We all know that solar systems allow us to generate electricity from sunlight to power our own homes, which therefore helps to lower our energy bills. However, are you sure you are making the most out of your panels to maximise your savings?
Here are 5 ways to get the best out of your solar system.
Monitor your household usage
The first thing you need to do is to pay attention to what, when and how you are using electricity at home. Do you run most of your appliances during the day or night? When is your peak power usage?
It is also worth noting down the power rating of your household appliances, so that you can identify the ones that use the most electricity.
Once you have a good understanding of which appliance is using how much electricity and when, you can plan your usage better to make the most out of your solar power.
For example, if your washing machine and clothes dryer are high energy drawing appliances, you could use them during the day between 10am and 2pm, as that is the peak time for solar power generation.
Stagger using appliances
When several appliances are run at the same time, the electricity usage may exceed the amount of power that your solar panels are generating. You will then be forced to use electricity from the grid, leading to additional energy costs.
By staggering the use of your appliances, you can keep your electricity consumption within what is generated by your solar system.
Some ways to stagger the use of appliances include: cook dinner before using the washing machine, or start the dishwasher after you have vacuumed the house.
Try to use one appliance at a time, and run most of them during the day if possible.
Shop the best electricity deals
When looking for power companies, take the time to shop around to find the best power plan that suits your requirement and usage.
Most energy providers in Australia offer good feed-in tariffs as part of their solar plans, but a higher feed-in tariff rate does not always mean that it is the best overall deal. There are other factors to consider, including the supply charge that you will be billed, or the limit to your feed-in tariff according to the number of kilowatt-hours you export.
Compare each retail electricity plan and consider the offer as a whole, and don’t be afraid to bargain for a better deal.
Regular maintenance
Over time, dirt and dust can build up on the surface of your solar panels, and cleaning your solar panels at least twice a year can increase efficiency by as much as 5%.
Besides that, water, wind, hail and sunlight can also cause some damage to your system, and regular maintenance will ensure that your system keeps performing safely and efficiently.
As solar system components may still pose an electrical hazard even when the system is switched off, and some maintenance tasks may be required to be done on the roof, it is recommended that you only get a Clean Energy Council-accredited solar panel system installer or a licensed electrician for solar system maintenance works.
Check your system monitoring
It is important to check your system monitoring regularly for information including the amount of energy produced daily, the consumption of electricity produced, and more.
By monitoring the solar power generation and electricity consumption constantly, you will be able to adjust your usage as needed to get the most out of your system.
Besides that, you can also easily know if your system is operating as it should, and if anything looks wrong, you would be able to contact your installer or seek advice quickly.
Total Solar Solutions Australia is a Clean Energy Council Approved Solar Retailer, and an authorised installation partner for LG. To find out more about solar systems for residential or commercial applications, get in touch with our team today. We also offer a range of competitive financing options.
Call us now on (03) 9729 0894 or get a free quote today.