The world is moving away from fossil fuel resources like coal and gas to produce electricity, as we transition towards more sustainable models that use renewable energy sources. For homes and businesses, this means turning towards solar installations instead of grid power. Over two million Australian homeowners have already made his transition.
Now, as the world moves faster towards a renewable energy future, 2021 presents the best opportunity to switch to solar – with so many reasons to transition, including:
Solar is more affordable than ever before
While solar technology has existed for well over a century, it only became a popular mainstream option in the early 2000s. Even then, though, it was only a resource that the wealthy could afford.
Now the International Energy Agency (IEA) has released data that shows that solar is the cheapest electricity in the world, as technologies improve and the world transitions away from fossil fuels. The cost of solar panels has come tumbling down – plummeting 82 per cent from 2010 to 2020.
Meanwhile, the technology just continues to get better, which means that households and businesses from all budget points can afford to make the transition, while getting a better quality product.
Panels are more efficient than ever, so you are getting more bang for your buck
These days the reputable manufacturers are putting out PV systems that are around 25-26 per cent efficient, which means that around a quarter of all of the sunlight that is hitting your panels will be converted into clean energy.
Around the year 2000 when solar panels were beginning to boom, you were only achieving around 7-15 per cent efficiency for your system efficiency – while in 2010 there were still systems that were only around 12 per cent efficient at the lower end.
You can use fewer panels to generate more electricity in 2021, which means that some residences and small businesses that may not have considered these solutions before due to space now have the option available as fewer panels are required.
There are new technologies like solar batteries
These have become highly affordable and mainstream. They allow you to save power for a rainy day – or even a rainy week. It means you will always have backup power in the advent of a power outage, and enough power to get through each night as well.
You will save enormous amounts of money
The cost of living in Australia has been a major issue, and the impacts of COVID-19 have not helped to ease those pressures on many Aussie families and businesses.
Electricity bills have been skyrocketing in recent years, and solar gives you the means to slash or even eliminate these bills.
There are a lot of variables that will determine how much you will save, but in New South Wales the average saving is around $400 per year per kW of solar – so even a 5kW system would save you around $2000 every year off your electricity bills.
