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Are you taking full advantage of the energy generated by your solar panels? 

If not, it's time to start optimising your solar energy use! Around 18% of households (*) in Tasmania are taking advantage of solar energy.  That’s a total of 44,270 (*) Tassie homes and businesses with solar panel systems. It's great to see so many people in Tasmania using their own renewable energy to power their homes and businesses and even better to see many of them using aurora+ to manage it!

With some planning and effort, you can make the most of your solar panel investment and you could save money on your energy bills. Here are our seven expert tips for maximising the benefits of your solar panels.

 

 

1. Monitor your energy use.

You can monitor your energy use and identify patterns and opportunities for improvement.

 

By keeping track of your energy use, you can identify patterns and opportunities to use more of your free solar power. Use your solar app to see what you generate and use aurora+ to track your energy use and your solar export. See when you could be using your solar instead of buying from the grid. Remember you’ll save more using your own solar, than by exporting it to the grid to sign up for aurora+ click here

2. Check the stars.

Use energy-efficient appliances and electronics.

Switching to energy-efficient electronics may reduce the total power needed to power your home or business. Star ratings are a great way to judge how efficient an appliance might be. To learn more about appliance ratings click here

3. Time your energy use wisely.

Use energy-intensive appliances and electronics during the day when the sun is shining.

You can get the most out of your solar panels by using hungry devices, like a washing machine, dryer or dishwasher, during the day when the sun is shining. Find out about our Peak and Off-Peak Tariff (T93) here. To read more about which appliances use what, click here

4. Invest in a home battery system.

Store excess energy for when the sun isn't shining.

A home battery system allows you to store extra power generated by your solar panels. It can be used when the sun isn't shining, such as at night, peak times or on cloudy days. This can help you make the most of your solar panels' energy. Find out about green loans that could help you get a battery system here

5. Use a smart thermostat.

Optimise your home's temperature based on your schedule and the weather.

A smart thermostat can help optimise energy use by automatically adjusting your home's temperature based on your schedule and the weather. 

6. Get the size right.

You can install an appropriately sized solar panel system for your energy needs.

It's essential to ensure that your solar panel system is appropriately sized for your energy needs. If your system is too small, you may need more energy to generate enough to meet your needs, so you'll need to rely on the grid for additional power. On the other hand, if your system is too large, you may generate more energy than you can use, which means you'll be able to sell excess power back to the grid. 

7. What about Hot Water?

You could use solar energy to heat water for your home or business.

Solar water heaters are a highly efficient way to use solar energy and can help you save money on your power bills. Instead of buying power from the grid to keep your water hot, solar hot water systems heat your water during the day with free energy from the sun.

 

Sources:

*(2022) Clean Energy Australia Report 2022 PDF. Clean Energy Council 2022. Available at: https://apo.org.au/node/317318 (Accessed: January 5, 2023). Page 76, ANNUAL SOLAR PV INSTALLATIONS [Table 111]