Two important factors to consider before installing solar panels

Green living is all the rage these days. With more focus being given to the destruction of the environment, people who are conscious about how they impact nature are finding ways to lessen their carbon footprint. However, they are still a minority compared with the larger worldwide population that still rely on traditional methods of producing and using energy that is not only harmful to the environment but is also not sustainable.

Solar power is ubiquitous in a way that it is, in fact, sustainable and clean, but wider use of this technology is yet to be realised. Nevertheless, many countries around the world, especially Australia have made exciting strides in terms of its use. The Queensland state, for example, is considered to be a world leader due to the sheer number of households and commercial establishments that have converted to solar power use.

It is true that solar power systems have become more affordable, but the initial investment is still significant if you are looking at how much an average household would be willing to spend. How do you know if adopting solar power is the best choice for your home?

The amount of electricity used

The primary determining factor for whether or not solar power is a good choice for your home is to start by knowing these two things: how much electricity you use, and what time of the day you use the most electricity.

When you do consider a solar installation, the energy generated by the panels will be allocated first for major appliances and any excess is returned to the grid. By means of a feed-in tariff, you will be paid for the energy exported to the grid. Sounds good, right? But it is, in fact, more cost-effective to use the energy you produce than export it to the grid. This brings you to consider the next point, which is the time of day you use the most electricity.

In general, homes that use the most electricity during the day, which is when your solar panels are generating energy, can realise an earlier return on investment for installing solar panels. In as little as three years, these homes can already get around 20-25% return on the investment.

On the other hand, if your home is generally empty during the day because you are at work, a solar power system may pay you back in savings after seven to ten years. Nevertheless, you will still get around 10-12% back from your investment.

Collect information

When determining how much energy you use, a more reliable data measurement is every half-hour of electricity used. To collect this information for a few weeks, you can buy an energy monitor. Once you have the information, you can use it to get a quote and determine the size of the solar system that will give you the highest amount of savings.

There are a number of reputable solar installers who can help you with choosing a solar panel system that suits your home. Check online solar quotes to find out more about the advantages of switching to solar power.