Australia’s energy resources, including solar energy resources, and the factors impacting on the development and adoption of the various energy resources to 2030 are outlined in the Australian Energy Resource Assessment.

Australia receives an average of 58 million PJ of solar radiation per year, approximately 10 000 times larger than its total energy consumption. However, Australia’s current use of solar energy is low with solar energy accounting for only about 0.1 per cent of Australia’s total primary energy consumption. The most common use of solar energy is solar thermal water heating. Solar PV systems play an important role in off-grid electricity generation in remote areas.

Electricity generation is increasing in response to government policies, notably the Renewable Energy Target, and as a consequence of the development of photovoltaic and concentrating solar thermal technologies through substantial research and development programs. These include the government’s Clean Energy Initiative Solar Flagships Program managed by the Department of Resources Energy and Tourism which has committed $1.5 billion to support the construction and demonstration of up to four large-scale solar power plants in Australia, using solar thermal and PV technologies. The Government’s aim is to establish up to 1000 megawatts (MW) of solar power generation capacity.

Source: Geoscience Australia

The DC electricity flows into a solar inverter that converts it to 240V 50Hz AC electricity.

Now you have 240V electricity that you can use to power appliances in your home.

During the day any surplus electricity your system generates is fed back into the main grid and you can receive a rebate on your power bill. This rebate varies from one electricity company to another so it is best to shop around for the best deal.

Solar system components have been tested and have warranties up to 30 years in the case of some solar panels. So you can expect a long, hassle-free life from your solar power system! Government solar rebates and incentives available mean you can also save thousands on a grid-connect system.

What about at night?

if a grid connects system is producing more power than the home consumes, the surplus is fed into the power grid. Some electricity companies meter the electricity fed into the grid by your system and provide a credit on your bill. How much you are paid is determined by the feed-in tariff.

What do inverters do?

if a grid connects system is producing more power than the home consumes, the surplus is fed into the power grid. Some electricity companies meter the electricity fed into the grid by your system and provide a credit on your bill. How much you are paid is determined by the feed-in tariff.

What about at night?

What is an on-grid solar system?

Your solar installer will aim to install the modules at an angle that ensures that the glass face of the modules is positioned at 90 degrees to the sun for most of the day.

Solar power is generated when energy from the sun (sunlight) is converted into electricity or used to heat air, water, or other fluids. There are two main types of solar energy technologies:

Solar thermal is the conversion of solar radiation into thermal energy (heat). Thermal energy carried by air, water, or other fluid is commonly used directly, for space heating, or to generate electricity using steam and turbines. Solar thermal is commonly used for hot water systems. Solar thermal electricity, also known as concentrating solar power, is typically designed for large scale power generation.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) converts sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic cells. PV systems can be installed on rooftops, integrated into building designs and vehicles, or scaled up to megawatt scale power plants. PV systems can also be used in conjunction with concentrating mirrors or lenses for large scale centralised power.

Solar thermal and PV technology can also be combined into a single system that generates both heat and electricity.

Solar thermal and PV technology can also be combined into a single system that generates both heat and electricity.