Your Energy Requirements:
You need to look at your current usage, a 6.6kW system might be what any other cheap installer offers you – which sometimes is appropriate, but any real company worth their salt will look at your current energy requirements when installing solar, your main goal should be total energy independence, using the grid as a backup in times of increased usage or during the night. It’s not worth putting up a 6.6kW system on your roof if you’re using 50kWh a day!
Physical Roof Capabilities:
Another consideration to look at when installing solar is what you can actually fit on your roof. We’ve had a few clients that have wanted the massive 13.2kW system, but unfortunately, they don’t have the actual roof space to accommodate the sheer number of panels. Our talented designers can usually overcome issues like difficult roof layouts with a large number of ridges & valleys using Enphase microinverters, but we can’t make extra roof space.
Seasonal Generation:
One mistake I see a lot of people make when planning for solar is just looking at peak generation during summer and not really thinking about the differences in generation throughout the seasons. For example, a 6.6kW system with a good roof design can generate up to 35.3kw a day in January but we have seen that figure drop to 9.83kW a day in June! In the winter you typically use more energy to heat the home, so this is something worth factoring in.
When You Use Your Energy:
If you work away from home during the day or use a lot of energy during the night, you’d want to maximise your savings by using the power you generated during the day with a solar battery, like a Tesla Powerwall 2 or SonnenBatterie and avoid those peak usage tariffs!
Future Usage:
I’ve got a saying when it comes to solar panels “Panels on the roof is like money in the bank, you can never have too much!”. If you over-size your system thinking about potential future usage, it may work to your benefit. As internal combustion cars phase out and EV ownership ramps up it could be a smart pay to ensure that you can charge your car and keep your bills low. Another thing to consider is how much of your home will be electrified, getting off the gas and getting a reverse cycle air conditioner? Maybe you’re looking at getting a heat pump for your hot water service or doing a kitchen reno and fitting an electric stovetop? With modern solar panels designed to last 25+ years with the warranty to back them up, it can save you money to think forward towards the future!
