Are you getting slammed with enormous power bill hikes at present? You’re definitely not alone – because industry experts admitted at the recent Energy & Climate Summit that your electricity will cost about 35% more this year compared to 2022. The good news, however, is that simply by switching to solar power, you can expect your bills to then drop by somewhere in the range of 50-70% on average – although some get that bill all the way to $0 or even start to actually make money with their solar thanks to a feed-in tariff. So if all that’s true, which it is, then why is my electric bill so high with solar panels?
Huge electricity bill with solar panels?
So you installed that solar system because you wanted to embrace sustainable energy and slash those electricity bills, right? If you’re perplexed about what’s gone wrong, it could be:
1. Wrong solar system size
If the capacity of your solar system is overwhelmed by your household’s energy consumption needs, not enough ‘free’ energy will be produced – and so your appliances will have to revert to normal, expensive grid electricity. And if this grid electricity is being used in peak usage times, it will cost even more.
2. Altered lifestyle
When a household makes the solar switch, one common phenomenon is that – knowingly or not – the people who live there suddenly start to use more electricity than ever because of the perception the electric bill after solar panels is so low. But just because the energy is free doesn’t mean it’s limitless – and once it has all run out, you’re back to grid electricity on top of those more power-hungry new habits.
3. Solar system faults
Has your power bill surge coincided with an error message or warning light on the inverter? What about the panels – do they look degraded, scratched or dirty? Have you had the wiring checked for faults that could have led to energy transfer inefficiency? Could connections be loose, cables damaged, or junction boxes faulty? If it’s been a while since you had some professional solar maintenance or at least a solar inspection done, get on it now.
4. Shading & orientation
Even if your solar system is technically functioning perfectly, changes in the way the panels get their sunlight – some new shade, or an outdated panel orientation – can cause quite dramatically lower performance. Even the tilt angle of your panels could just need a tweak, which is something an experienced solar electrician knows all about.
5. Seasonal/weather/climate variations
It won’t be a surprise to learn that your panels do a lot better generating plenty of free energy in the sunny summer compared to a particularly grim winter season. But even several unseasonable cloudy days can make a big difference too, not only in terms of what your system is capable of producing but also regarding your expectations for what a particular power bill will say at the end of the billing period.
Sluggish solar: Why is my electric bill so high?
Are you struggling with surprisingly high solar power bills? The experienced, fully-licensed and always-friendly solar specialist team here at Solar Repair Service really can help with:
- System inspections: We’ll conduct a thorough solar system inspection, audit and assessment to get to the bottom of any issues affecting performance & efficiency. That includes checking the panels, inverters, wiring and other components.
- Maintenance & cleaning: Your solar system is low maintenance – but that doesn’t mean it needs no regular professional maintenance and cleaning at all!
- Performance monitoring: All across Brisbane, Sunshine Coast & beyond, Solar Repair Service can set up or assist with your solar monitoring systems to track energy production and consumption. It will help you identify deviations in performance and pick up issues in a timely way.
- Troubleshooting & repairs: With our eagle eyes and industry-leading tools, we’ll diagnose the problem and implement the necessary repairs or replacements in a jiffy.
- Upgrades & optimisation: Once we understand how your solar system works and verify everything’s working optimally, we can recommend and implement upgrades or optimisations to enhance energy production and boost your savings. From extra panels to an upgraded inverter or implementation of energy storage solutions like batteries, we’ll tailor your setup to your household’s exact needs and goals.
- Energy efficiency knowledge: No one understands the local solar game like the experts at Solar Repair Service, and we’re more than happy to suggest energy-saving habits, recommend efficient appliances, provide energy optimisation insights, and keep you up to date with the latest incentives, rebates and regulations.
Give us a call today at Solar Repair Service
Just want to maximise the financial benefits of solar energy as soon as possible? With all the bells & whistles like fully-guaranteed workmanship, upfront pricing, and coverage of all solar technology brands and systems Brisbane & Sunshine Coast-wide, the friendly team at Solar Repair Service can help today.
