The solar panels installed on your roof keep absorbing the energy of the sun across the day. The energy absorbed is converted into Direct Current (DC) to generate electricity. As most businesses and homes in Brisbane use Alternating Current (AC), the DC electricity is changed to usable AC current by passing through a solar inverter. You may either use this electricity to power your household needs or send it to the grid.

The solar panels facing towards the south are likely to generate less solar power than the ones pointing towards the north. East or west-facing solar installations can also give good results depending on how the panels are installed.

The amount of solar power generated varies according to the time of the year and day. The geographical location of your home also impacts the quantity of electricity produced. The other factors influencing solar energy production are:

• The presence of water vapour and dust in the air
• Cloud cover
• Type and quality of solar PV modules
• Angle of the panels and roof orientation, etc.

The size of the solar PV system will vary according to the location of your home and the amount of energy consumed. A 1.5 kW system is the minimum solar system size needed for grid connection. If you have a medium-sized household then it should be enough to take care of 16-25% of your total energy needs. You may want to install a 4-5 kW solar energy system to take care of 100% of your domestic energy needs.

You can install more solar panels if you need more electricity in future. You may have to install a larger solar power inverter to increase the capacity. It is recommended that you invest in a larger inverter (at the beginning itself) if you see yourself needing more electricity as time passes.