Your solar questions, answered
What Solar system size do we need?
There is no simple answer to this question. It will depend on many different factors such as how much electricity you need to generate via PV, however at Nusa Solar our Technical Solar Advisers can personalise a system to each individual and let you know what system will provide you with the best financial return, Contact us today to speak to one of our technical solar advisers.
Does Solar Systems require Batteries?
No. If you are already connected with PLN, batteries are not really necessary. You can connect your solar system On-Grid without any battery. Batteries might be a good option when being in areas with frequent power outages or with poor power quality. Now a days most areas in Bali and Jawa are covered with reliable power from PLN. Talk to our energy experts to understand what kind of system fits you better.
What Wp or kWp means?
Watt Peak or Kilowatt Peak is the unit how solar modules are rated in the solar industry. It means the Peak Power that the solar panel can produce at Standard Test Conditions (STC) which are 25 degrees Celsius, 1,000W/m2 and AM 1.5. Does this means that higher Wp modules are better? No, usually higher Wp modules are just larger in physical size. For example a 405Wp modules is usually 2 m2 (2x1m) while a 540Wp module is 2.65 m2
Does a larger Panel produce more electricity?
No, the total energy produced by a solar panel is coming from the efficiency of the cell. You might find smaller panels with 400Wp more efficient than 500Wp modules. Not always bigger is better! Talk to Nusa Solar experienced engineers to find out what panels suits you better.
What is the function of an Inverter?
An inverter transforms the DC power from the Solar panel to AC power, this is the same type of power as your mains power. It also exports any excess power back into the electricity grid (PLN meter), to be counted as your electricity credit (NET metering. See more about this below under section “Can I “sell” the electricity I do not use?”). An inverter’s quality is partly measured by how efficiently it converts the DC electricity to AC electricity. Traditional string inverters offer a 5 years warranty. Our Solar Edge Inverter comes with 12 years standard warranty
Why are there so much variance in the price of solar on the market?
The price variance often comes down to the quality of the products used in the installation. Cheaper products used can mean a cheaper system price and better-quality solar products will mean paying more for the system.
Prices can also be affected by the type of service a company can provide for you. Before installation service and after installation service and support years down the track.
What warranties do I get?
Nusa Solar offers a full 10-year workmanship warranty on most of our installations.
We also only install Tier 1 products. Meaning all our panels have a minimum of a 12-year product warranty and a 25-year performance warranty. All our inverters also come with a 5 to 25-year warranty.
For more information on warranties, check out the solar brands we offer.
Which is best: Monocrystalline or Polycrystalline?
The first thing to look at is the material difference between the composition of the silicon substrate used to create Monocrystalline and Polycrystalline panels. Monocrystalline means ‘a single crystal’ while Polycrystalline means ‘many crystals’.
The question of which is best has been an ongoing debate in solar industry since both products were introduced to the market. Each panel has its advantages. Contact us today to speak to one of our technical solar advisers about personalising a solar system to give you the best return on investment for your home.
What is the difference between a string inverter, a microinverter or a SolarEdge Inverter?
String Inverter – Rows of solar panels are connected together into strings and the DC power is wired back to this inverter located in a central location. This will then convert the DC power into AC power for all of the panels at the same time. The inverter is usually installed in a dry and cool area. This technology usually comes with 5 years warranty and is the most common inverter technology used globally.
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Microinverter – This is a “smaller inverter” with full capabilities installed behind each solar panel. This inverter technology is weaker than the String Inverter as all the electronics of our system including the monitoring are installed in a roof with difficult access and at high heat temperatures (between 60 to 70 degrees Celsius). Usually, this inverter technology brings more benefits to the installers than to the house owners as it makes the installer life easier by only stocking one type of inverter for all type of installations. As a matter of fact none of the top inverter brands in the world have this Micro Inverter technology in their offered products (Huawei, Sungow, Solis, SMA, Fronius, Delta, Kako, ABB, Solar Edge, etc). The typical warranties of these inverters are 5-12 years.
Solar Edge with Power Optimizers – This inverter technology is a mix of the best Micro Inverter and String Inverters capabilities. Solar Edge combines the panel level monitoring, roof level rapid shut down system and solar panel shading management which is possible thanks to the power optimizers installed below each panel on the roof. Additionally, SolarEdge also comes with a simpler Inverter which is installed in a dry and cool area which is the unit responsible to convert the DC to AC electricity and to upload all the system data into the internet. The SolarEdge solution comes with a 12 years standard warranty for the inverter and 25 years standard warranty for the Power Optimizers. SolarEdge every year ranked as the number 1 inverter in the world for the residential market.
You can learn more about each inverter technology in this video
To understand what inverter would be most suitable for you at your home, Contact us today to speak to one of our technical solar advisors.
What is the best orientation of my solar panels?
Will my system still work in a power outage?
If you have a “grid connected system’ this means your solar will only work while the network is functioning. Due to safety reasons, when a blackout occurs your solar PV system will automatically stop producing electricity. This is due to a mandatory safety requirement in place to protect technicians working in your immediate area. Once the grid is back up, your system’s ability to generate will resume. However, we do recommend you check your system has turned back on.
If you have a hybrid system with a battery this system will need to have back up functionality connected and charge in your battery for you to have power when the network is down.
How does the amount of generation my solar will produce change with the seasons?
Your solar PV system production is variant on the amount of sunlight hitting your panels and the temperature of this. As in Indonesia we have sun all year round the difference in production between dry and wet season is usually not more than 10-15%. At Nusa Solar we can provide you with a panel layout and yield report of what your solar system should produce each month. Contact us today to get your free panel layout and yield report.
The placement of panels will vary for each customer, this is dependent on which way your roof is facing, and if there is any shading or any other obstructions on your roof. At Nusa Solar we have internal designers who will let you know the best placement for your panels to give you the most financial return at your property.
What are the effects of shade?
Shading is critical. Especially when using traditional String Inverters, minor shading can result in significant loss of energy. Since PV modules are linked together in series, the module with the lowest amount of irradiation falling upon it determines the operating voltage of the string in which it is connected. Our Nusa Solar engineers will be able to advise the best position for your panels and provide you with your our put estimate prior to install.
How long should my system last?
Your solar system should last longer than the warranties provided, and the life span should exceed this by many years or decades.
What information do we need to prepare a quote?
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GPS location of your house/project/business
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Monthly PLN bill (or expected bill)
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PLN Power connection ( Single Phase/Three Phase and how many kVA/kW)
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Building drawing/pictures (if available)
If you do not have or do not understand some of the points above do not worry, contact us to discuss directly.
Can I “sell” the electricity I do not use?
By having solar panels on your roof, you can produce your own electricity, enjoy your investment with fast return, and feel good knowing that the electricity you enjoy is not harming the earth. Solar panels generate electricity from the sun, and supply the electricity to the building. Excess electricity is exported to PLN and is converted into electricity credit (netmetering).
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NETMETERING is a utility billing mechanism that offers a credit to residential and business customers who are making excess electricity with their solar panel systems.
With netmetering, the homeowner is only billed for the "net" energy used each month, that is, the difference between the energy produced by the solar power system and the energy consumed by the house over the monthly billing period. Under the netmetering scheme, electricity exported by solar panels users to PLN will be calculated at 65% of the applicable PLN tariff on a monthly basis.
If the electricity export value is greater than the electricity import value from the preceding month, this excess will be used as credit against the solar panels users’ electricity bill for the subsequent month(s), up to a maximum of three months.
Is solar still worthwhile?
Definitely, producing and consuming your own power will always give you a greater return on investment instead of purchasing all of your power from your electricity retailer. To find how much you can save off your electricity bills Contact us today to speak to one of our technical solar advisers about personalizing a solar system for your individual needs.
What is Netmetering?
Netmetering is a utility billing mechanism that offers a credit to residential and business customers who are producing excess electricity with their solar panel systems.
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With netmetering, the homeowner is only billed for the "net" energy used each month, that is, the difference between the energy produced by the solar power system and the energy consumed by the house over the monthly billing period. Under the netmetering scheme, electricity exported by solar panels users to PLN will be calculated at 65% of the applicable PLN tariff on a monthly basis.
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If the electricity export value is greater than the electricity import value from the preceding month, this excess will be used as credit against the solar panels users’ electricity bill for the subsequent month(s), up to a maximum of three months.
What is the process from purchasing to being connected with PLN?
Nusa Solar has an easy 1 step process from your solar consultation through to having your meter works completed by your distributor. Talk to us to know more and get a free quote today.
Are batteries worth it yet?
Solar Batteries are in high demand and battery storage prices are reducing significantly. The question is “will your solar and battery system pay for itself before the battery warranty or life cycle ends?” The answer is NO if compared with PLN actual electricity rates. Batteries though offer us energy security by knowing if the grid goes down, we will have our own electricity and if ever the government decided to not allow us to sell any electricity back to the grid we can store it in our own batteries and use it at night. Buying a battery combined with solar panels is comparable with buying a genset with unlimited petrol to power our houses.
To help you understand if batteries are worth it for you, Contact us today to speak to one of our technical solar advisers.
How long does the installation take?
Depending on the size of your solar PV system in most cases the installation will be completed in less than a week. For larger size systems or commercial installations, install time frame will be advised to you on the day of booking your installation date.