You’ve obviously heard of the idea of upsizing solar inverters if you’ve been looking into solar energy. Installing more solar panels than your inverter is rated for is a practice known as inverter oversizing.
While that may seem paradoxical — after all, your solar panels and inverters ought to be able to process the same amount of electricity — the reality is a little more subtle. When installing solar panels, there are a plethora of various elements to take into account, and we believe this is one that is sometimes forgotten.
Continue reading to learn more about upsizing solar inverters, how it functions, and whether it is the best option for your solar array installation.
So what exactly is inverter upsizing?
Oversizing a solar inverter is the process of installing a solar array, or a collection of solar panels, that has a higher capacity than the inverter’s rated size.
Let’s assume a 5kW inverter as an example. Due to the fact that the majority of energy providers in Australia limit the electricity export for residences to 5kW, this is the most typical size. This means that at any given time, your solar system can only export up to 5kW of energy to the grid. If you don’t use the energy yourself, you export any excess to the grid.
It makes logical, in theory, to pair a 5kW inverter with 5kW worth of panels, and many people actually do this. 15 panels at 330 Watt each will make up 5kW of panels in this configuration. However, when you choose inverter upsizing, you install more than 5kW worth of panels.
This does look a little unusual at first. If you can’t use it or feed it back into the grid, why “waste” all that additional energy, right?
We’ll explain why it’s actually a smart idea, though!
The 6.6kW solar PV system calculation!
Previously, a 5kW solar power installation was the rage. However, solar retailers and the customers have done the arithmetic and determined that going 6.6kW can be more cost-effective. The 6.6kW figure refers to the 6.6kW of solar panels that are installed on the roof along with a 5kW inverter. Yes! In accordance with the recommendations of the Clean Energy Council and the network distributors, it is quite legitimate (the companies that own the poles and lines). You are permitted to have a solar power system that is 133% larger than required by law. In other words, you may purchase an inverter with a 5kW capacity and install 6.6kW of solar panels (5kW x 133% = 6.6kW).
Benefits of upsizing the Solar System
You can increase the STCs without switching from a 5kW to a 6kW inverter. This helps you save a few hundred dollars. Most notably, it reduces the cost per watt of your solar system, which is crucial from the perspective of “value for money.”
Compared to 6kW inverters, 5kW inverters are less expensive. Additionally, the market offers a far wider selection of 5kW single phase inverters (more choice, lower prices).
Most of the power companies just take into account the inverter size i.e. for instance if it is a 5kW export limit, your inverter size would be 5kW (for export) and you can install 133% of the panels to the capacity of the inverter.
If you’re planning for the future, like that electric car in your garage, a 6.6kW solar system is a fantastic size for powering a battery.
Overall, a 6.6kW solar system is more efficient and offers better value. It is the new solar sweet spot for homeowners seeking to maximize their solar investment. Get an obligation free solar quote with Arise Solar Now!
