With sunshine in such abundant supply in Queensland and talk of our power bills rising year on year, purchasing solar panels seems like the obvious solution. Being the sunburnt country may just work in our favour.

However, just what are the benefits of going solar and how does it work?

SO HOW DOES SOLAR POWER WORK

The most common type of solar, and what DRHomes supply for our homes, is a solar photovoltaic (PV) system which is grid connected. Rooftop panels are installed and an inverter provided that coverts solar power from direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC). In laymen’s terms, the PV panels capture the energy from the sun and the inverter converts this into electricity to power your lights and appliances at home.

When you have solar, your home uses the solar system as it’s primary power source, relying on the grid as a back-up.

THE BENEFITS OF A PV SOLAR SYSTEM:

1. Cut your electricity bills in half

As mentioned above solar power allows you to generate your own electricity at home. By using your own electricity rather than buying it from your electricity company, you will save money. Every kW/h of electricity you can use from your solar system is a kW/h of electricity you do not have to pay the electricity company.

2. Make money back from your solar system

Depending on the size of your solar power system and your household energy consumption, you may even be able to earn some money from feed-in tariffs. A feed-in tariff is the amount you’ll receive for power that goes back into the grid from your solar power system.

Ultimately, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a home improvement investment that pays itself off like a solar power system does.

3. Heal the world

By using electricity generated from solar panels there are also great environmental benefits. By producing more of your own power through solar power, you reduce the need to generate electricity from fossil fuels like gas and coal, which produce carbon dioxide and are a large contributor to global warming. With solar power, we can all do our part to create a more sustainable cleaner energy, that in turn helps our environment.

4. Increased property value

Home buyers are increasingly recognising that a home with quality solar panels are not only reducing their carbon footprint but will also have lower electricity costs. Studies have already shown that a home with a quality solar system will have an increased property value.

5. Energy Reliability

Unless it’s Armageddon, the sun will rise and set every day and while the sun shines, solar panels will make electricity. Though the weather and seasons may vary, there will never be a shortage of sun to power your system. Installing a solar system once, will mean you will have power for a lifetime.

Many people increase the financial benefits of having solar by changing the times you operate your appliances. From setting your washing machine to run during the day to running a pool filter for long periods of the day without fear of energy bills.

The price of lithium batteries are also becoming more affordable, so one can also store energy for a rainy day or use solar at night.

Solar power does look like a hefty outlay on first glance but more often than not, the benefits you will receive will largely outweigh the original investment. As all choices for your home, do your research and look into your power consumption to ensure this is the right option for your household.

For more information visit a display home or talk to your local Home Coach.