Insights from the sustainable webinar series

Published on 03 November 2023

Australians are the most enthusiastic users and installers of rooftop solar power in the world, with rooftop solar alone hosting over 20 gigawatts of solar power.

The solar power revolution continues to grow as people seek to protect themselves against increasing power prices and do their bit to reduce their carbon footprint. 

Given this context, as more people seek information on solar panels in an increasingly complex information environment, Kempsey Shire Council partnered with Adam Corrigan from Your Energy Friend to present a three-part webinar series on sustainable energy use.

Webinar one: Solar panels and battery storage in your home

The first webinar in the series, held on 1 November 2023, focused on solar power and battery integration for your home.

Five main steps on your solar and battery journey

1. Take the time to understand your energy bills - our third webinar will help with this!
2. Get the best rate from your energy retailer (AGL, Origin, RED Energy, Energy Australia)
3. Become energy efficient in your home - our second webinar will help with this!
4. Go Solar!
5. Keep an eye on batteries for now - they are still expensive, but prices are starting to come down.

Be informed

Sifting through shonky advertisements and aggressive marketing techniques can be discouraging. Adam Corrigan had some great recommendations for reliable sources of information:

• Clean Energy Council's Buying Solar: solar guide for consumers should be your main buying guide when considering solar panels.
• Solar Quotes is another great resource that compares solar panels, inverters, solar installers and batteries.
• Another excellent guide for buying solar and batteries for your home is the Home Solar Battery Guide.

Helpful tips

• Your inverter is the most important part of buying solar. They convert the direct current (DC) output of solar panels into alternating current (AC) electricity for use in the home. It is a good idea to go with an inverter that can work with a battery to allow for easy installation of a battery in the future.
• If you have a smart meter, you can ask for your interval data from your retailer or from Essential Energy. Just Google ‘Essential energy NMI data’. This will help you really understand your energy consumption which will inform you about what size solar PV system you really need.
• Once you receive your interval data, you can use an online tool called MeterKloud to help you visualise your data.
• Want to look at your own roof? Check out the SunSPOT solar tool online.

If you are interested in increasing energy efficiency in your home or understanding your energy bill, register here for our free interactive webinars

Book your place now