Installing solar panels - what do I need to know?

If you’re wondering how much solar you should put on your roof and how much it could save you, SunSPoT is for you. 

Mornington Peninsula Shire’s new partnership with not-for-profit Australian Photovoltaic Institute (APVI) means Peninsula residents and businesses can gain access to SunSPOT – a free and secure online tool designed to help you understand the solar potential of your home or building.

When you plug your address into the SunSPoT map, you’ll quickly find out:

• the best position for solar on your roof  
• what size system can be installed and the best sized system to maximise value
• expected cost of a mid-range system (based on reputable Solar Quotes solar index)
• your estimated annual savings from solar.

SunSPoT is simple to use but very sophisticated. It can assess the year-round impact of shading from nearby trees and buildings, it knows the average amount of sunshine in the area from BOM weather data, and it knows the angle and orientation of your roof planes.

If you want to customise the results, you can add details from your bill about your electricity usage and costs. SunSPoT will not share your details – all information will be kept private.

It’s free, private and you can do it over and over again on any roof using different inputs. Try it out before talking to solar sales people, and once you’ve got quotes, check them against what your SunSPot report says.

SunSPoT was built specifically to help people buy solar with confidence, by knowing what to expect in price, size and savings before talking to salespeople.

Are you thinking about batteries?

If you’ve already got a solar system installed and you’re wondering if it’s time to invest in a battery, SunSPoT will calculate the savings you could make. Note: that the battery sizing feature does not currently tell you battery costs, however this will soon be available to users. 

More information