Household Rooftop Solar
Grid-Connected or On-Grid Rooftop Solar Power Plants are distributed power generating systems which require shadow-free roof area for installing photovoltaic modules and the power generated therein is utilized by the consumer during the day. In case the power generated by the solar plant is more than what is consumed, the excess power is fed back into the grid under Net Metering mechanism.
The benefits of solar
Installing rooftop solar can:
- reduce your household electricity bills
- protect you from electricity price rises
- reduce the cost of charging an electric vehicle
- help reduce the cost of getting off gas (and eliminate gas bills altogether)
- significantly reduce your household greenhouse gas emissions.
The cost of solar
How much you will pay for a rooftop solar system depends on a range of factors including:
- the solar system’s size
- the brand and quality of the hardware components
- the quality of the installation and level of after-sales service
- challenges to installation, such as a steep roof, difficult access or a multi-storey building
- extras that might be needed, such as an upgraded switchboard, rack mounting or extended cabling
- adding a battery, which can be a large upfront cost.
Solar system size
The best rooftop solar system size for your household depends on how much electricity you use, when you use it, your budget, and the amount of sunny roof area available for the solar panels. In some areas, regulations may also limit the system size.
You can get a suggested system size for your home using the sun SPOT solar and battery calculator . For household users, SunSPOT suggests a system size that will pay for itself in approximately 5 years, if possible. The actual payback period depends on many factors, including weather, maintenance costs and future electricity prices.