Solar Quotes Blog

Why Your 5kW Solar System Output Is Lower Than You Expected

A flowchart showing how the losses in a solar power system add up.

Is your new solar system producing the power output it should?  A very common question I get from people who have just got a new solar power system is: “Now the solar panels are on my roof, how do I know what the solar system output should be?”. The solar power system owners are usually […]

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Silex steals the solar show

solar concentrator mock up

Good news stories about the Australian solar industry have been as rare as hen’s teeth lately. With the taking of the cudgels by state governments to the highly successful feed-in tariffs (can someone please explain that again — just one more time!), to the slow sinking of the fed’s Solar Flagships program, to the march […]

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kW, kWh and kilowatt/hour : What do they stand for?

An electricity meter reading kWh

One of the most common sources of confusion I encounter when talking to non-electrical people about solar power is related to the terms kW and kWh. What do they stand for? What do they mean? And what’s the difference between the two? Watch the video, or read below to find out… Folks who are really […]

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New generation of super thin solar cells promise half price solar power

The difference in thickness between a regular solar wafer and the new technology.

Last week’s column brought you the latest, world-record-breaking achievements of the University of NSW. This week, just to balance the books a little, we thought we’d bring you news of the latest incredible overseas advance in PV cells from overseas — just to prove that solar research is pushing back the boundaries the world over. […]

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SunGrow Inverter beats SMA in Latest Inverter Reviews

Chinese and German Flags

Note: This post is just one opinion on Sungrow Inverters. Click here for lots of Customer Reviews of Sungrow Inverters to see how they have performed in Australian homes over the last few years. If you are considering buying a Sungrow Inverter over an SMA inverter – then you should also check out customers’ SMA reviews. You’ll […]

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Samil Inverter Review: German magazine gives top marks

Samil Power Solar River Inverter

Samil Inverters are very popular in Australia. They are great value, and have great specifications on paper. However I get a lot of emails asking me if this Chinese made solar inverter is any good. It is a fair question. The inverters are a lot cheaper than their German made competition (like SMA), and are […]

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PV world record tumbles as UNSW looks to wrap up series

Suntech and UNSW logos

Aussies love awards and stellar achievements. Particularly when we’re on the receiving end. Best and fairest, most valuable player, player of the series, best supporting actor, Treasurer of the Year (hang on!) and so the list goes on. Our collective chests burst with pride when we hear of the achievements and world records of our […]

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Old School Solar Sales Tactics That You Should Not Tolerate

Solar Power is a very new and very fast growing industry. That makes it an exciting thing to be part of, and attracts a lot of interesting, enthusiastic and hard working people, most of whom believe passionately in what they are selling. Unfortunately it also attracts people and companies that appear to have no other […]

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Interview with Paul O’Reilly of the Rainbow Power Company

Rainbow Power Company logo

In this, the first in what we hope will be a number of interviews with solar opinion leaders, business people and experts in the solar industry we chat with Paul O’Reilly, director of the Nimbin-based Rainbow Power Company. Sit back and enjoy as Paul talks feed-in tariffs, the almost constant boom and bust cycles in the […]

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How Does Temperature Affect Your Solar Inverter Power?

Sunny Boy SB5000TL Temperature Derating Curve

If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time you are probably already aware of how high ambient temperatures negatively affect solar panel performance. But did you know that when it gets hot outside, those scorching Aussie temperatures can also cause the efficiency of your solar inverter to drop?

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