From the category archives:

FAQ’s

Western Australia Solar Feed-in Tariff: Can I increase my system size?

October 6, 2011
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Western Australia suspended its 20c/kWh solar feed-in tariff (FiT) scheme at 8am 1 August 2011 with no state-sponsored scheme to replace it (although there is still a Solar Buyback scheme in place from WA electricity retailers). Some people who already have a solar power system installed on their property and are receiving the FiT in [...]

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Solar power: oversizing your inverter for future array expansion

May 4, 2011
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You are thinking about installing a solar power generation system for your home. Initially, you’d like your system to have enough solar photovoltaic panels to partially or totally meet your energy demand requirements, but you’d also like to have the option in the future to add more. You might do this for a number of [...]

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Solar Panels and trees: both share an affinity for the sun…

April 30, 2011
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The Solar Choice blog is full of good advice. We have written about how to orient your solar panels, how to determine what size system you’ll need, how much you might expect to earn or save through government solar power incentives (feed-in tariffs and RECs) with a solar PV system, and how to troubleshoot electricity production [...]

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East or West orientation for solar panels

April 19, 2011
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Determining the orientation and tilt angle of your solar power generation system is one of the most important considerations in designing your solar power system. As we have mentioned before, in the southern hemisphere, due North is the optimum orientation for panels. But not everyone has a perfectly oriented roof. When your two best options [...]

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Troubleshooting your grid-connected solar power system

March 18, 2011
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On our blog we often receive comments from people who have installed solar power systems but, for some reason or other, are not seeing the optimal or anticipated performance from their system. Although the best approach in such a case is usually to contact your installer and ask for advice (especially if your system is [...]

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Asbestos in my roof! Can I install solar panels?

February 24, 2011
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You are now mentally and financially prepared and willing to go ahead with a solar panel (photovoltaic) installation on the roof of your home. The only problem is, after having your potential installer come out and have a look at it, you’ve found out that your roof has got asbestos in it and your installer [...]

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Making an informed decision-Questions to ask yourself when considering solar power

February 2, 2011
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We here at Solar Choice are regularly asked about not only technical issues related to solar power, but also about which Installers are the most reputable and dependable. Even before considering these very critical points, there is the important issue of deciding if Solar Electricity is the right investment for your home and energy security. [...]

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Can I get more Solar Credits for a second solar system for my home?

December 9, 2010
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A great number of people throughout Australia are taking advantage of the federal government’s Solar Credit scheme, which offers financial incentives for solar power installations on their homes. Many people are also wondering if they can get additional Solar Credits for a second or third installation on the same property–like on the roof of a [...]

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Frequently Asked Questions!

August 5, 2010
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We get asked a lot of questions and sometimes the answers just remain on the page of the article and it is hard for others to keep track of them, so we have decided to summarize some of the key questions we have faced here is a summary of answers to frequently asked questions. Blog [...]

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Solar Panel System Design and Reliability for non-grid-connected systems

April 28, 2010
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One of the biggest decisions for any engineer when designing a system is reliability. However, you don’t have to be an engineer to design your own Solar Energy Panel system. Well, not after you read about these system design tips! Blog this! Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Share with Stumblers Tweet [...]

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Australian Solar Cities & Communities Growing!

April 26, 2010
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Adelaide, Townsville, Blacktown, Alice Springs, Central Victoria, Perth and Coburg are getting $75 Million dollars over 5 years to demonstrate high penetration uptake of solar technologies, energy efficiency and smart metering. So what have they done so far? Blog this! Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Share with Stumblers Tweet about it [...]

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Emerging Solar Energy Panel Trends

April 21, 2010
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The University of New South Wales holds the record for producing the highest efficiency solar energy cells and has had the privilege of holding this record for approximately 20 years, from the likes of Stanford University (USA). So when Stuart Wenham, the director of the UNSW program, recently gave his predictions on the future trends [...]

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How does my Solar Energy Panel perform over time?

April 19, 2010
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Last week in “The Manufacturing and Science behind Solar Energy Panels” we talked about the different types of solar panels you could purchase and what all those complicated names meant. This week we shall focus on all the reasons why your cells might not be performing up to specification and whether its a temporary problem [...]

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The Manufacturing and Science behind Solar Energy Panels

April 6, 2010
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An introduction to the manufacturing and science about the solar energy panels that are on your roof already, and the panels that you are considering to put on your roof, and how they could impact your return on investment. Blog this! Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Share with Stumblers Tweet about [...]

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What is Environmental Performance Disclosure?

March 25, 2010
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Yet another reason to go solar! In the second half of this year mandatory disclosure will be introduced for commercial office buildings with a leasable space over 2000 square metres. Environmental Performance Disclosure will then be phased in for all residential premises across all Australian states and territories by May 2011. So……… Blog this! Digg [...]

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Can We Trust Solar Energy Panels From China?

March 22, 2010
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With China being in the news for toy’s being coated with lead paint and other controversial issues with quality control it is quite normal to have concerns with their products and whether their solar panels will work for as long as they say it will or will there be any unexpected defects? So how do [...]

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REC/STC prices guaranteed at $40–but only if sold through ORER

March 2, 2010
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On Friday 27 February 2010 the Minister for Climate Change announced some very positive changes to the prices of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs, also known as Small-scale Technology Certificates or STCs). The changes add to options for the ways that RECs/STCs generated from the Solar Credits scheme can be traded. (Get a free solar quote comparison for installers [...]

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Home energy consumption versus solar PV generation

February 16, 2010
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(There have been a number of changes to feed-in tariff policy across the Australian states–most notably that the NSW Solar Bonus scheme has been suspended. Please see our feed-in tariff page to see what solar incentives are on offer in your state!) You may be wondering, if I install a 1.5kW solar PV system, how [...]

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Gross Metering Details for Energy Australia New South Wales

February 9, 2010
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There is a lot of discussion in the industry regarding exactly how the New South Wales Solar Bonus Scheme will affect properties meter boxes and connections with the grid. Solar Choice has done the preliminary research, and has an update for all NSW solar energy customers, especially those with Energy Australia. Blog this! Digg this [...]

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How do I use electricity throughout the day – the load curve

January 28, 2010
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The previous article, how to save energy in your home, told you how on aggregate you use electricity in the home – that is, what percentage of your power is used by certain appliances. But how do you use electricity during the day, hour by hour? What appliances are on and when, and how does your consumption look in the morning, evening, [...]

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How to save energy in your home

January 28, 2010
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Every quarter that electricity bill rolls in, and you may be left wondering – how is it so high, and how am I using that much energy? Here is a summary of how the typical home in NSW uses energy, and where it all goes. Blog this! Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin [...]

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