Do You Still Get An Electricity Bill With Solar?

Solar power is one of the most effective ways to reduce your energy bill and become more self-sufficient when it comes to powering your home — especially if you live in a sunny area like Queensland.

But can solar power ever fully replace your reliance on traditional energy sources? Do you still get an electricity bill when you have solar power? And what can you do to get as close to that as possible? In this article, we’ll tackle all of these questions and more.

Do You Still Get An Electricity Bill When You Have Solar Power?

The short answer, for the vast majority of people, is yes.

It’s extremely difficult to ever truly break free of the energy grid and provide all your electricity needs through solar power. This is because generating enough consistent energy through solar to power a home or business 24/7 requires an enormous amount of infrastructure.

Realistically, you will still have to rely on the energy grid for at least some part of your energy needs, so you’ll still have to pay some bills.

Now for the good news — you can significantly reduce your energy bill by using solar power. We’ll show you how to do that, but first, let’s take a look at the main factors that affect how much money you can save.

Factors Affecting Solar Power Savings

• Sunlight hours. The amount of sunlight your area receives will impact how much solar power you can generate. In a place like Queensland, sunlight is plentiful and reliable, so you can cover a significant part of your energy needs with solar. In somewhere like Northern Europe during the winter, this can be much harder.
• Your ability to store energy. By using solar batteries effectively you can store a large portion of the energy your solar panels generate. This allows you to continue covering your energy needs even during periods when sunlight is scarcer, relying less on the energy grid.
• Your energy usage and efficiency. If you’re wasteful with your energy use or use outdated and inefficient appliances, you’re more likely to use more than your solar panels can provide. Being more efficient with your energy means you’ll rely less on the grid and pay less in bills.
• The times you use energy. Since solar power is, of course, more plentiful during daylight, you can save money by doing energy-intensive tasks like laundry during the daytime.

How To Maximise Energy Cost Savings With Solar

Now let’s take a look at the most effective ways to maximise the amount of money you save by using solar power.

Ensure Your Solar Panels Are As Efficient As Possible

The more efficient your solar panels are, the more energy they will generate and the less you’ll have to rely on traditional energy sources. Here are some ways to maximise the efficiency of your solar panel system:

• Make sure you use high-quality solar panels from a reliable manufacturer
• Install your panels in a place where they will get maximum exposure to the sun, for example on the roof
• Keep your solar panels clean of any debris and dirt
• Work with a team of experts when installing your panels

Time Your Energy Use Wisely

As mentioned, it’s best to do energy-intensive tasks during the day if possible, especially if you don’t have batteries to store your excess solar energy. Your panels will, of course, receive much more sunlight in the bright daytime hours than in the evening, so it’s best to capitalise on this when it comes to energy usage.

Make The Most of Feed-in Tariffs

The state of Queensland now offers feed-in tariffs, which means you can essentially return excess energy to the grid in exchange for a payment. This way, if your solar panels are producing more energy than you use during the day, you can get compensated for this additional energy and use the money to offset your bills.

Use Solar Batteries

Solar batteries allow you to store the excess energy your panels produce. This allows you to stock up on energy when production is high — during the daytime and sunny periods — and use it during times with less sunlight. This way, you can simply draw on your stored energy instead of paying for the grid.

Use a Backup Generator

Many solar panel users also own a backup generator that uses fossil fuels to cover energy needs when their solar system isn’t sufficient. This isn’t the most environmentally-friendly strategy, but it does allow you to rely less on the grid and save money on utility bills.

Get Started With Solar

Solar panels might not lead to complete energy independence straight away, but they can still result in impressive cost savings on energy bills over time. At SnapSolar we can guide you through the process of choosing, installing, and maintaining the right solar panel system for you and your needs.

Get in touch to learn more.