Summer hits and the energy bills skyrocket. It’s normally down to one culprit – your air conditioner. They chew up a lot of energy, so having your split system or ducted aircon running all day to beat the heat can get pricey.
This is where solar power and air conditioning can be a game-changer. When the heat is on in the middle of the day, solar panels are producing their highest outputs and can offset your air conditioning use.
The two systems work together beautifully, with a large portion, and possibly all, of the aircon’s power use covered by the solar power generation. You’re making full use of your daytime solar energy instead of pushing it back into the grid for a low feed-in rate. That’s why this is such a popular combination in Brisbane homes.
As both air conditioning and solar installation experts, Voltora Industries has helped thousands of customers stay cool while lowering their power bills. Today we want to explore the solar and aircon combination and what makes it so effective.
Why Solar Power and Air Conditioning Are a Good Match
It comes down to simple mathematics – instead of buying expensive energy during peak heat periods, your aircon is being powered by the sun’s rays.
This is important because air conditioning units pull a lot of power. If it’s running for hours at a time for many days over summer, you’re in for a massive energy bill.
That shrinks dramatically with solar, though. Solar systems work at their best on hot and sunny days. When your aircon is drawing the most power, the solar system is pumping it out at a high rate.
On a clear Brisbane afternoon, many homes can cool their living areas at almost zero running cost. It is one of the most effective ways to cut the expense of staying comfortable in summer.
How Solar Powers Your Air Conditioner
It’s a straightforward process that yields powerful results:
- Your solar panels generate DC power
- The solar inverter converts it to AC power
- Your home uses that AC power straight away
- The aircon pulls power from solar first and the grid second.
When your aircon and solar have been set up by professionals like Voltora Industries, everything will work seamlessly in the background. Solar runs the aircon if there’s enough energy from the sun, and the grid steps in if there isn’t, eg when there is heavy cloud cover.
Modern Inverter Air Conditioners Work Best With Solar
Modern inverter air conditioners use variable-speed compressors that ramp up and down based on how much cooling you need. This aligns best with
You want to stay away from the older fixed-speed aircons. They use a lot of energy and often only have two settings: on and off. That big energy spike when you crank them up doesn’t sync nicely with solar power production.
Inverter systems are better because they:
- Start gently without big power spikes
- Adjust their output slowly and steadily
- Draw less energy overall
- Work comfortably within the solar system’s daily production curve
If you are already running solar, upgrading to an inverter split system can make your daytime cooling far more efficient. Chat to the aircon experts at Voltora for guidance on this.
How Much Can You Save?
Savings vary from house to house, but the clear trend is that solar cuts a big chunk out of your aircon’s running cost.
A home with a 10 kW solar system could run several split systems during a clear and sunny day and barely touch the grid.
Even if the grid does come into play at some point, your expenses will still be massively reduced.
A simple example helps.
- Running an older aircon without solar can easily cost several dollars per hour on a hot day.
- Running a modern inverter unit on solar can cost close to nothing during the middle of the day.
Spread that over a Brisbane summer and you are looking at a large amount saved. We’re often told by homeowners that the solar and aircon combination paid for itself faster than they expected.
Night-Time Cooling with Solar Batteries
When the sun goes down your solar system stops producing energy. If you’re still running your aircon, the grid will step in to power it.
There’s another option to reduce your reliance on the grid in the evening and at night: solar batteries. These will store your excess solar power from the day. Then, depending on your battery size and how much charge it has, you can run your aircon unit off it.
The ‘Cheaper Home Batteries Program’ is a government initiative designed to make solar batteries more affordable for Aussie households. Great savings are currently on offer through it, so get in touch with Voltora soon for all the information on it.
Get Your Solar Power and Aircon to Work Together with Voltora
If you want your solar system and air conditioner working as a team, the Voltora crew can help. We’ll advise on the best size of solar system for your property, and what air conditioners would nicely align with it. We offer warranty-backed work and products for your peace of mind, and have the ultimate goal of making your life more comfortable and cost-effective.
Our team of trusted Master Electricians are on hand to answer your questions and guide you through the process. We’ll install a system that is safe and efficient, maximising the benefits of solar power and aircon working together.
Get in touch today!
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