In recent years, there has been a significant drop in the price of solar panels in Australia.
These days, a solar panel can range anywhere from less than one hundred dollars to more than five hundred dollars for a single unit. The price of solar panels is determined by several factors, all of which will be discussed in more detail here.
When deciding the optimal size of solar panels to install your solar power system, keeping a few key considerations in mind is essential.
This is very important. Other concerns besides the sticker price Because you will have to live with the results of your purchase decision for a very long time, you should strive to get the highest possible return on your investment.
It would be best if you didn’t make a purchase decision based solely on the price of solar panels. Here are some pointers to consider when selecting the optimal modules for your particular residential solar panel installation scenario:
What Are The Different Types Of Solar Panels?
The two most popular panel varieties in Australia are monocrystalline and polycrystalline. You probably don’t need to worry about the third type, thin-film, as it is uncommon here (if you’re truly curious about thin-film panels, read more about them below).
Solar panels made of polycrystalline and monocrystalline materials are both dependable and effective.
Naturally, there is constant disagreement within the industry as to whether monocrystalline panels are superior to polycrystalline panels and vice versa. The differences today, though, are subtle.
Regardless of the panel type, the make and model you select and how they are placed should be of the highest calibre.
Check if the panels are being advised to have a strong warranty and the manufacturer has a good presence in Australia rather than fretting about whether you should select Monocrystalline over Polycrystalline (including a warranty service department in case you need to make a claim).
Talk to your installer about your alternatives. Quality, efficiency, amount and warranties may vary between solar panel bands and their models.
Before making a choice, it’s important to check internet product reviews. Solar panels capture the light from the sun and then convert it into electrical energy. There are three distinct varieties of solar panels, which are as follows:
- Thin-film
- Polycrystalline
- Monocrystalline
Monocrystalline
- Extremely effective
- Either dark blue in colors or light
- Perhaps slightly more expensive than Polycrystalline
These solar cells are made from smaller silicon crystals and have a uniform blue or black appearance. Monocrystalline cells are generally the most efficient.
However, they have curved corners, which waste space when the cells are combined to form a solar panel. As a result, monocrystalline panels outperform polycrystalline panels only marginally.
Polycrystalline
- A shade of blue, either light or dark
- Extremely effective.
- Taking up slightly more roof area than monocrystalline panels while producing the same amount of power
The silicon for polycrystalline cells is poured into moulds instead of being cut from a single crystal, as is the case with monocrystalline cells.
The end product is a solar cell that is less pure yet is precisely square. Polycrystalline cells have a reputation for lower energy conversion efficiencies, but when integrated to make a panel, there is less wasted space.
Consequently, they are less efficient than monocrystalline panels but far less expensive.
Thin Film
- Space-intensive than mono- or polycrystalline
- Black-looking
- Mono or polycrystalline less efficient
These solar panels are the product of a unique manufacturing method.
Spraying a silicon coating onto a surface rather than manufacturing cells from silicon crystals or cutting them out is the method used to produce thin film panels.
Compared to monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels, these panels are more cumbersome and significantly less effective; yet, their production is substantially more cost-effective.
What Are The Other Factors Of Panel Cost & Value?
As not all module manufacturers are equal. Instead of basing your decision to buy something just on its price.
Tolerance
Within this range, a panel will either produce more power than its rated capacity or less power than its rated capacity. For instance, a solar module you purchase might have a wattage of 200W written on its “nameplate.”
Despite this, there are problems with quality control, so even under perfect circumstances, the output might only be 195W.
A module with a positive tolerance rating will not only create 200 watts but probably generate more beyond that under the usual test conditions.
Temperature Co-Efficient
When analysing the effect that heat will have on the performance of a solar panel after it has been installed, the temperature co-efficient rating is an essential factor to consider.
The better off you are, the lower the proportion that corresponds to each degree of Celsius.
Even though the cost of a module with a low-temperature co-efficiency may be slightly higher, investing in one could benefit Australia because of the country’s typically warm climate.
Effectiveness Of The Conversion
The power your system creates will be directly proportional to the solar panel’s ability to convert light into electrical energy efficiently.
If two different solar panels have the exact cost, but one of them has a higher conversion efficiency than the other, then the other module is the one that offers a better value for the money. Assuming that the claimed efficiencies are accurate, this would be the case.
Pid Resistance
Potentially-induced deterioration is what’s meant by the acronym PID. This phenomenon can result in significant power loss since it is generated by stray currents that are, in turn, caused by particular weather conditions. Solar panels of high quality will show very little or almost nil PID.
Lid Resistance
Light-induced deterioration is what’s meant by the abbreviation LID. After the solar panels have been placed, there will be a period during which this procedure will take place. Even while this will stabilise after a certain period, it may cause the module’s power output to decrease. A high-quality solar panel will have low or no levels of LID.
Embodied Energy
The embodied energy of the solar panel is yet another essential factor to consider. It is how much energy was required to produce the panel and how quickly it will have paid for itself by making more energy. Take into consideration that this is an environmental cost.
Warranty On The Product’s Durability And Longevity
A solar panel warranty must be durable or lengthy for several reasons; one of these reasons is that it can reflect the manufacturer’s trust in the items it sells. Solar panels from a reputable manufacturer will come with a performance warranty of 25 years. This guarantee duration is offered on all of our most essential modules, including REC Solar, and lasts 25 years.
However, keep in mind that the warranty will only be honoured when the organisation remains in business. This is an essential fact regarding security.
Another argument in favour of purchasing a module from a well-known, well-respected company rather than a lesser-known, more affordable brand is that the latter is more likely to go out of business overnight.
Because you will probably not purchase solar panels directly from the manufacturer, choosing an installation and reseller is also crucial.
It is in your best interest to go with an installation firm that is also an authorised service agent for the solar panel manufacturer you decide to go with. This is because the turnaround time to a resolution will be far faster if you have an issue.
Dimensions As Well As Wattage Capacity
Because solar panels are typically priced and compared in dollars per Watt, the wattage capacity of the solar panel will have an immediate and direct impact on the overall cost.
Watts is a measurement that corresponds to each module’s output. This indicates that a solar panel with a capacity of 100 watts appropriately placed and maintained would produce 100 watt-hours of electricity every hour.
Each hour, a solar panel with a power rating of 200 watts will produce 200 watt-hours. In light of this, you should anticipate paying up to twice as much for the 200W panel as you would for the 100W module when you go to make your purchase.
The output of a panel can also affect the size of the solar panel; for example, a solar panel with 200W of power will have a larger footprint than a module with 100W of power.
The solar panel size is also determined by the variety of solar cells utilised in its construction.
The most important things to think about are whether or not the size of your system is adequate to power all of your electronics and whether or not the solar panels can be physically installed in the location that you have in mind.
Because the area of your roof facing north is prime real estate for solar power generation, you will need to consider your future plans.
If you think you might want to add more solar panels at some point in the future, you should ensure you have enough space to accommodate their installation.
In that case, you might need to replace the installed modules before they end their useful lives. Panels that face the west are also proving to be highly effective in recent years.
What Are The Best Solar Panel Brands?
The concept of the solar panel “tiers,” with tier 1 denoting the best panels and tier 3 denoting a defective product, is likely familiar to anyone looking to purchase solar panels.
Although tiers are frequently used to promote the sale of particular panels, there are several crucial points to remember. There isn’t a single, all-encompassing ranking system to start.
Numerous organisations, typically banking and financial analysis corporations, rate the various solar panel brands separately.
When someone tries to offer you a “tier 1” panel, it is worth asking, “who says?” even if these organisations often have comparable assessments.
Second, rather than referring to a brand’s solar panels’ actual quality, the tier system typically discusses the brand’s investment potential. The tier rankings frequently consider the size of projects for which the business has provided:
- Panels
- The company’s manufacturing capability.
- The intensity of its R&D. It must also be vertically integrated (producing panels from start to finish) and in business for at least five years to be even remotely considered a tier 1 brand.
Other Types Of Solar Panels
N-Type Solar Cell Technology
By the nature of the materials they are composed of, N-type cells have a better tolerance to impurities and a lower defect rate, which contribute to an increase in total efficiency.
This results in superior performance for the cell. In addition, n-type cells can withstand higher temperatures for extended periods than either mono or multi-P-type cells can.
More crucially, n-type cells do not experience LID problems, also known as light-induced deterioration caused by boron-oxygen defects. These problems are typical of p-type cells that have been doped with boron.
Some consider bifacial solar panels the industry’s future. You can double mono/polycrystalline solar cell energy production without reducing absorption—better low-light performance and energy yield.
Bifacial Solar Panels
Bifacial panels have the ability to collect solar energy from both of the panel’s faces.
Bifacial panels are typically mounted on highly reflective surfaces, and the manufacturers of bifacial modules suggest a 30 per cent increase in power production from the backside reflection of light alone.
Bifacial solar panels are generally installed on highly reflective surfaces. Most bifacial solar panels are made using monocrystalline cells, but polycrystalline configurations are also available.
Half-Cut Cell Solar Panels
Half-cut solar panels have cut-in-half solar cells. These solar cells enhance the module’s performance and endurance.
Because their size was halved, so were their outputs. Less resistive losses imply more power.
Consider roof tiles. Instead of one large shingle per section, use a much smaller one to alleviate mechanical stress.
This prolongs the roof’s life and reduces tile breakage.
Half-cut solar cells act like regular cells. Therefore, they last longer than typical solar panels. Half-cell modules produce more energy in low light or shade. This leads to increased power generation and efficiency over time.
Shinged Cell Solar Panels
Shingled cell panels are modern, efficient solar module technology. Five or six-strip panels are shingled. They’re layered like roof shingles.
These overlays are bonded with an electrically conductive adhesive for enhanced conductivity and flexibility. Panels without busbars have no cell gaps.
Per square metre, they produce more power.
The cells can create more energy than typical solar panels because they receive more sunlight. Roofing cell solar panels are the most expensive, so keep that in mind.
There has been a considerable reduction in the cost of installing solar panels in Australia over the course of the past several years. Monocrystalline and polycrystalline panels are the two types of panels that are purchased the most frequently in Australia.
Manufacture sure that the make and model that you choose, in addition to how they are arranged, are of the highest possible standard.
Solar panels work by absorbing light from the sun and then transforming that light into an electrical current. Monocrystalline, thin-film, and polycrystalline solar panels are the three main categories of solar cells available today.
There is a wide range of variation between solar panel bands and their models in terms of prices, quality, and efficiency.
The solar panel’s capability to convert light into electrical energy in an effective manner is directly related to the panel’s overall efficiency.
If you are in a better financial position, the share of your wealth that correlates to each degree Celsius will be lower.
A solar panel of good quality will have very low levels of light-induced degradation (LID) or potentially-induced deterioration (PID), if any at all.
A manufacturer with a solid reputation will back their solar panels with a 25-year performance guarantee as standard.
One of the most important steps in the process is deciding on an installation and reseller company. If you want to get the most out of your investment in solar panels, it is in your best interest to work with an installation who is also an authorised service agent for the manufacturer of the panels.
The size of a solar panel can be affected by both its output and its output. A solar panel that generates 200 watts of power will take up more space than a module that generates 100 watts.
The number of solar cells that are used in the fabrication of a solar panel is another factor that determines the panel’s size.
Solar panels that are bifacial are able to capture solar energy from both of the panel’s surfaces simultaneously. In locations with little light or partial shadow, half-cell modules are able to generate a greater amount of usable energy. According to the manufacturers, just the backside reflection of light can lead to a 30 per cent increase in the amount of electricity produced. Solar panels consisting of five or six strips are laid like shingles on a roof.
These overlays have an electrically conductive adhesive used to bond them together, resulting in improved conductivity and flexibility. N-type cells have a higher impurity tolerance and a lower defect rate than other types of cells, both of which increase the cell’s overall efficiency.