To maximise the solar energy generated over a year, the perfect roof to install solar panels on in Australia is large, north-facing and inclined at an angle close to the location’s latitude.
Panels mounted parallel to this perfect roof will be optimised for annual energy yield, and in most parts of Australia, should seldom need cleaning. Thanks to their angle, rain will slide off, cleaning as it goes.
Flat roofs are not ideal for solar. [Read more…]
Have you ever noticed that most solar panels installed on Australian roofs are mounted in portrait orientation?
Portrait is more popular because solar panels are cheaper and quicker to install this way.
This post will explain why panel orientation can matter, and why you may be better off with landscape panels despite the extra effort required to install them. [Read more…]
If one renewable energy technology for your home deserves particularly careful due diligence, it’s the home battery system. A solar battery is an incredibly dense box of energy. If something goes wrong, the consequences could be dire. [Read more…]
There are a lot of solar inverter brands on the Australian market in 2021. But which ones are the best?
That’s a tough question to answer. So we asked installers we trust what they thought. [Read more…]
Which solar panels would the top installers in Australia put on their homes?
Since I started writing about solar energy in 2009, one of the most common questions put to me is:
“Finn, what are the best solar panels?”
Late last month Tesla, in partnership with electricity retailer Octopus Energy, announced a new Virtual Power Plant (VPP) in the UK. Interestingly, Tesla’s UK VPP is a much simpler proposition than Tesla’s Australian VPP. [Read more…]
The Catch Solar Relay is a cheap, simple & smart way to improve your solar self-consumption.
Update: See our 2024 review of the Catch Solar Relay’s new features here.
As we approach the final quarter of 2020 even COVID can’t stop Australians installing more solar than ever before.
And with so much solar electricity being generated in the middle of the day, the value of energy between 10 am and 3 pm is falling. [Read more…]
There’s nothing better than a house surrounded by lush green trees. But will those trees make solar panels pointless, or will the shade they cast be manageable? Here’s how to find out.
Max from Sydney emailed this question to the support inbox last week:
“Hi, We have 3 large gums on a small property in Sydney. We are planning to build a 2nd floor and are hoping that gives us enough height to put solar on. Can you help us figure out if we can?”
Here are the drawings he sent through: [Read more…]
There’s a new solar code of conduct on the horizon, and Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) credit providers are not happy with it.
The ‘CEC Approved Solar Retailer’ (ASR) scheme, a code of conduct for solar companies, may soon be obsolete. I think that’s a good thing. [Read more…]
When I came to Australia from the UK in 2002, I was struck by how rare double storey houses were over here. Fast forward 18 years and, as medium density living becomes the new norm in the suburbs, double storey houses are popping up everywhere.
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