Although solar has a more expensive upfront cost, once installed solar air conditioners allow you to cool down and heat up your home for free whenever the sun is out.
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Solar air conditioners are a system of heating and cooling that utilise energy from specific solar panels rather than electricity from the mains power.
This means they use energy for free whenever the sun is out and transition over to the mains power supply at night. Although solar air conditioners do have significant upfront costs, they are much cheaper to run and can save you a lot of money overtime.
Solar air conditioners consist of 3 main components:
The price of solar air conditioning depends on the size of your unit and the size of your home but the bulk of the cost is upfront during installation.
As a guide, the average installation costs of a 3kWh system are around $4,000 while a 10kWh system could set you back around $9,500.
Other solar air conditioners are on the more affordable side such as a 3.5kW Solar Hybrid Air Conditioner from which costs $2,855.00.
Once your solar powered air conditioner is installed there are minimal ongoing costs. If you use the air conditioner during the night or when the sun isn't out, you'll end up paying the regular price it costs to power your air conditioner from the mains.
You might also encounter occasional costs from air conditioner maintenance.
With energy prices so high at the moment, ways to decrease your bills long term are becoming more valued. Naturally, solar air conditioners draw less power from the mains electricity grid and will therefore have lower ongoing costs.
For example, running your regular air conditioner can set you back on average anywhere between $140 to $360 over the summer months depending on the size of your air con and where you live.
However, if you have a solar air conditioner, once you have paid the initial installation costs you will only encounter additional costs if you use your air conditioner when the sun isn't out.
Additionally, if you have additional energy that isn't stored in a battery or used throughout the day, you may receive a solar feed-in-tariff of anywhere between 2-13 cents/kWh (depending on your provider). This can help to offset the large initial upfront costs of a solar air conditioner.
Essentially, once the upfront costs have been paid, investing in a solar air conditioner can save you hundreds of dollars on your energy bill each year.
Other factors will also impact the amount you save including the size of your solar set-up, the time of day that you use your air conditioner and how energy-efficient your solar-powered air conditioning system is.
A solar air conditioner is a great option if you want to save your ongoing air conditioner costs but don't want to invest in solar for all your devices. However, there are some drawbacks of a solar air conditioner compared to using an air conditioner which is powered from a normal solar system.
The solar air conditioner's solar system exists solely to feed it power. This means you'll be paying full power price for all other energy use unless you have a separate solar system.
Depending on your roof size, even with the smallest solar air conditioner you might not have enough space to install a regular solar system alongside it.
Heating is generally used during the evening. This is when your solar air conditioner will be inactive or run on mains power - unless you have a solar battery.
Regardless of the type of solar you install, it's a good idea to check that your retailer is approved by the Clean Energy Council.
If your home has limited roof space and not enough to install a full solar system, a solar air conditioner might work for you. A solar air conditioner is a great way to use renewable energy and save on your utility bills.
However, if you do have the roof space, it is worth considering investing in a full solar system.
Solar power is still in its early stages, but in the years to come we should see more efficient and cost effective solar-powered air conditioners.
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