Depending on your point of view, Australia is blessed (or cursed) with seemingly inexhaustible supplies of fossil fuel. As a nation, we are heavily reliant on coal to generate electricity and we have perhaps the cheapest energy tariff in the world. These factors have ensured that up until now we have given little thought as to how we consume electricity. As a result, Australia has the highest carbon dioxide emissions per capita of any country.
   Global warming is now recognised as a very real threat to our way of life. While energy demand is projected to grow, using fossil fuels to supply this demand over the long-term is seen as unsustainable. Beyond switching off our lights and not leaving things on stand-by, it is time to take a serious look at alternative energy sources.
   Solar is perhaps the best explored of all renewable energy technologies. It is a non-polluting source of energy that produces zero emissions and, unlike fossil fuels such as coal and gas, is inexhaustible.

How solar works

1. Solar power systems use photovoltaic technology to convert sunlight into electricity through solar modules, which produce an electrical charge.

2. The DC 12V current passes to an inverter, which converts it to grid format AC 240V 50Hz that is compatible with the mains electricity grid.

3. Electricity then travels directly to any electrical appliances being used in the home. At night, your house draws energy from the grid as normal.

4. Surplus electricity is fed into the mains electricity grid and generates a credit.

Will solar work for my home?

   Some properties are more suited to solar than others. To get the best from a solar system, there are a few important attributes your home should have.
   A north-facing roof area is essential and you need a minimum of 8m2 of clear roof space. Ideally, the roof will be pitched, as solar panels should be installed at an angle to the sun to generate electricity most efficiently. A popular misconception is that solar panels will work in the shade, but your roof should also be free of shade from adjacent buildings or trees. Installing a grid interactive solar system is straightforward and usually completed in a day. Solar systems can be mounted on most roof surfaces, although tile and tin roofs are the most straightforward (and most common). Panels are connected together by ‘plug-in’ leads and then connected to your electricity meter using standard electrical cabling.

Reasons to go solar

   So why aren’t more people turning to solar? Quite simply, because until recently solar has been unaffordable for the average homeowner. However, this is changing.
   Firstly, the cost of electricity is rising. Energy Australia has put its prices up twice in the last year and increases are set to continue.
   It is hard to know by how much they will rise in the future, but speculative estimates of 15% to 30% increases are not unrealistic. That is every year, by the way - indefinitely! There are also ‘feed-in tariffs’ to consider. When we use electricity, we are charged according to a usage tariff or cost per kWh. The principle behind feed-in tariffs is that energy providers pay a premium rate for electricity generated by you from renewable sources, thereby providing an incentive for people to install solar systems on their homes. Most state now have a feed-in tariff, with ACT, NSW and VIC all offering at least 60c per kWh paid for energy exported to the grid.

So what does all this mean to me?

   In short, it means that solar power systems are more affordable now than they ever have been. Depending on the system size and rebates applicable, people will see a payback period of as low as five to eight years. Those homeowners whose solar system generates more than 50% of their daily electricity usage are even likely to make money from solar. A six-panel, 1 kW entry-level solar system will generate anywhere between 5% and 100% of your energy needs. If your daily usage is 5 kWh, a 1 kW solar system will come close to covering all of your energy needs. But if you use 10 kWh a day, it will cover around 40%. So the more you are able to reduce your electricity usage, the more value you will get from your solar installation.
   As a rule of thumb, you would want solar to cover between 25% and 50% of your electricity usage to achieve a decent return on the capital investment within a reasonable timeframe. For many people, a 2 kW system would easily achieve this.
   In a few years time it is likely people will wonder why it took Australia so long to ‘warm up’ to solar energy. When the average electricity bill rises to $800 a quarter, perhaps we will begin to rethink the way we use electricity and begin to see technologies such as solar in a different light. H