The sunny side to life! 🌞
When it comes to building a sustainable home, solar panels are a great way to reduce our carbon footprint, save money on bills, and increase the resale value of our home.
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Solar panels convert sunlight into energy and supply it to our home. Any energy that our home doesn’t use, gets exported back to the grid, and we get paid back or a Feed-in Tariff (FiT) for the excess energy we produce.
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😉 Tip: It is more efficient to use the solar power you generate than to export it back to the grid. Put on the dishwasher and washing machine at noon…
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🤔 Which direction should our solar panels face?
The best orientation for solar panels in the Southern Hemisphere is north facing. This is the best position to receive sunlight during the day.
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✍ Note: If your solar panels can’t face north, there has been success seen in installing solar panels that face east (morning sun) and west (late afternoon sun) too.
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🤔 Which roof material should I use?
You can install solar panels on most types of roofing, but certain materials complement solar panels better - making the installation more efficient and less costly.
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😉 Hint: Metal roofs have screws in place as part of installation which can be reused for solar panels, reducing the need for extra drilling and costs.
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🤔 Does it fit into our budget?
Sustainability is an investment. It may come at a cost now, but with more savings in the long run. There are national and state rebates available which can reduce the cost of purchasing and installing solar. Every year, on January 1st, the solar rebate reduces. This change is part of the phase-out program, aiming to reduce the rebate to 0 by 2031.
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✍ Note: To receive the solar rebate in SA, your solar panels and inverter must be approved by the Clean Energy Council (CEC) and your system must be installed by a CEC and Tesla Powerwall accredited and trained installer. @jedd.dunbar.electrical @hankinselectrical
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Don’t forget to speak to your builder early about your plan to install solar panels - they can support your dream of building a sustainable home, oh and then no more fear of lights! 💡
