Solar

Enphase IQ Batteries are the first microinverter-based storage system to meet the performance criteria of the UL 9540A—a unit-level test for thermal runaway fire propagation protection in residential indoor wall-mounted systems. Talk to Noosa Electric Co for an Enphase battery solution, integrated into an Enphase Microinverter AC Solar Solution.

Would You Like to Know More?

If you’re interested in learning more about a solar solution or getting a quote, please contact our team. We service Noosa and surrounding suburbs.

Talk to Noosa Electric Co for an EV charging solution for your home or business, in Noosa & surrounding suburbs. Our EV charging solution utilises zappi – an EV charger with a difference. zappi can operate as a standard home car charger, using power from the grid. It also has optional charging modes which use 100% green energy generated from your own home Solar PV system or wind generation.

Grid vs Solar Energy Source

zappi can be used with power from the grid or solar power. Either way, you can charge your EV at home. The advantage of using solar power is that EV charging won’t cost anything (apart from the initial installation and maintenance costs of having solar on the roof). Talk to our team about an EV charging solution, or a complete solar installation. Our solutions are designed to take the Sunshine Coast into the future.

If you have an EV but don’t have solar just yet, zappi will enable you to charge your EV now (with energy from the grid) and be ready for solar in the future. zappi will work with either energy source.

3 EV Charging Modes

zappi provides you with tailor made charging to suit your lifestyle and demands. Whether you need a “fast” charge to get you going in a hurry, or are happy to wait for your charge to take place using 100% renewable energy. zappi gives you the flexibility to charge on your terms.

Noosa Electric Co installs On-Grid and Hybrid AC Solar Solutions in Noosa and surrounding suburbs. On this page, we clarify the difference between On-Grid, Off-Grid and Hybrid Solar solutions.

Relationship to the Grid

Solar installations can be configured to work in different ways with the public electricity grid. Generally, they fall into one of the following three categories:

• On-Grid
• Off-Grid
• Hybrid

These distinctions explain how the solar energy is used. Explanations follow:

Would You Like to Know More?

If you’re interested in learning more about a solar solution or getting a quote, please contact our team. We service Noosa and surrounding suburbs.

Noosa Electric Co provides an Enphase Microinverter AC Solar System suitable for Australian homes and businesses. On this page, we provide information to help you understand why we provide AC solar solutions, and how they are different from other approaches to solar power.

Solar – A Broad Overview

In a typical residential solar installation, solar panels convert the sun’s energy into DC (Direct Current) electricity. However, inside the home, AC power is used, so a conversion is necessary. DC and AC solar systems go about this conversion process in different ways.

How AC Solar Works

DC solar is arranged in a ‘series’ circuit – connected panel to panel, this circuit leads electricity as DC to a single inverter inside the home, where it is transformed into AC power.

AC Solar works in a different way. Each solar cell has a microinverter which converts DC to AC at the solar cell. This significant distinction opens up a wide range of benefits in safety and capability.

Benefits of AC Solar Solutions

1. Avoiding High Voltages on the Rooftop

In a DC Solar system, the series circuit can lead to high DC voltages on the rooftop. This is due to the fact that the solar cells are linked together in series. This can result in DC voltages of up to 600 (Residential) – 1000 (Commercial) Volts DC on the roof.

In the event of the circuit being compromised due to any number of reasons (rodents, environmental wear and tear, water ingress, etc) this can result in high voltages of DC current arcing which can cause injury and fire.

An AC solar system doesn’t need high DC voltages – its DC voltages never exceed 80 volts. This makes for a safer solution.

• Learn more about AC Solar Safety

3. No Need for a DC Isolator Switch

The DC Isolator switch is one of the most common points of failure in a DC Solar system. The purpose of this switch is to separate the DC circuit from the rest of the house. Although the intention is to make the system safer, over time the failure of these switches and subsequent exposure to the environment is a leading cause of failure in DC solar systems.

In an AC solar solution, there is no need for a DC isolator switch because there is no high-voltage DC circuit. Microinverters transform DC to AC at each panel, and the AC voltage on the rooftop is much lower because it is operating on a per-panel basis, as opposed to the combined effect in a DC Solar series circuit.

• Learn more about AC Solar Safety

4. Performance in Partial Shading

In a DC solar installation the performance of the whole system depends on the performance of each individual cell. If a cell is shaded, this impacts the performance of the entire array, reducing the output. In an AC solar system, cells work separately from each other. Any shading only impacts the individual cell, not the entire system.

• Learn more about AC Solar Performance

4. Centralised VS Decentralised Inversion

Another important distinction between AC and DC solar is the impact of a single vs multiple inversion points. In a DC solar system, the whole system relies on a single inverter to transform DC to AC. If this inverter fails, the whole system goes down. This single point of failure doesn’t exist in an AC solar solution. Here, the inversion happens at the panel with a microinverter. If it should fail, only a single panel is impacted – the rest of the system won’t be affected. This creates a more robust system that isn’t dependent on a single inverter.

• Learn more about AC Solar Performance

5. Scalability

Scalability (the ability to change the size) of your solar installation is an important consideration. The installation that works for you now may not work for you in 5 years time. A case in point is electric vehicles. If you transition to an electric vehicle, the need to charge your car would change the profile of your energy usage requirement.

DC solar installations are inherently less scalable than AC solar installations. Adding additional solar panels is only possible as long as the single inverter can handle the additions. It may be necessary to upgrade your inverter to accommodate extra panels. In comparison, AC solar can be scaled as needed. Panels can be added, or removed, as required without compromising the rest of the process. This is achieved by microinverters transforming DC to AC at the cell rather than at a single inversion point.

• Learn more about AC Solar Scalability

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Would You Like to Know More?

If you’re interested in learning more about a solar solution or getting a quote, please contact our team. We service Noosa and surrounding suburbs.

A Solar installation represents a significant investment. Accordingly, it’s important to prioritise a quality solution. Make sure your solar will go the distance with an Enphase Microinverter AC Solar Solution. On this page, we examine how our AC Solar solution is geared to take your home or business all the way into the future.

Quality Components

Using quality components in conjunction with a professional installation is the best way to avoid a solar headache. Shortcuts in quality create short-term solutions, and as with all things electrical, breaking down might be a best case scenario. Fires and injuries can also result from poor quality components or inadequate installation practices.

We use high quality components in our AC Solar solutions including Hyundai PV cells & Enphase Microinverters, designed and equipped for harsh Australian conditions. Our AC Solar is designed to go the distance.

Professional Installation

Noosa Electric Co has serviced the Sunshine Coast since 1973. We have a reputation for quality, and ensure our installations in appliances, air-conditioning, refrigeration, electrical and solar a conducted in a compliant and professional manner.

Longevity By Design

AC solar systems have inherent advantages that set the up for a long and successful life. Unlike DC systems, there are no high voltages on the rooftop and no need for a DC isolator switch (a common cause of system failure). Because the inversion process is handled on a per-panel basis (rather than relying on a single inverter) any inverter failure only impacts a single panel – not the whole system.

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Would You Like to Know More?

If you’re interested in learning more about a solar solution or getting a quote, please contact our team. We service Noosa and surrounding suburbs.

Scalability is an important consideration when you install a solar solution. In the future your needs may change, and it may be necessary to change your solar system accordingly. We work with Enphase Microinverter AC Solar Solutions. A key benefit of these systems is the ease with which they can be adapted, giving them an advantage over traditional DC solar systems.

The Need For Solar Scalability

We live in an era of change and adaptation. While it isn’t always easy to see what the future will bring, it can be certain that it will bring more change! For example, in 5 years time you may have an electric car, (or two) in the garage that need to be charged every day. That’s why factoring scalability into your installation is important.

How Is Solar Scaled Up?

To increase the power generated by your solar system, either more panels need to be added or existing panels need to be replaced with more efficient panels. Either way, the goal is to increase the solar energy being converted to electricity.

The Problem with Scaling DC Solar

In a DC installation, the conversion from DC to AC is done at a single, central inverter. Adding more panels to your system will increase the DC voltage going to your inverter. A disadvantage of this approach is that the capacity of the system is limited to the capacity of the inverter: a new inverter may be required to handle the addition of more panels to your system.

Scaling With AC Solar

AC solar works differently. The inversion process is accomplished at each individual panel, meaning that panels can be added to the system as required without jeopardising the ability of the system to handle the added power – the system does not rely on the capacity of a a centralised inverter. Another advantage of AC Solar is the minimum panel requirement. DC systems require a minimum of 8 panels, whereas AC systems don’t have a minimum. The configuration can be scaled to suit your needs, however big or small they may be.

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Would You Like to Know More?

If you’re interested in learning more about a solar solution or getting a quote, please contact our team. We service Noosa and surrounding suburbs.