{"id":20501,"date":"2023-12-07T11:03:14","date_gmt":"2023-12-07T01:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/?p=20501"},"modified":"2024-10-21T08:46:44","modified_gmt":"2024-10-20T22:46:44","slug":"how-to-get-the-most-from-your-solar-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/how-to-get-the-most-from-your-solar-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Healthy solar habits to get the most from your system"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When it comes to solar, a common myth is that its main value is via solar feed-in credits. However, when investing in solar<\/a>, it\u2019s important to understand that the real value comes from using the energy you create during the day to offset your usage. Here\u2019s how you can get the most out of your solar generation<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set your timers to run during the day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Set timers to flick on energy-intensive appliances<\/a> \u2013 like pool or spa pumps and hot water systems \u2013 when your solar panels<\/a> are doing the heavy lifting. If your solar panels<\/a> face north, they tend to get the most energy between 10am and 2pm. If they\u2019re east facing, they tend to get the most sun in the morning, and west-facing \u2013 you guessed it \u2013 tend to generate the most during the afternoon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take advantage of EV smart charging<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you have an electric vehicle<\/a> (EV) smart scheduling can help you get more from your solar. Powered by the Origin app<\/a>, our smart scheduling feature allows you to choose when you charge your EV, allowing you the option to reduce demand on the electricity grid and maximise the value from your existing solar panels<\/a>.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two default scheduling options for EV charging<\/a>, both giving you the freedom to choose the method that best suits your needs. In addition, the Smart Schedule<\/a> preset option utilises historical <\/em>data to forecast and schedule your EV charging<\/a>. Our PowerSaver feature also helps you avoid charging between 3pm to 9pm \u2013 which could save you up to $180 a year<\/a> on your electricity bill!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand your solar usage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While tips and tricks are great to know, how can you convert them into healthy solar usage habits? We can help you understand when you\u2019re using energy from your solar system<\/a> and when you\u2019re drawing from the grid through My Account<\/a> and the Origin app<\/a>. You can find useful data like how much energy you\u2019re using and how much that is costing you, in a convenient hourly, daily and monthly view, and tweak your usage habits accordingly. 
 
Many solar inverters<\/a> also have apps that provide “live stream” solar generation information. Check your inverter brand for details on managing your solar usage versus purchasing energy from the grid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Track your usage, and solar generation, in the Origin app<\/center><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Clean your system regularly<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most things are better when they\u2019ve had a clean and your solar panels<\/a> are no exception. In fact, dirty solar panels<\/a> can lose 20% of their energy output<\/a>. We recommend getting your panels professionally cleaned<\/a> every 6-12 months to remove any dust, bugs and dirt that may have accumulated on your roof. This can also be a great time to trim any branches or shrubs nearby to ensure they\u2019re not hindering your panels with shade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time your chores<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whilst you may not be able to time all of your chores, life happens after all, timing your most energy-intensive ones can lead to savings on your energy bill. Hold off putting on the washing, dishwasher and clothes dryer until mid-morning. As these tasks draw so much power, it\u2019s best to do them when your system is reaping the benefits of the sun. If you\u2019re not lucky enough to be working from home, some appliances have scheduling options built into them \u2013 like smart washing machines.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you can, focus on completing one task at a time rather than multitasking. By using one major appliance at a time, you can conserve costs by maximizing solar panel <\/a>output and drawing less from the grid. For example, consider vacuuming after your dishwasher finishes cleaning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it time to upgrade your solar system?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you already have healthy solar usage but are still seeing more orange than green in your usage data in the Origin App, it could be time to think about upgrading your solar system<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Request a solar quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s how you can get the most out of your solar generation.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":20522,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[105],"tags":[49],"oe_author":[],"class_list":["post-20501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-at-home","tag-solar"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/38"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20501"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20501\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20522"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20501"},{"taxonomy":"oe_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oe_author?post=20501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}