The majority of the solar energy is captured in the daytime but most people are not able to use it then. Therefore it begs the question: Will I be better off from a solar installation if I am at work during the daytime?
Solar panels absorb sunlight to “generate” power for your household appliances. Without a solar battery, excess electricity is generally sold back to the grid. Hence, a household with high energy consumption in the day benefits the most. It does not mean however, if you are out working in normal work hours that solar is not for you.
Offsetting daytime consumption
Most homes with solar panels are connected to the electricity grid. Being connected will be helpful as cloudy or rainy days are inevitable. Hence, when there is less electricity generated you can draw what you need from the grid.
If nobody is home during the day and electrical use is limited, you can take advantage of the feed-in tariffs. These are credits earned for the excess electricity sold to the grid. Excess electricity is sold per kWh. The rate of solar energy you send to the grid is lower than the rate you pay for getting energy from the grid. But as bad as this is, it is more than you would have earned in the past.
Electricity Charge Rises. Hence, Feed-in Tariffs Rate Follows
Electricity prices in Queensland rose to over 60% in the past decade. The inflation is said to be from the lack of competition.
But as electricity cost rose, the solar feed-in tariff rate in Queensland also rose by 77% in July 2017. This makes it as high as 10.6c per kWh compared to 6.0c per kWh.
Conclusion
Electricity is expensive; less so is solar. And while a solar installation can be expensive, it is more expensive not to have solar. Instead of paying high prices for electricity, leverage the price rise. Lean on the higher tariffs, reduce your electricity bills. Using this approach, you can save thousands over the lifetime of your solar.
In the past, a good estimate for choosing solar or relying on the grid could be estimated. If your daily electricity use was 30% or more of the solar electricity generated, then it was worthwhile. But now with the feed-in tariffs increase, Solar power is definitely financially worthwhile. To get an Energy Audit, complete our form or the details below.