{"id":21173,"date":"2024-04-18T16:35:31","date_gmt":"2024-04-18T06:35:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/?p=21173"},"modified":"2024-10-21T08:40:29","modified_gmt":"2024-10-20T22:40:29","slug":"10-burning-questions-about-solar-answered","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/10-burning-questions-about-solar-answered\/","title":{"rendered":"10 burning questions about solar answered"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’ve been scratching your head, unsure about certain aspects of solar power<\/a>, you’re not alone. Realestate.com.au<\/a> asked their readers to submit their biggest solar queries and put them to our product development manager, Mark Di Iorio, to answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Do my solar panels produce power when the sun isn’t shining?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not all about direct sunlight hitting the panels, Di Iorio says. \u201cSolar panels<\/a> produce power based on UV light, so even during a cloudy day panels can still produce power,\u201d Di Iorio shares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A great way to maximise is this is through solar batteries. They capture and store unused energy generated by your solar panels<\/a> for you to use when the sun isn\u2019t shining. On average, Origin customers who have a solar and battery package<\/a> can save up to 60% on their energy bills depending on the size of their system and daily energy usage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Solar panels will still produce energy at low levels of light, but not at night. Picture: realestate.com.au\/buy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2. Can I go off-grid with solar panels?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is possible to go entirely off-grid<\/a> with a solar system<\/a>. However, unless you have a large solar battery<\/a> to complement your panels, it\u2019s unlikely. A battery<\/a> acts like a storage system for your energy, ensuring you have enough power to see you through a full 24-hour period and periods of low-light days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Di Iorio says you also need a specific solar inverter for off-grid<\/a> applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Do I still get an electricity bill?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, even if you have reduced your traditional electricity bill to nil, you may still incur some fees. \u201cElectricity bills <\/a>typically contain service to property charges<\/a> and you\u2019ll likely still have charges for night-time usage,\u201d Di Iorio confirms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A great way to understand the costs around solar<\/a>, and at your home specifically, is to use our solar calculator<\/a> which can estimate your purchase cost<\/a>, your electricity bill savings<\/a>, and how long till your system is paying for itself<\/a>. It also uses smart technology<\/a> to assess your roof size to accurately know how many panels can be used in your system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. How does solar affect my home’s value?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While it’s difficult to quantify a precise amount, most experts agree solar panels<\/a> will improve the value of your property<\/a>. Chief economist at realestate.com.au<\/a>, Nerida Conisbee, remarks that any increase in value<\/a> depends on your location and the quality or size of your system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, she cautions that this improvement is likely to be minimal in the context of the property’s overall value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Experts agree: solar is likely to increase your home’s value. Picture: realestate.com.au\/buy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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5. How can I tell if I need to increase or upgrade my system?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Typically, if you’re consuming most of your solar energy<\/a> and do not have enough to meet your daytime needs, it\u2019s likely you need a bigger system. \u201cTo get a better idea, you\u2019ll need some detailed reporting (like what you\u2019ll find in the Origin app<\/a> or online via My Account<\/a>) to determine if there are periods where you’re not exporting any solar energy<\/a> and still drawing from the grid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow often and when this happens \u2013 for example, this is fairly common in winter in Victoria \u2013 will determine if you could benefit from a bigger system,\u201d Di Iorio notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Will my solar panels withstand extreme weather conditions?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Yes, solar panels<\/a> are designed to operate in extreme weather conditions, Di Iorio says. However, it\u2019s important they are set up by a reputable installer to ensure extreme weather does not adversely affect the panels<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. How can I get the most value from my solar panels?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A great way to ensure your solar panels<\/a> are being used efficiently is by joining our virtual power plant<\/a>, Origin Loop<\/a>, which helps relieve pressure on the grid at times of high demand. Basically, Origin Loop<\/a>, is a new, technology-centred energy grid. It uses its smarts to assess when energy is most needed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The VPP<\/a> relies on customers to share their excess battery stored solar energy (max 200 kWh \/ year), working like a mini power plant<\/a> to manage energy supply and reduce load on the grid during periods of peak demand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the VPP<\/a> utilises accessible solar energy<\/a>, it\u2019s helping reduce reliance on coal power, helping move towards a renewable energy future<\/a> which is better for our communities and planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Solar panels require careful cleaning and maintenance to ensure they’re operating at their maximum capacity. Picture: Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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8. How much maintenance do solar panels need?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s recommended to have them professionally cleaned<\/a> annually to minimise the effects of soiling and increase panel output<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further to that, Di lorio says, \u201cPanels usually last up to 25 years, although it\u2019s likely your solar inverter<\/a> will need replacing from anywhere between five and 15 years\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. I\u2019m building a home. What do we need to do during the build to make sure we can install solar panels later on?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

“There is nothing specific you need to do \u2014 solar panels<\/a> can be retro-fitted to most homes,” Di Iorio says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, you might want to consider the roof orientation and possible obstructions (like TV antennas) to ensure there is clear, shade-free roof area available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. We just moved into a new home with solar. What do I need to know?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnsure the system is up to the current safety standards and get a solar service<\/a> or check-up to ensure the system is operating effectively,\u201d says Di Iorio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get solar sorted at your place<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At Origin, we’ll help you on your way to energy independence with tools, information, access to solar quotes<\/a> from our preferred partners, plus more. In less than 10 minutes, you can arrange up to 3 free solar and battery<\/a> quotes from our preferred partners for your property. You can also check out recommended solar system sizes, potential bill savings, and more. It’s free and without obligation+<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready to go solar? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Request a quote today<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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This article was originally published as 10 burning questions about solar energy answered<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re a buyer, renter or investor, you can find your place on\u00a0realestate.com.au<\/a>. As Australia\u2019s No.1 property site, you\u2019ll find the latest homes for sale, property news and real estate market data all in the one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

+<\/sup> Origin has a commercial agreement with our partner installers and receives a commission from them for each referral.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We put an energy expert in the hot seat to answer your biggest questions about solar energy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":21367,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[105,108],"tags":[157,49],"oe_author":[],"class_list":["post-21173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-at-home","category-future-energy","tag-rea-partnership","tag-solar"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21173","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=21173"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21173\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21367"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21173"},{"taxonomy":"oe_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.originenergy.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/oe_author?post=21173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}