Solar power = electricity generated using solar energy or sunlight. It is a commercial system that harnesses sunlight to generate power or electricity as an alternative to other sources of power, notably power generated by fossil fuels like coal, crude oil, and natural gas.

The world is at an important juncture, either we actively start employing ways to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels or face a catastrophic future where a lack of adequate amounts of affordable power, generated by fossil fuels leaves us stranded.

Fossil fuel energyis classified as non-renewable because of its limited supply, whileon the other hand, solar energy is classified as renewable energy because of its obvious abundance. It is for this reason that solar power is becoming increasingly popular the world over. While countries such as the USA and China which are currently heavily reliant on fossil fuels are the biggest users of solar energy, other countries around the world are also beginning to convert to solar power more widely.

Solar power also presents a cost-effective way to generate energy for everyday requirements,compared to fossil fuel energy,whether it is for residential or commercial applications.If you would like to understand how solar power can help reduce your monthly electricity consumption ,talk to solar power sunshine coast.

Converting to solar power is not without its costs. There is the initial outlay for equipment and installation and the periodic maintenance and repair costs. The cost of conversion to solar power involves multiple components, including, solar panels, inverters, various electrical equipment, engineering and design, labour and any local authority permits or approvals.

The biggest argument against conversion to solar power, particularly for residential applications is the initial setup cost. Although set-up costs have been decreasing over the years, it is still a considerable investment for many homeowners and a return on investment may take several years. It is however an increasingly important and prudent conversion to actively considereven if it means installing just a solar-powered hot water system. It is estimated that about 23% of household energy in Australia is used by water heating products. Therefore, converting to solar power for just water heating can have a positive impact on the monthly electricity bill.

There are three types of systems to choose from,grid-tied, which allows the user to tap into their local power grid, allowing access to grid electricity when solar power generation is low. The second type, off-grid does not tap into the local energy grid and instead uses a battery to balance energy demands. The third is a hybrid type of the two central systems.

Just like an air-conditioning system a solar power system’s set-up cost is dependent on several factors that correlate to the amount of energy the system is required to generate to fulfil the needs of the residence or commercial building.A consultation with an experienced solar power installation company will help you understand the pros and cons of adopting solar energy for your individual need.