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How to Utilise Your Solar Panels So You Can Save More
How to Utilise Your Solar Panels So You Can Save More
Written by
Rachel Gregg
Edited by
Laura Crowden
Reviewed by
Julia PaszkaCompare Electricity & Gas Plans
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Long story short
Timing your energy use pays off
Using appliances between 10 am–4 pm in summer or 11 am–2 pm in winter helps you tap into your own solar power, saving on grid costs.
Feed-in tariffs and VPPs can add extra value
Earn a few cents per kWh with feed-in tariffs (FiTs) or join a Virtual Power Plant to share excess power for potential savings.
Solar batteries store unused power
Most homes use just 25% of their solar energy but adding a battery can help increase it to 50-60%,1Solar Victoria – Five tips to maximise your solar savings cutting grid reliance and powering you through outages.
Solar panels lose efficiency slowly
Most solar panels lose about 0.5% efficiency per year but because solar panels can last up to 30 years, it’s a slow fade, not a sprint.2Tasmanian Safer Solar – Solar panel efficiency over time
Maintenance keeps panels working smarter
Cleaning and servicing panels every two years can improve efficiency and extend lifespan to keep those solar savings flowing.
What are the benefits of optimising my solar panels?
Everything ages, even your trusty solar panels. Just think about your phone battery. When it was fresh out of the box, you’d get a day and a half of battery life, but a few years later you’re scrambling for a charger by lunch. Luckily solar panels have a much longer lifespan (around 30 years) and will only lose about 0.5% efficiency a year.3As above So while there’s no need to panic just yet, making the most of your solar power can mean more savings and benefits down the line.
Here are some of the key benefits of optimising your panels:
- Environmental perks: everyone knows solar power is a great option for the environment. With zero emissions created, this limitless resource won’t cost the earth or run out in a few centuries.
- Improved solar panel lifespan: we all know that when you look after things, they last longer. Making sure your solar panels are kept clean and in top shape means that they’ll most likely still be performing well in 20 years’ time. So, you can continue getting your money’s worth out of them for longer.
- Reduced costs: Highly efficient solar panels can mean more energy generated for your home, and less reliance on the main grid. This means less money going out of your pockets on electricity bills and more staying in and helping to repay the initial cost to install your system.
How to use your solar panels effectively
Using your solar panels without optimising them is like going on a hike wearing thongs. Sure you’ll get there, but you could be doing it so much better. So, if you want to get the most out of your solar panels there are a few things you can look at.
Get to know your panels
Making sure you know how your panels work is like reading the instructions for a board game tutorial before you start playing. Now this doesn’t mean you’ll be an expert but knowing a few things sure can help things run more smoothly.
Making sure all the indicator lights on your inverter are on will help ensure everything is working as it should. You should also check that your panels are generating the same amount of power as quoted at the installation stage, as well as comparing the power output on cloudy and sunny days to get a better idea of your power and usage when your bill comes. If you have a smart meter this is a great tool to simplify everything and will help give you a good grip on what an efficient system should look like.
Panel orientation
In Australia, north-facing panels are usually the MVPs. But this doesn’t mean it’s the best position for all homes. If trees are blocking the sun or your roof isn’t north-facing, east or west can still bring solid results. While east or west sides might not get as much solar exposure as the north, they can still have their perks. West and east-orientated solar panels often generate power during peak usage times, with west getting more sun in the late afternoon and east in the morning.
Change your energy usage habits
Timing is everything when it comes to using your panels. If you only use a little bit of solar energy during the day and tend to use most of your energy in the evening, it could be time to rethink your usage habits to get those solar rays powering your home instead of wasting away.
Most solar panels will generate power from 8am – 5 pm, with peak hours between 10 am – 4 pm in summer and 11 am – 2 pm in winter. Using energy-hungry appliances like your washing machine or aircon during these times means you’ll tap into your own self-generated solar power instead of relying on more expensive electricity from the grid later in the night. This is called self-consumption and is one of (if not the best) way to use your solar panels.
Keep up with maintenance
Keeping on top of maintenance is the key to extending the life of anything. To make sure your solar panels keep absorbing all the sun they can, it’s best to have them serviced at least every two years by a licensed electrician. This should include cleaning the actual panels and the surrounding area, testing and inspecting cables, inverter switches etc.
For everyday care, you should make sure they are kept all nice and clean. Any build-up of dirt and debris can affect the efficiency of your panels so it’s important they’re clear and free to absorb all those golden rays. Panels are usually installed on a tilt to let rain wash away grime, but if you have trees growing a little longer and casting shade, it might be time for a trim.
Solar batteries
Adding a solar battery is a simple (yet costly) way to enhance your solar power system. Adding a battery will let you store up any unused power so when the sun sets you can use all that excess juice in your battery before or instead of jumping onto the main grid (which will cost you more). And since most solar-powered homes only use about 25% of the energy they produce that can leave a lot leftover for you to use later on.4Solar Victoria – Five tips to maximise your solar savings Installing a battery allows you to use around 50-60% of the energy your solar panels generate, allowing you to increase your self-consumption and potentially even have a power supply during any power outages (if you have the right setup).
Solar incentives
While you might’ve taken advantage of a solar rebate or two while setting up your system, there are still some incentives you can jump on once your panels are up and running to squeeze every penny out of your new solar setup.
The other option (if you have a solar battery) is a become part of a Virtual Power Plant (VPP). Being a part of a VPP allows a group of solar-powered homes to share their excess power with the main grid. Since these VPP homes have a solar battery, it means that after dark when the grid hits its rush hour, additional power can be pulled from your batteries. Joining a VPP is a great way to get rid of any excess power in your battery and get a nice little discount.
Feed-in Tariffs
If you’re enjoying smaller energy bills with your new panels, you could get an even better deal with a feed-in tariff. Feed-in tariffs, or FiTs, are how much your energy provider will pay you for any solar-generated power you feed back into the main grid from your panels as cents per kWh. While FiTs are generally seeing a bit of a decline compared to a few years back, they can still be a useful addition to self-consumption.
Helpful tip:
Thinking of adding more solar panels down the track? It’s pretty common to start small and later decide it’s worth the investment to beef up your setup. If this is your home, there are some tips to think about before creating a mismatched solar panel mosaic on your roof. Choosing from different solar panel brands is all good and well but you’ll want to make sure that they’re the same voltage, current or wattage. If they’re not, your system will default to the weakest link—meaning you could lose out on a lot of power and efficiency. No one wants that!
Julia Paszka
General Manager – Utilities
How do I tell if my solar panels need replacing?
Even if you do all of the above, your solar panels won’t last forever. Age, weather and accidents all take their toll on your panels, so there will likely come a time when they’ll need to be replaced.
The easiest way to tell if your solar panels need an upgrade will be to check your bills. A small drop in solar output over the years is normal, but if your bills are noticeably higher compared to five years ago, it could signal your panels are losing their mojo. If your solar panels have been through it after a natural disaster or an accident that’ll likely mean a replacement. And if you find any burn marks on your panels it’ll be time for a check-in with an installer, since it could mean lamination issues (which keep panels air and watertight) or corroded panels. But keep in mind that most panels shouldn’t need to be replaced for 25 to 30 years.
Ready to turn up the power?
Making sure your panels are working to their best can feel like finding loose change in the couch but pairing them up with a great energy plan is like getting a freebie on the side of your Friday night takeout. To find a solar plan to fit your needs, start a comparison from a range of providers or call us at 1800 664 532 to chat with an energy comparison expert. You’ve done the hard work installing solar panels — now let us help you try and make the most of it.
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