WHO DO I SPEAK TO WHEN I CALL YOUR 1300 146 346 NUMBER?

Infinity Solar knows the importance of local knowledge, so when you call 1300 146 346 you’ll be automatically diverted to your closest office (our locations are spread throughout Queensland, northern New South Wales and Northern Territory). The person that answers your call will be a local and will be able to answer any questions you may have. They will also be the one that will conduct your site visit and provide you with a quote. Top

HOW LONG HAS INFINITY SOLAR BEEN AROUND?

Infinity Solar was founded in 2007 and has gone on to become one of the largest providers of renewable energy solutions in Queensland and northern New South Wales. In this time we’ve designed and installed solar power systems for Energex, Queensland Government, numerous local councils, James Cook University, Endeavour Energy, Australian Agricultural Company, Engineers without Borders, Xstrata Mining, Country Energy, Telstra, TAFE Queensland, numerous private schools in both states, the Cairns Catholic Diocese and many more. Top

HOW MUCH ENERGY WILL MY SOLAR POWER INSTALLATION GENERATE?

The amount of solar power your system will generate depends on a number of factors; your location, the size of your solar array and inverter, the pitch and orientation of your array, the amount of shading on the array if any (any shading is bad, so the less the better), how clean your panels are, the efficiency of your inverter, the cable size and length of cable runs, cloud cover, time of the year, ambient temperature and panel and inverter quality. But don’t worry, even though there are many factors that will affect your output, once we understand more about your individual situation we can provide an estimation of your generation. Top

WILL MY SYSTEM WORK AT NIGHT?

No. Once the sun is down your system will shut down for the night. If you watch your inverter at dawn and dusk you will see and hear it performing a series of tests before it either goes to sleep for the night or starts up ready for another day of generation. At night your home will be consuming power off the mains grid. This transition happens seamlessly without you having to worry about any input from you. Top

WILL MY SYSTEM WORK ON CLOUDY DAYS?

Yes, however your power generation will be reduced. Below are three actual generation graphs that show the effect that cloud cover will have on your system’s generation. Shading from a tree or building will also give you reduced generation. Top

WILL MY SOLAR POWER SYSTEM WORK DURING A BLACKOUT?

The answer to this really depends on what type of solar power system you have. A standard grid-connect system will shut down as soon as the mains grid goes down (as it does during a blackout). There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the solar inverter requires the grid power as a reference point, so with no grid power present the inverter will shut down. Secondly, and most importantly, if a grid-connect system was to export power during a blackout there is a real risk that this exported solar power could create a deadly situation for the linesmen that are repairing the cause of the power outage.

During a power outage a battery back-up system will immediately switch over from grid power to the battery bank. A correctly sized battery back-up system will allow you to operate a number of pre-determined electrical appliances for a chosen amount of time. If a system is not designed correctly you could be left with a system that will not supply enough back-up power for your requirements so the correct sizing of a battery back-up system is extremely important. Top

WHO WILL BUY MY EXCESS POWER?

This will all depend on which state you’re in. Queensland has a new feed-in tariff of 8c whereas New South Wales does not currently have a feed-in tariff and in the Northern Territory you are paid at the same rate that you draw power from the grid. In Queensland your electricity retailer will purchase any excess solar generation that you export back on to the grid. Your electricity retailer will credit your bill with the amount of electricity exported. You have the option to either leave this credit on your bill or you can ask for it to be paid to you in the form of a cheque. In Queensland different retailers i.e. Origin, AGL, Integral Energy offer different feed-in rates so it is well worth talking to us before making any changes to your regular retailer. Top

DO THE PANELS NEED TO BE MOUNTED ON MY ROOF?

No, however most domestic solar power systems are. Over the years Infinity Solar has installed panels on to all sorts of structures across Australia. We offer the German made Sonnen Systeme dual axis trackers that can increase your generation by up to 40%. We also offer the German made Schletter ground mounted system that is the perfect large ground mounted system. In recent years we have also seen a large number of farmers build new sheds not just for space but to provide an area for installing their solar panel array on to. Top

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY DIFFERENT SOLAR PANELS ON THE MARKET?

At Infinity, we have only been getting asked this question in the last year or two, as previous to this there were only a handful of panel manufacturers represented in Australia. If you take a look back to a few years ago, there was no feed-in tariff and the cost of power was rather stable. This has now all changed and the amount of grid-connect systems being installed has increased dramatically. The massive growth in grid-connect systems is no different to what happened with the roof insulation scheme. As soon as the Federal Government introduced an incentive to install roof insulation the market was literally flooded overnight with cheap, poor-quality insulation. Unfortunately, this is very similar to the current grid-connect market. Australia has quickly become the dumping ground for poor-quality solar panels. By contrast, in Germany for example the panel market is entirely made up of tier-1 premium panel manufacturers. The German population is educated in solar generation and understands that the yield and reliability of a good quality panel will deliver them the best return on their investment.  In general the Australian market is still happy to accept poor quality, under-performing panels. When you’re researching your solar system, please spend some time investigating the history and R&D budget of the solar manufacturers on your short list. Just because a panel is listed on the CEC approved panel list DOES NOT mean that it is a quality panel.

Here at Infinity we are more than happy to answer any of your questions in this area to ensure you get the best possible quality system. Top

How does a residential solar power PV system work?

Put simply, solar power installations use solar panels, some wiring and electronics to convert light energy from the sun into electrical energy. The solar modules create DC power (similar to batteries) and the inverter is used to convert this DC power into AC power, similar to the existing mains power supply connected to your house. During the sunlight hours your solar power system will be at its optimum production level; if your solar power system produces more electricity than your home is currently using, your electricity retailer will allow this excess power to be fed into the main grid network. If you are consuming more electricity than your system can produce you will simply be substituting your solar power for the power you would have consumed from your retailer. During all other times when the solar power system is not operating (i.e. at night) you will continue to consume the mains power as supplied by your retailer as per normal. Top

What do the terms ‘grid-connect’ and ‘off-grid’ mean?

The term ‘grid-connect’ refers to a power installation that is connected to the main utility power grid, which is the power system that all homes and businesses are connected to. Our solar power systems are designed as on-grid systems, meaning that they interconnect with your existing power utility provider. Off-grid or stand alone refers to systems that are not connected to the utility electrical grid and are commonly used in remote areas. Top

Does the solar system require maintenance?

Once the system has been installed there is little ongoing maintenance that is required. The only item that may need attention, depending on the installation, is to clean the solar panels – an angle of about 15 degrees should aid some amount of self-cleaning. Infinity Solar personnel can be arranged for periodical maintenance if desired. Top

Can I monitor my solar system or power consumption remotely?

Yes, there are wireless displays available, which are very cost effective. At Infinity Solar we recommend the wireless handheld Cent-a-meter. It has proven itself to be a great visual way to monitor your consumption and the output of your solar power system. Top

How much roof space does the system need?

A 1kW solar array will require around 8 square metres of roof area, and a 1.5kW solar array requires around 12 square metres, but this does depend on the solar panel wattage that can be installed on your roof. Top

How long will it take to install my solar power system?

Usually one full day for two tradesmen for the 1kW system – the larger systems may take longer depending on weather, system size, roof type, roof area and height. Top

What size system do I need to power my home?

Every house is different; everyone’s needs are different, so it all depends on how energy efficient your household is and what sort of impact you expect from the system. At Infinity Solar we can work with you to customise each system to fit your needs and budget. A good starting place is to analyse your power bills. From there we can help you reduce your carbon footprint with sensible behavioural changes and the installation of a solar power system. Top

Can I use solar power systems to power my business?

Solar power PV systems can be blended into every possible situation irrespective of the nature of your business. You will find solar power PV systems being used in many applications such as; security lighting, portable caravan & car applications, as well as other remote structures such as rural sheds, bus shelters, marine applications etc. You can use solar PV to work in many applications such as commercial, industrial, rural or residential. Top

Is there a financial incentive for installing solar power?

Since June 10 2009, solar power take-up has been encouraged by increasing the number of renewable energy certificates available. The RRPGP (Renewable Remote Power Generation Program) provides a rebate of up to 50% of the total purchase price, for systems that meet the criteria set by the AGO. More information can be sought from http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/renewable/pv/index.html Top

Can I have a solar PV system on my house and still be connected to the grid?

Yes, most solar PV systems are designed as grid-connectable systems. This means the solar power systems are designed to interconnect with the main electricity grid. Top

Can I be totally independent from the main power grid?

We can design a solar PV system that is “off-grid”. Off-grid systems must be custom designed and are normally suited to remote locations where no electricity grid is available. Off-grid systems will require power storage capabilities such as batteries to supply the power when the sun is not shining, wind is not blowing or a generator not running. Top