When it comes to buying solar systems, it is important to understand your home requirements and the energy supply in your area, along with other factors. A solar system consists of various components, and each helps determine what type of system suits your power requirements. However, many people ignore such specifications and opt for a quality system at an affordable price.
While it helps with budget estimation, it doesn’t mean it meets your energy requirements. For instance, off-grid solar system prices in Australia initially look costly but will work perfectly for remote areas with grid electricity issues.
So to help you choose the right system, we have prepared this ultimate guide covering three main types: On-Grid Vs. Off-Grid Vs. Hybrid solar systems.
On-grid is the most common type of solar system used by residential and commercial properties. They are grid-tied and require a local electricity grid connection for functioning.
The on-grid inverter takes the Direct Current generated by solar panels and covers it into Alternating Current for powering home appliances. However, it requires a grid connection to synchronisethe power frequency and voltage or else it would stop functioning.
Moreover, you can send extra energy back to the grid and earn credits. Here, a meter measures the exported and imported (during shortage) energy, and you will receive a bill accordingly. This way, your property is power secured in both cases of the underpowered and overpowered system.
It helps to convert Direct Current into Alternating Current that electrical appliances use for functioning and synchronisethe frequency and voltage of the flowing current.
It uses a net metering system that measures the required amount of power for utilisingthe daily electric needs and sends the excess power back to the grid.
It is an emergency switch used for disconnecting power from the solar panels, ensuring safety during maintenance and emergency.
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Pros |
Cons |
| Eliminate or lower electric bills. | No power during blackouts. |
| Easy to install and maintain. | No power storage option. |
| Offers easy synchronization with other forms of electricity. | Safety issue if grid malfunctions. |
|
It is a cost-effective solution, enabling users to earn passive income by sending excess power to the grid. |
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As the name suggests, this is a fully independent way of electricity generation. It is suitable for remote places that don’t have continuous availability of grid electricity.
Off-grid solar systems have additional solar batteries. So when the sunlight hits the solar panels, the inverter converts the energy from DC to AC for powering the appliances and simultaneously charges solar batteries.
At nighttime solar batteries can power necessary appliances without a local electricity connection. Moreover, you can decide whether to charge the batteries first or power the home.
It is a package of batteries used to power the home after sunset.
It controls the rate of current that goes into batteries, ensuring battery longevity by protecting them from overcharging.
Apart from the usual emergency DC switch, off-grid solar systems require additional DC disconnection between the off-grid inverter and battery bank. It helps to disconnect the current between the two elements, ensuring security during repair or maintenance.
It converts generated Direct Current from solar panels into Alternating Current for powering electric appliances and storing it in batteries.
It is an optional expense for powering your home when the batteries run out of energy or get damaged.
|
Pros |
Cons |
| It makes you fully energy-independent. | High installation and maintenance costs due to batteries. |
| Suitable for remote areas. | Allow energy wastage during surplus production. |
| Protection from power cuts. | Can’t function well in bad weather conditions. |
| Cleaner electricity storage for nighttime. |
It is a combination of the best on-grid and off-grid solar systems, offering you control over the generation and usage of electricity.
Hybrid systems are connected to the grid electricity and have additional battery storage. It allows them to work as an on-grid system during day time and an off-grid system when the sun sets or power fails.
Like other solar systems, solar panels first power the required appliances, then use the excess power to charge the batteries and send the surplus to the grid.
At night, solar batteries can use the stored energy to power home appliances. However, if the solar panels generate less energy during cloudy conditions, you can use grid electricity.
This way, you will have 100% access to electricity.
| Pros | Cons |
| Ensure proper utilisation of energy. | Installation costs more than the other two systems. |
| Provides flexibility in using both solar and grid electricity. | High maintenance costs. |
| Constant supply of power. | – |
| Cut down electricity bills. | – |
Every home is different and so are its energy requirements. While off-grid solar system packages with batteries work effectively for remote areas with excess sunlight, an on-grid system helps to cut down on heavy electric bills. Similarly, a hybrid solar system can ensure 100% power supply and perfect utilisationof resources.
So whatever your energy needs are, we hope this guide will help you to find the best solar system for your property.