Global warming is now the unfortunate reality we live in. And the harmful effects of global warming are something we Australians are very familiar with, and they seem to only get worse. That’s why it’s up to us to do everything we can to preserve the lovely continent we live in and save our precious planet. And one of the best ways we can do so is to be wise about using our energy resources.

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In that aspect, our nation as one of the most affected by climate change, seems to be very conscious and is increasingly shifting towards renewable energy solutions. This can also be partly due to the huge spikes in electricity cost and the high price of gas. In only the first half of the year, the number of home solar panel kits installations has been five times more than the number of installations for th entire past year. With the increased competition on the market, the prices of home solar panel kits have significantly dropped. If you too are considering to join this growing, environment and pocket friendly trend, you couldn’t have picked a better time.

For starters, it’s important to know that a complete solar panel kit consists of one or multiple solar panels and an inverter that can convert the direct current from the panels into an alternating one suitable for home use. If you live in an area that’s mostly sunny (which most of Australia is), this system can provide all the energy your household needs. In a couple of years, with the amount of money you’ll save on electricity bills can end up paying for the entire installation. From that point on, you’ll be powering your home free of any costs.

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Of course, some households can’t gain enough power from home solar panel kits alone, and may opt to remain connected to grid in order to completely meet their energy needs. Many people also have a backup generator for long streaks of bad weather and other emergencies. Depending on the energy spendings of your households and the area you live in you can opt for a stand alone system or choose to include mains power or a generator.

When purchasing solar panels for your home, you’ll certainly be met with the decision whether to go for mono or polycrystalline. Both of them are made of silicone and use the same method of capturing the sun’s energy and turning into electricity. The only difference between the two is in how they’re made. To built a mono panel, a single silicone crystal is shaped into multiple bars and then cut into wafers. On the other hand, when manufacturing a polycrystalline panel there are multiple crystals being used for a single cell. Because of this, the polycrystalline panels are easier to make and thus less expensive. In the past they use to be less efficient than mono-crystallines, however with technological developments the two now have almost identical capacities.