The amount of electricity a solar panel produces is obviously one of the crucial things that you need to know when looking to install a solar system. Some solar energy companies are […]
How Much Electricity Does A Solar Panel Produce?
Category: What are the right solar PV cells for you?
Solar Choice blog articles about solar panels, and which ones are right for you. The typical options for a residential solar system are monocrystalline cells, polycrystalline cells, and amorphous silicon cells.
Tips for going solar with a fiddly, inner city rooftop
If you take a look at the APVI’s Solar Status Map, a curious thing you’ll notice is that the penetration rates for rooftop solar in Australia’s most densely populated capital […]
Solar panel reliability testing: More relevant than tier ranking for solar homes & businesses?
Deciding whether you’re happy with a solar installers’ panel offering can be tricky business in a market flooded with different options (as is the case in Australia). Fortunately, DNV GL […]
What is a “Tier 1” solar panel? Tier 2 or 3?
When purchasing a solar system, the quality of the components to be used is frequently a key consideration. However, differentiating one brand from another may not be so simple, especially […]
Solar Choice PV Price Index – March 2013
Previous Solar Choice Photovoltaic (PV) Price Indexes for 2013 reveal an industry in transition. Solar PV Prices in January were significantly more expensive than in December 2012, as a result of the […]
SunPower Solar Panels in Australia
The world record for solar panel efficiency goes to SunPower‘s solar panels: 24% cell efficiency (sunlight –> usable electricity in laboratory conditions) and 19.6% conversion efficiency (sunlight –> […]
Off-grid solar power system in Sydney’s Western Suburbs
Nev and Linda Sweeney have been living on their 500-square-meter suburban plot in Sydney’s St Clair Suburb since the early 1980s, and have been trying to live sustainably using the […]
Electricity price comparisons: Choosing a retailer
You’re interesting in bringing your home into the 21st century by going solar. Great. This is not likely a decision that you’ll make lightly. Calculating what size solar system your […]
SilexSolar SLX Panels: Australian solar power
Update 30 May 2012: SilexSolar has ceased solar panel manufacturing. As SilexSolar parent company SilexSystems is remains operational, however, warranties on SilexSolar products will still be serviceable. Silex is Australia’s […]
Desert Knowledge Solar Centre: Solar Panel Performance Comparisons
If you are looking for a direct comparison between different or competing brands of solar panels in Australia, you would be wise to visit the Desert Knowledge Australia Solar Centre. […]
Suntech Solar Panels in Australia
Suntech is the largest manufacturer of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules in the world. Suntech’s 350-person strong research and development (R&D) team spans three continents. Although Suntech’s head office and manufacturing operations […]
Solar PV Windows: BIPV Technology by Pythagoras Solar
As it currently stands with most buildings, the sun’s light is often a burden, especially in summer, when it heats up exteriors and necessitates energy to be spent on cooling. Pythagoras […]
The other type of solar power: Concentrating solar power (CSP)
When most people think of solar power, they imagine solar photovoltaics, the technology whereby sunlight is turned directly into (dc) electricity via the p-n junction of a semiconductor material, such […]
MIT produces glass-like solar photovoltaic cells
A potentially major breakthrough for the future of solar photovoltaic power has been achieved at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): organic solar cells that are transparent for visible light, […]
Flexible Thin-film Solar photovoltaics
In a previous Solar Choice blog entry, Prateek Chourdia wrote about some emerging trends in the future of photovoltaic solar technology, including thin-film solar power. This entry will summarise some […]
How to install a solar panel mounting system on your roof
For most people who decide to mount solar panels on their roof, a mounting system is necessary. This short entry explains the basics of what needs to be taken into […]
Solar-powered carports
The number of small, simple ways to put solar power to use in daily life seems virtually endless, and opportunities present themselves at every corner. Solar carports are one innovative […]
BIPV: Building-integrated Photovoltaics, the future of PV
Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) is exactly what the name indicates: solar power generation modules that are integrated directly into a building in the place of ordinary building materials. BIPV differs in […]
Troubleshooting your grid-connected solar power system
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 […]
Ever-improving PV technology dilemma: Should I wait to buy my solar array?
You are thinking about getting a solar PV system for your home, and in your research have come to understand what the major considerations are: your electricity demand and how […]
Can We Trust Solar Energy Panels From China?
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 […]
Get a discount by buying in bulk – set up a Solar Community
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 […]
Putting solar cells on your holiday home – a nice little earner
For those of you luck enough to own a holiday home you no doubt already know that renting it out to friends and the public is a great way to earn […]
List of CEC (formerly BCSE) Approved Solar Energy Components
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 […]
Remote Power Rebate still available in Western Australia
On the 22nd of June, 2009, the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program (RRPGP) was closed to all Australian States and Territories except Western Australia. Households, businesses and community buildings in […]
Which solar panel type best suits your needs – monocrystalline, polycrystalline or amorphous thin film?
While there are numerous brands on the market, there are essentially just three types of technologies involved in making a solar panel – monocrystalline, polycrystalline and thin film amorphous. The […]
Solar installations – a short 101
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 […]
Our approach to solar energy installations
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 […]
