Sun’s out, power’s on
The best way to get the most out of your solar is to make sure you’re using as much of your power as you can during the day. And some hours of the day are better than others. If your solar panels face north, they tend to get the most energy between 10am and 2pm. If they’re east facing, they tend to get the most sun in the morning, and west-facing – you guessed it – tend to generate the most during the afternoon.
So, get out your compass, get your bearings and flick on your appliances at the right time to ensure your panels are doing the heavy lifting during the day. Want to make things even simpler? Invest in a timer and set your appliances accordingly.
Trim back trees
The sun is all powerful. Unless there are leaves in its way. To make sure your solar panels are getting all the rays they can, trim back trees and branches that might be creating shade. Who knows, you might find a love of topiary while you’re at it. While you’re up the ladder pruning, make sure you also remove any other debris like leaves, random frisbees, balls and anything else that might be shading your panels.
Keep things clean
Most things are better when they’ve had a clean. Like a car after a road trip. Your teeth after eating garlic pasta. And, of course, your solar panels. In fact, dirty solar panels can lose 20% of their energy output. We recommend getting your panels professionally cleaned every 6-12 months to remove any dust, bugs and dirt that may have accumulated on your roof. That way there’ll be nothing in the sun’s way, and your panels will be so clean your neighbours will see the sparkle.
No sun? No problem
If you want to harness the power of solar when the sun isn’t shining, a battery is a great investment. But how do you know which battery is right for you? As a rule of thumb you should look at how much energy you use and compare that with how much energy your solar panels create.
If the battery is too large, the solar system will rarely be able to charge it fully. And if it’s too small you’ll be sending much of the power you’ve generated back to the grid. We know trying to find a Goldilocks battery (one that’s just right) can be confusing, which is why we have a handy guide to help you find the right one for you.
Join the Loop
If you do have a battery, or are thinking about getting one, Origin Loop is a great program to be part of. It’s our Virtual Power Plant (VPP) – a smart, innovative, energy network that transforms the way people harness their solar by connecting batteries far and wide, so even more Australians can have cleaner energy.
When you’re a Loop member your battery will connect to our Virtual Power Plant. We can then draw on the power in your battery and feed it into the energy grid at peak times.
Being a Loop member means there’s less reliance on gas and coal, so it’s better for the environment. But it’s also better for you. You’ll receive $1 every time Origin discharges one kW of power from your battery and gives it to the grid. Right now we’ll also give you a $400 credit on your next energy bill when you connect your Tesla Powerwall to Origin Loop on a no lock-in contract.
To give you peace of mind, we’ll always make sure you have at least 20% of battery charge during a Loop event. Plus how much energy we discharge is completely transparent and you can track it all in our app. As a Loop member, you’ll be helping the environment, getting more from your solar, and getting a stack of savings. It’s win-win-win.
