![]() ![]() In an off-grid system, there is no public electricity grid. In smaller-scale DC-coupled systems, a solar charge controller is used to manage the battery charging, and the DC power is converted to AC using an off-grid inverter and sent to your home appliances. The above diagram is for a larger AC-coupled system. There are different types of off-grid systems which we will go into more detail later, but for now I will keep it simple. Read more about choosing the best off-grid solar system here. ![]() However, battery costs are dropping, so there is a growing market for off-grid solar battery systems, even in cities and towns. The high cost of batteries and off-grid inverters means off-grid systems are much more expensive than on-grid systems, and so are usually only needed in more remote areas that are far from the electricity grid. Off-grid solar systems must be designed appropriately to generate enough power throughout the year and have enough battery capacity to meet the home’s requirements, even in the depths of winter when there is generally much less sunlight. When your solar system is not operating, or you’re using more electricity than your system produces, you will start importing or consuming electricity from the grid.Īn off-grid system is not connected to the electricity grid and, therefore, requires battery storage. Electricity sent to the grid from your solar system is used by other consumers on the grid, such as your neighbours. This new system, introduced in April 2023, measures the net exported solar energy, and the consumer is credited for the electricity exported. ![]() In California, the metering rules were recently changed to a new Net metering system called the Net Billing Tariff (NBT). The US has several different metering systems depending on your state. In some states, meters measure all solar electricity produced by your system, and therefore, your electricity will run through your meter before reaching the switchboard, not after it. In the following scenario, I’m assuming the meter only measures the electricity being exported to the grid, as is the case across most of Australia. Metering systems work differently in many states and countries around the world. Excess solar energy runs through the meter, which calculates how much power you are either exporting or importing (purchasing). What happens after electricity reaches the switchboard? The Tesla Powerwall 2 is a popular AC battery system that can be added to almost any existing solar system. Most hybrid solar systems with battery storage can automatically isolate from the grid (known as islanding) and continue to supply some power during a blackout.īatteries can be added to on-grid systems at a later stage if required. If the solar inverter were still feeding electricity into a damaged grid, it would risk the safety of the people repairing the fault/s in the network. Since blackouts usually occur when the electricity grid is damaged. Unlike most hybrid or battery systems, on-grid solar systems cannot function or generate electricity during a blackout for safety reasons. Any excess solar power you generate is exported to the electricity grid, and you usually get paid a feed-in-tariff (FiT) or credits for the energy you export to the grid. Depending on the type of metering used, the solar power you generate is typically used to power your home. These systems use either solar inverters or microinverters and are connected to the public electricity grid. On-grid or grid-connected solar systems are the most common system used by homes and businesses. More efficient panels will generally perform better in poor weather. The amount of light energy is known as solar irradiation and can vary greatly depending on your location and time of year. High clouds often enable a lot of light through, while low, thick storm clouds can almost block all sunlight. Solar panels will still generate energy during cloudy and overcast weather, but the amount of energy depends on the 'thickness' and height of the clouds, which determines how much light can pass through. There are hundreds of different solar panel manufacturers, so it is worth understanding how to choose the best solar panels. ![]() The amount of solar energy generated depends on several factors, including the orientation and tilt angle of the solar panels, the efficiency of the solar panel, plus any losses due to shading, dirt and even ambient temperature. Note: Sunlight, not heat, produces electricity in solar cells. The PV cells are linked within the solar panel and connected to adjacent panels using cables. Modern solar panels, also known as solar modules, are built using many silicon-based photovoltaic cells (PV cells), which generate direct current (DC) electricity from sunlight. ![]()
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