Understanding Solar: A Beginner's Guide - 2022 Edition

Thinking about solar power? This video - Understanding Solar - goes through the basic principles of residential solar energy. This is part one of my popular three-part video and article guide to going solar in Australia in 2022.
Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
1:07 - How solar panels work
3:09 - Anatomy of a solar power system
10:40 - Solar system energy production
11:56 - How solar saves you money
13:22 - Batteries and solar
You can read the article version of this guide here:
www.solarquotes.com.au/101-gu...
My other Solar 101 guides:
*** Part 2: Buying Solar
Covers what you need to know when comparing solar quotes and preparing to buy a solar power system.
Video: • Solar 101: A Guide To ...
Article: www.solarquotes.com.au/solar1...
*** Part 3: Owning Solar
Explains what to do after installing solar panels and how to make the most of your sytem. It also goes through what you should do to prepare for electric cars and home batteries.
Video: • Australian Solar Owner...
Article: www.solarquotes.com.au/101-gu...
You can read all my solar and battery 101 guides here:
www.solarquotes.com.au/101-gu...
And to get quotes from solar installers I have personally pre-vetted and trust: www.solarquotes.com.au/quote/
If after watching the video you have questions, feel free to ask in the comments section below - and don't forget to subscribe to this channel :)

[@rahimrajak5173]

Very informative. Thank you. Young man with energy

[@doctorcrypto5603]

absolutely nailed the info in this short video. much appreciated.

[@DutchAussieProductions]

Thanks for the video, Finn. This explains all this stuff very clearly. Great channel. I will pass this link on to my friends and family. Have a lovely weekend.

[@letradavis8260]

I truly appreciate you and your channel. As an absolutely newbie to the world of the Solar m 🌎, you make it very simple to understand. Bringing the logistics of it in terms I can understand really takes the anxiety out of it. Thank you

[@remco2777]

Thank you for your video. I don't live in Australia, but this was a great video to get me up to speed. On to video 2 now!

[@jmx318]

He’s done it again. Keep up the great content

[@fabianmihai1178]

Thank you lots sir ! So glad you did this ! 🤝🤝🤝

[@samme4life]

Going to add solar at home. This introduction is quite valuble to understand stuff when dealing with the suppliers/installers. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@toby9999]

Did you go ahead, and if so, how did it go? I've been standing on the sidelines for years. I just don't trust any company to do a good job.

[@davidfield4432]

Many thanks Fin. 👍👍👍

[@lamiar6474]

Great explanation thanks

[@erickivavi2480]

good work i appreciate

[@keithweaver2637]

Great information

[@stephenbrickwood1602]

People forget that when your system has dropped to 90% efficiency you only have to add one more panel and go for another 25 years. No wasting your installed system. So 50 year life time of free power. (except for the extra panel after 25 years) Forget batteries it is much cheaper to install a second system and sell a large amount of electricity to the grid and pull a little expensive power at night. Ezi pezi. Batteries Tesla $14,000 2nd Solar array, 6.6kw $5,000, over supply grid all day pull a little from the grid at night. When you buy a new Electric Vehicle in the near future, it comes with a huge battery for free. The vehicle will back you up at night at no cost.

[@nwezedaniel1732]

Thank you

[@kensei1984]

You're awesome. You're like the John Cadogan of the Solar world.

[@ptolemyauletesxii8642]

More like Dougy Cadugon.

[@handletobetaken]

Thanks for the great education! Can you recommend good solar panel providers (material+install) in Sydney Northshore area?

[@rolandneirynck9287]

Very interesting also for a European (Belgian) where there is less sun than in Australië

[@trongle6866]

Hi Finn, I am in Victoria, and can I use 14 x 470w Jinko Tiger Neo panels with a Fronius Primo 5.0-1 inverter for a 6.6kwh system? Thanks

[@marieroche1404]

Wish you'd do an OFF-GRID solar video.

[@wilsonlalo4033]

Do you need to install earthing on the sola system

[@sofiedimitriadis4591]

I am in a dilemma is this metre grid the right one installed by previous owner of the hous . We installed new solar panels and husband says he can see how much electricity consumed and how much export ? Do I need to change this

[@fahadsadiq3481]

11:12 why are we multiplying with 4 ? How can a 5kW system surpasses its power and produce 20kW per hour per day ? I didn't get it . Kindly explain

[@frankcherry3810]

Is it true… get a larger inverter than you think you will need incase you add more panels later/

[@keeloraz9452]

Good video but where is the link to part 2 ?!

[@SolarQuotes]

Here you go! kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6vHlZ-qeJqHr68

[@donnie1017]

What paperwork do I need to install solar on my house

[@toby9999]

Good question. I'm still struggling to find the answers. It has been suggested that I get quotes and ask the installer. That doesn't work for me. I need to know everything up front in case I get scammed.

[@craigmcclure1819]

Hi, I am running an off grid system comprising 18x250w panels and 5 Aquion (2.4kw) batteries. Supply is to a rural shed. I want to build a weekender on the block and run an electric car. Need advice as to how I convert the existing system or what new system I need.Mains power is 150m away ..$30k connect. Who do u recommend to provide advise in WA.

[@SolarQuotes]

Craig - where in WA are you?

[@craigmcclure1819]

@@SolarQuotes Bridgetown…250km south of Perth

[@SolarQuotes]

@@craigmcclure1819 No worries - try: South West Solar Force - 0412 444 105 Statewide Power - 08 9779 9568

[@BajanAlan]

Are micro invertore ok?

[@SolarQuotes]

Yes - Enphase is the only game in town as far as I'm concerned :)

[@chrisandshazza01]

@@SolarQuotes 😩we’ve been waiting patiently for the IQ8’s since 2020. Early next year we’ve been told now. Ah well, we’ve waited this long. Great channel, long time viewer👌

[@magdalena4370]

Hi.why you multiply by 4? How come 6.6kw gives you 24kwh?

[@SolarQuotes]

Peak sun hours refer to the average number of hours per day that a solar panel can generate electricity at its rated maximum power. This isn't just any sunlight; it's the amount of intense sunlight that's equivalent to the energy output of a sunny midday. In Australia, the relationship between these peak sun hours and solar panel output is pretty straightforward: the more peak sun hours you have, the more electricity your solar panels can produce. So, why is multiplying the kilowatt peak (kWp) of your solar panel system by 4 a decent thumb rule in Australia? Well, Australia is quite sunny compared to many other places on the globe. On average, most areas in Australia get around 4 peak sun hours a day. So, if you have a 1 kWp solar panel system, it's going to churn out roughly 4 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity each day (1 kWp x 4 peak sun hours). Over the course of a year, this multiplies out quite nicely, since there are about 365 days in a year. So, for a quick estimate of annual energy yield, you take the system size (kWp), multiply it by the average peak sun hours (4 hours for much of Australia), and then multiply by the days in the year. This gives you a ballpark figure for the annual energy production in kWh, which is good enough for a back-of-the-envelope calculation and helps in making decisions about the size and expected performance of a solar installation.

[@sweatypotato248]

Men just why I got this , We gonna get new law where we have to pass month electric bill even for solar , bro is sun charging now?

[@frankcherry3810]

Batteries are insurance

[@ab6153]

thanks for this video

[@andymuzzo8568]

My system has never hit the inverters peek of 5kW with 6.6kW of panels

[@SolarQuotes]

Andy - it's rare that you'll actually hit 5kW. What matters most is that your daily generation (in kWh) is as expected. If you let me know your postcode, I can tell you what you should be generating per day at this time of year :)

[@andymuzzo8568]

@@SolarQuotes 5032. But I’m talking about even on perfect solar day with clean panels

[@adrianbotos2819]

Hello. Can you please recommend an 3phase inverter between Huawei, Fronius and SMA. The first with 10y warranty, the other 2 with 5y only. Huawei is also cheaper. Tx ! Adrian

[@andymuzzo8568]

@@SolarQuotes today my max output is 4.55kW on a clear and sunny 23°c day. Total output for the day was 37.8kWh

[@SolarQuotes]

@@andymuzzo8568 In January I would expect ~1,216 kWh generated from N facing 22º roof. How many kWh did you get in January?