Gympie and the South Burnett are the perfect location for off-grid living for two important reasons. The first and most important is that with an average of over 300 days of sunshine a year, these locations are the ideal spot for collecting clean, renewable and dependable energy.
The other reason is that the region’s temperate climate creates the optimum conditions for solar panels to work. This means you can expect maximum efficiency when collecting clean energy. Read more about off-grid solar living in Gympie & the South Burnett below in our comprehensive guide.
The Benefits Of Off-Grid Solar Life
In addition to the perfect climate of Gympie / South Burnett making collecting solar energy easy, there are plenty of other important benefits to this way of life to consider:
Self-Sufficiency
The first is that off-grid solar allows self-sufficiency and independence. This means you’ll no longer have to worry about the grid going down or the price of electricity going up. Instead, you’ll generate your own free, clean power.
Minimise Your Environmental Impact
There is no Planet B, and the way we live our lives on Earth right now will have an impact on the state of the planet going forward. The good news is that choosing energy from solar panels means you can minimise your environmental impact by minimising your carbon footprint.
Minimise Energy Costs
Energy is a precious resource, and energy companies have control over what they choose to charge for it, whether we think it’s fair or not. By installing off-grid solar panels on your property, after the initial investment, you will be able to generate low-cost energy for all your needs.
The Challenges Of Off-Grid Solar
Here at Integrity Solar, we believe in giving our customers the full picture when it comes to off-grid solar living. That means including the potential challenges of this lifestyle as well as the benefits.
1. Solar Panels Need Maintenance
Solar panels require regular maintenance to ensure they work at full capacity. Maintenance tasks that will need to be completed include:
- Cleaning of the panels
- The charge controller checks
- Inspection of electrical systems
- System monitoring
- Professional servicing
- Cutting down vegetation surrounding your panels
- Maintaining the batteries
- Inverter checks
This may seem like a lot, but if you choose a reputable solar installer, they will go through all of these tasks with you, ensuring you know how to properly care for your system before they leave.
Alternatively, you can work with your solar installer and have them complete some of these tasks for you, such as cleaning your solar panels. By delegating this work, you can vastly reduce the amount of effort you will need to put into maintaining your off-grid solar system while you continue to reap all of the benefits.
2. The initial investment in solar panels can be high
The next challenge of choosing solar panels is that the initial investment needed for installing them can seem high. However, it is important to see it as an investment rather than a cost because, over time, you will end up saving money.
Indeed, you can get a great return on your investment in several ways when it comes to off-grid solar living. The first, of course, is that you will no longer need to pay for electricity from the grid. And depending where your property is in Gympie or the South Burnett, that may not even be an option! The second is that as more people become interested in off-grid sustainable living, installing solar panels can help raise the value of your property. Thirdly, and in the shorter term, you may be able to access rebates and incentives from the government on your solar panel, like Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), which can greatly reduce the cost of your initial investment. Ask us for more information.
Step-By-Step Process For Solar Installation
Now that you know all about the challenges and benefits of off-grid solar, it’s time to find out about the solar installation process.
However, before we look at the process of installing solar panels on your property, two considerations must be made first.
Consideration 1: Choosing the right system components for your solar installation.
Before the process of installation can begin, you will need to make sure that you have chosen the right solar system. There are several factors that you will need to consider here, including:
- How much energy independence you want 0-100% off grid
- How many appliances you plan to run, as well as how much energy each of these consumes per hour, and how many hours you’ll need to run them.
Once you have this information, you will be able to work out what size and capacity system is best for your needs.
Consideration 2: Local regulations that might affect solar installations.
The second factor that needs to be considered well before installation is securing the permits and regulations needed by the local government. Of course, these will differ depending on your location, but in either Gympie or the South Burnett area, you may wish to consider the following:
- Getting environmental approval for your project, such as clearing vegetation
- Getting developmental approval from your local council to make sure the process meets planning codes and zoning regulations.
- Notification of electrical works – All electrical work on our solar system has to be done by a qualified and licensed electrician. It is also their job to hand in an electrical works notification to show they have met safety standards during the installation.
- You may also need a building permit from your council if you plan to use outbuildings to house parts of your system.
A Step-by-Step Guide To Solar System Installation
Once you have chosen your system and you have all your permits in place, a typical installation process will follow a schedule like this:
- Scaffolding will go up
- Mounts for the panels will be installed
- The panels will be installed on the mounts
- The system wiring will be completed
- The solar inverter will be installed
- The bond inverter and battery will be installed
- The inverted will be connected
- The panels will be tested.
Choose Integrity Solar Australia For All Your Off-Grid Solar Needs.
If you want more energy independence, a reduced impact on the environment, and lower energy costs, then installing an off-grid solar system is the ideal solution.
Integrity Solar Australia is the ideal installer for the job because we take pride in every aspect of our work, from the design of our system to the installation of every mount. We also have over 20 years of experience in the solar installation industry, which means you can trust us to get your installation right the first time. Indeed, all our technicians are highly qualified and equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology, ensuring that your solar installation is fast, efficient and effective.
Contact our friendly and knowledgeable off-grid solar experts online today for help and more information.