Solar panels and solar power energy systems have only gotten more affordable as the years have gone on. Just eight years ago, a 3kW system would cost you around $40,000, while today the same system could be installed for less than $9,000. As equipment and processes become more developed, and more efficient, prices drop, too. Home size, energy needs and available rooftop space also factor into the cost of your system.

Grid tied systems maintain your relationship with the power company, for better or worse, but allows you to sell any excess solar energy generated by your home system back to the grid. So while you will be paying the power company for any energy you use when your solar isn’t generating enough energy, you’ll also get a credit for the kilowatts you sell back to the grid.

You can minimise how much energy you use from the power company by employing energy-saving tips, installing energy-efficient appliances and completing easy home improvements like adding weather stripping to keep cool air so your air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard.

Owning your own solar power energy system that includes battery storage means you may not have to rely on the power companies at all. Each year, electric utilities may rise the price you’re paying for energy, and your monthly bill will continue to increase. But if you have you own system, your costs are no more than your monthly financing costs and are typically paid off within seven years. Once your solar energy system is paid off, your energy bill is entirely eliminated.

New Zealand power companies are in control of how much you pay for energy from the electric grid. And they typically raise that rate in most cases by up to 5%, even though the Governments Electricity Price Review was established to lower customer pricing, somehow customers seem to get left behind. Going solar is taking your power into your own hands, and not only removing your dependence from the grid, but also freeing you from the unpredictable and ever-rising costs of traditional energy.

When you go solar, there is a way you can make money back by staying tied to the power company electric grid. When your home generates more solar energy than it needs, whether by increased capacity or by using less energy during peak times through energy efficiency measures, you can sell that excess energy back to the power companies. The buy-back rates for solar power range from 7 cents to 12 cents.

The most effective way to use your solar power energy system is to focus on using the most energy during the time of the day when the sun is out. You can use appliances that have built in times, or add timers to your appliances, so that they turn off when the sun goes down or only stay on for the time you need them and are actively using the appliance. Battery storage is also a big part of being able to rely solely on solar energy for your home. The batteries store the sun’s rays during the day for your home to use at night or when it’s cloudy, or any other time that your panels may not be generating enough energy for your needs. While you don’t need solar batteries to sell back to the grid, it will make it more likely that you have excess energy to make the exchange worth it.