In the past the 1.5kw solar system size was very popular due to them being the smallest available, the cheapest and requires the least amount of roof space, however as system prices have come down people have leaned towards larger systems so that they can see a larger reduction on their bills.
Important numbers for 1.5kW solar systems are:
| Average Price ($) | How many panels? | Average Energy Generated Daily (kWh) |
|---|---|---|
| $2,510 – $4,860 | 6 – 8 (depending on panel size e.g. 190W) | 6 units |
*Note that the energy generated daily is an average for the year; in summer this will be higher but conversely in winter it will be lower. Also this is an average across all of Australia and so there will be a variation depending on exact location.
1.5kW systems are recommended for households whose bills have an average daily consumption of around 10-12 units per day. In most cases, this would be a house of 1 – 2 people.
When considering the placement of a 1.5kW system attention needs to be given to the energy usage of the household. 1.5kW systems can only be placed facing in one direction because of reasons to do with voltage on the inverter. Most household’s peak energy usage is concentrated in the late afternoon/early evening, when everyone arrives home from work and school. One way to maximise the usage of the system in these cases is to have the system facing west so that less power is drawn from the grid during the household’s maximum usage period.
Obviously, for households where someone is home during the day and energy usage is higher during the day, a north facing system would be smarter. The aim for any system nowadays is to use as much of the power you produce and limit the amount of power drawn from the grid.
Step 3
