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Solar Choice

From the category archives:

Installation advice

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!

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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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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.

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Get a discount by buying in bulk – set up a Solar Community

January 27, 2010
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Setting up a solar community is a great way to do a big thing for the environment. If you’re a local council, it’s a great way to reduce the carbon footprint of your municipality and provide a helpful service and discount to your residents who would like to go solar. Here is a description of what they are, [...]

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Solar trackers

January 21, 2010
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A good way to maximise the output of your solar PV system is to have it mounted on a solar tracker. Solar trackers can boost the electrical output of your PV system significantly, allowing you to earn more income from the feed-in tariff. However, as discussed in this article, the economics of solar trackers are [...]

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How much energy will my solar cells produce?

Thumbnail image for How much energy will my solar cells produce? January 19, 2010

The electrical energy output of solar cells is obviously one of the crucial things that you need to know when looking to install a solar system. Some solar energy companies are giving a wide variety of unreferenced numbers, so we have done our research and provide you with fully referenced and reliable information for you to consider.

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Ground mounted solar PV systems

January 13, 2010
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The majority of home solar installations are rooftop mounted panels. Roofs offer a practical and ready location to install solar cells on most occasions. But on some occasions the rooftop is just not suitable, or optimal. In this situation the alternative is to have your solar PV system mounted on the ground. This article will outline [...]

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Solar Panel Tilt and Orientation in Australia

Thumbnail image for Solar Panel Tilt and Orientation in Australia January 7, 2010

Solar panels are installed differently based on their geographic locations throughout the world. The premise behind this is simple; the sun is in a different place in the sky, so panels need to be directed according to this positioning.

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What happens if my solar energy installation is slightly over the Feed in Tariff limit?

Thumbnail image for What happens if my solar energy installation is slightly over the Feed in Tariff limit? January 6, 2010

So you’ve made the decision to install solar panels on you roof and would like to take full advantage of the Feed in Tariff’s available. How big can you make your system, and what are the limits for the Feed in Tariff?

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Your Gross or Net Solar Electricity Meter

December 17, 2009

This article will identify the type of electricity meter you’ll require for your solar energy system. This will depend on your State’s respective Feed In Tariff Scheme and once the proper meter is installed you’ll be able to properly feed into the grid. For your solar energy system you will either have a Net or [...]

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Which electricity retailer is giving the best solar feed in tariff?

December 11, 2009
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Solar energy feed in tariffs (where you’re paid for the solar energy you generate and feed back into the grid) exist in one form or another in all states of Australia, except WA and Tasmania. As the different electricity retailers scramble to attract customers some providers are offering rates higher then the minimum stipulated by their respective state governments. Below [...]

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List of CEC (formerly BCSE) Approved Solar Energy Components

November 5, 2009

The reality of the situation in Australia is that there is a diverse number of panels, inverters and installers in the solar industry. These three factors are the most important and vital to customers looking at installing a solar energy system on their properties. If even one of these considerations turns out to be unreliable, [...]

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Example of personal service from Solar Choice broker

October 5, 2009

Hi Adam,
Great to hear from you.
Okay, so really the comparison of a 1.5 and 2kW system comes down to a larger outlay for a larger system. But is it worth it? Let’s put aside the environmental and social aspects of this and examine in purely economic terms the pros and cons.

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What size solar power installation should you buy?

February 22, 2009

A Solar Choice broker will help you, at no charge, decide what size solar energy installation best suits your needs and budget. In the meantime, we hope the following factors will assist you in making the right decision.

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Which solar panel type best suits your needs – monocrystalline, polycrystalline or amorphous thin film?

January 29, 2009

Many Solar Choice customers are initially uncertain which solar panel type best suits their individual needs.
While there are numerous brands on the markert, there are essentially just three types of technologies involved in making a solar panel – monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin film amorphous.
The following descriptions sets out the relative advantages or disadvantages of each [...]

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Solar installations – a short 101

January 22, 2009

There are two main types of solar installations. The first and most common system connects your solar energy system with the main electricity grid. This Grid Connect system allows you to feed energy back into the grid through your meter, and be financially rewarded for it by your energy company. See our Feed-In Rewards page.
The [...]

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Our approach to solar energy installations

January 22, 2009

To begin with, we don’t sell our own solar energy installations. Our goal is to help you find the solar energy system that best suits your individual needs, at the best price.
We listen to what your solar energy requirements are, and then do the following:
Assess your entitlement to the various Government solar cash-back schemes, [...]

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