Solar panels and systems

 Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, or solar panels, are a way of capturing sunlight and converting it into electricity. They reduce the amount of electricity you need from the grid, which lowers your energy costs.

The average Sydney household can save up to $900 a year by installing a 4-kilowatt solar system on their roof. Solar technology is getting better and cheaper – an average 4-kilowatt rooftop solar system could be paid off in less than five years through lower energy bills. Solar panels for home cost

The value of your solar energy is based on a combination of how much you self-consume and how much you export. If you have a 3kW solar system that produces 11.6kWh/day (as in the table above), but you only manage to self-consume 50% of that, then your savings will be smaller than if you managed to self-consume 80% – or even, ideally, 100%.

• Best solar power systems

Sydney is a great place for solar power, and roughly 10-20% of Sydney area homes have solar panels installed on their roofs.

Solar power is a great investment for virtually any home that has a reasonably-sized, unshaded roof and some electricity consumption during the daylight hours.

Solar helps you reduce the amount of energy you need to purchase from your electricity retailer / the grid. This is commonly referred to as ‘solar self-consumption‘, and it is the key to making the most of your solar system – you should do everything you can to maximize your self-consumption.

• Solar installers

The best angle to install solar panels is the angle your roof is already at. While it is possible to use frames that alter the tilt of the panels, unless there are special circumstances, these are not worth it these days, as it is generally cheaper and easier to just install extra panels.

The majority of roofs in Australia have a pitch of either 15 or 22.5 degrees. But Sydney also has many homes with steeper roofs of 30 degrees or more. There is very little difference in output over a year between a shallow 15 degree roof and a steep 45 degree roof. Solar System Cost Sydney

Shallow roofs provide a mild advantage to households that have high summer air conditioning demand, while steeper roofs provide a mild advantage to those who use more electricity on winter days. Compared to panels on a shallow 15 degree roof, those on a steep 45 degree roof will produce around 18% less electricity in Sydney.