sunshine a day.
With so much free energy all around us, embracing solar energy is smart, both for you, your family and the planet.
Australia is leading the way in rooftop solar systems, with more than 3.6 million – or 1 in 3 – households now cutting their power bills and climate pollution.
SOLAR FAQs
What are the benefits for me?
For many homeowners, saving money is the main motivation for installing solar panels on their rooftops.
With electricity prices continuing to rise and solar systems becoming more affordable over the past decade, more and more customers are opting to invest in one for their home as a way of reducing their electricity bills.
Many West Australians are also increasingly eager to reduce their impact on the environment. Generating your own solar energy is an excellent way to do this as it allows you to reduce your carbon footprint and help protect our planet.
One Australian household with a 6.6kW solar power system has the capacity to generate over 11,000 watt-hours of clean solar energy each year. This amount reduces the emissions of around 9.5 tonnes of carbon, the equivalent of planting 35 trees each year.
(eChoice.com.au)What are the benefits to the planet?
Fossil fuels, such as coal, gas and oil, have met the majority of the planet’s energy needs for decades. However, these fossil energy sources are non-renewable and burning them for energy can cause air and water pollution and contribute to health issues and climate change. Mining for oil, gas and coal can also negatively impact the land and ecosystems.
Solar energy, on the other hand, is a renewable energy source and a key part of the clean energy future as it generates electricity without producing greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.
As the world transitions away from fossil fuels to improve the health of our planet, solar energy is become increasingly critical.
By making use of our homes to generate solar energy, we can help reduce our environmental footprint.
What do solar panels cost in WA?
Put simply, solar photovoltaic panels convert sunlight into electrical energy. This energy can be used to power your home or it can be stored in a solar battery for use at a later time.
Step 1
The photovoltaic (PV) cells in the panel absorb the energy from sunlight.
Step 2
The panels generate DC – or direct current – electricity when electrons inside the PV cells vibrate and this is fed into a solar inverter. The most electricity is usually generated during the middle of the day when the sun is strongest.
Step 3
The inverter then converts this DC electricity to AC (alternating current) electricity and directs it to the switchboard of your home.
Step 4
Your switchboard distributes electricity to your home, prioritising use of solar-generated electricity before pulling any excess electricity requirements from the electricity grid.
Step 5
Your home’s meter measures the amount of electricity fed to your house, as well as how much excess electricity is produced by your solar system and fed back into the grid.
Step 6
Any electricity fed back into the grid is credited to you by your electricity provider.
Solar systems are inherently smart and are made to seamlessly switch between solar and grid power, based on your consumption requirements and production.
The Connect Solar Standard
Households with rooftop solar panels can save more than $1000 a year on their electricity bills and double that amount with a home battery, according to data released by the Federal Government in 2023.
However, many factors influence what impact the installation of a solar system will have on your electricity bill.
These include:- Electricity costs. With high electricity costs putting increasing pressure on many households, when these costs increase, the potential for your system to save you more increases.
- The buyback rate. The WA Government’s Distributed Energy Buyback Scheme (DEBS) is available to eligible residential, not-for-profit and education customers. As part of this, there is a buyback rate for any electricity your home exports back into the network. This rate, which appears on your bill as a credit, may vary.
- How much solar energy your solar PV system produces. This is impacted by the size of your system, the quality of your system, where your system is installed, the conditions on your rooftop, and more.
- How much energy your home uses. As your home produces solar energy, it is used to power your household. Excess energy can be sold; however, the savings are normally larger when the energy is used for your consumption. Extra energy can also be stored in a solar battery for your home to use later, so many people include these in their systems.
The weather. How sunny it is can impact how much solar energy your system generates, so if there’s less sun, your system will generate less energy. Even on a cloudy day, though, your system will generate sufficient solar power, with more advanced panels and inverters able to lower the impact from shade.
If you have a battery. With a solar battery, excess energy generated during sunny weather can be stored by your system for your use later, saving you more money.
Find out more about how solar saves you money.