There is a lot of buzz about solar energy and how installing solar panels at your home can help the environment and cut back on your energy bills. Solar power is a cheap and clean energy source, which makes it a great alternative to other energy sources.

Solar panel installations come in different types and sizes and are customised to each type of property. It is important to select the system that will benefit your unique energy needs. Choosing which type of solar energy installation is right for you can be tricky, so it is important to be well-informed on the different options.

Panel Types

The first step is deciding what purpose you want the solar panels to serve. There are solar panels to generate electricity for the home, or to heat water for the home.

Photovoltaic

The panels for electricity, called photovoltaic panels, are made of silicone and sit on your roof. They use the sun to generate electricity, which is connected to the electricity grid with a new meter to measure the free energy that you have created from the sun.

Solar Hot Water

Solar panels that are used to generate hot water are also flat panels situated on the roof. This system uses the sun to heat up the water. There will also be a water tank, situated either on the roof or in a different location if it is a split system. Another option is an evacuated tube system. This also goes on your roof, but is a system of tubes that heat the water more efficiently than do the panels. The evacuated tube system uses pressurized liquid in glass tubes to heat a pipe that in turn heats the water.

Size and Capacity

Once you have chosen which type of solar energy system you are interested in, you need to determine what size system is right for you. This depends on your property, your roof, your budget, climate and how much power you want to generate from the system based on your normal energy usage. To cover the average home’s current energy bill a 1.5KW system would suffice. A professional solar energy installer can come to your home and help you determine exactly what size and capacity will suit your needs.