6.

6 Renewable energy 205 ENERGY use

Renewable Energy
There are many options for using clean The design and installation of a these Wind generators
renewable energy sources in the home. systems is a complex task requiring specialist
knowledge. The former Australian Business Wind generators or turbines use the wind to
Systems based on solar and wind are
Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) now turn a propeller that drives a generator. They
becoming increasingly accessible. This fact
the Clean Energy Council has a register of come in many shapes and sizes. The most
sheet outlines key considerations.
accredited designers and installers who can common is the horizontal axis turbine with
ensure systems comply with the appropriate blades like an aircraft propeller and a tail or
Australian Standards. The register can be vane to direct it into the wind. Larger wind
accessed on the website at www.bcse.org.au. generators are more suited to non-urban areas
as the turbine needs to be mounted on a tower
Rebates may be available to offset the initial
and makes some noise in operation.
cost of installing renewable energy power
systems (REPS).

Renewable Sources
The most common systems used in Australian

AUSWEA and University of Newcastle

homes are photovoltaics and wind turbines.
These can be used individually or in combination.

Photovoltaic panels
Photovoltaic (PV) modules convert sunlight into
electricity PV modules also commonly referred
Electricity accounts for about 53 per cent of to as PV panels, are made up of a connected
the energy used in Australian households, but group of PV cells to form a usable size and
A number of vertical axis and more
creates around 87 per cent of the greenhouse electricity output. They have no moving parts
aerodynamic wind generators are being
gas emissions because most electricity is and are therefore reliable and require little
maintenance. PV panels can be expected to developed and show promise in overcoming
generated by burning fossil fuels. Coal, oil and
last 20 years or more. PVs are suitable for use wind turbulence and noise problems in
gas are non-renewable energy sources.
in urban areas as they take up little space and urban use.
make no noise. Domestic wind generators are usually used in
Renewable power systems Solar cells are usually monocrystalline, stand alone power systems and designed to
use renewable energy sources multicrystalline, or amorphous type. charge a battery bank. [See: 6.9 Batteries and
to produce electricity with [See: 6.7 Photovoltaic Systems] Inverters]
very low greenhouse gas The different module types are suited to A wind turbine produces an alternating voltage
emissions. different applications. Always seek expert and current, and these are rectified to provide
advice before deciding which to use. DC at the correct voltage to charge batteries,
similar to the system in a motor vehicle.
Renewable energy sources such as the sun, Solar modules come in different sizes ranging
wind and water are continuously replenished from two Watts peak (Wp) output up to 300Wp Domestic sized wind generators range from
from natural sources. output. The most common modules sold in 300 Watts to 5kW, but in some instances a
Australia are in the 60Wp to 80Wp range. 10kW or 20kW turbine could be used.
When fossil-fuelled generators are used as back
Solar modules can be mounted on a A typical installation will use a 1kW turbine.
up, some greenhouse gases will be produced.
frame (either free standing or on the roof) The wind generator must be installed on the
Renewable energy systems usually operate at or incorporated in the building fabric. highest tower that is practical and cost effective
low cost but can be expensive to install. The Building Integrated PVs are more commonly
for the site. The typical tower used in domestic
cost per kWh for the system life includes the installed in grid-connected systems than
wind generator systems is between 10-20m tall.
installation and maintenance costs and remains stand-alone systems.
unaffected by future energy price rises. [See: 6.8 Wind Systems]
 ENERGY use 206 6.6 Renewable energy

Note: Micro Hydro generators are a less If the system is supplying more energy than is
common renewable energy power system. needed, the excess is fed into the grid. Often
The unit operates by converting the energy the meter just runs backwards when electricity
from flowing water to electrical energy. is going into the grid, so the household
only pays for the difference between what
is imported and what is exported. Different
System Types suppliers have different buy-back rates and
Most renewable systems are unable to metering arrangements. Check with your
provide energy at all times as there may be energy supplier for precise details.
insufficient sunlight, wind or water available. System sizing is not critical as the grid is
To fill the gaps, electricity can be supplied used for backup when the system output is Stand alone power system.
from storage batteries or generators in stand insufficient for household needs.
alone systems or from the electricity grid in Note: an inverter is not required if the home
grid connected systems. As a rule of thumb, a one kWp
runs 12 and 24V DC appliances. Although DC
monocrystalline array will produce about
appliances are usually more energy efficient
1,500kWh of electrical energy per year and
than their AC counterparts, they are more
Grid connected systems will require 9m2 of space. An amorphous
expensive and the range is limited. DC systems
system will require more space. The system
Grid connected systems interact with the also need larger capacity and more expensive
designer will specify and size it accurately for
electricity supply grid. Grid connected systems wiring. Some stand alone power systems use a
your particular location and load.
are generally located in urban areas and combination of AC and DC appliances.
PVs are the usual energy source. The main As the peak output of the system is
A generator set is commonly required for
components of the system are the renewable determined by the size of the inverter, it can
emergency backup. These are generally
energy source and a grid interactive inverter. be useful to install a larger inverter than initially
installed in PV and wind systems, but not
required. The excess capacity will allow
micro-hydro where an adequate water supply
additional modules to be added later. The size
is continuously available. They are used for:
of the inverter will depend on your budget.
> Charging the batteries.
Most grid connected systems do not have
storage batteries and do not provide a > Supplying specific high power loads.
guaranteed continuous power supply. If the
>E
 mergency back-up in periods of
grid goes down the inverter will cut out for
unfavourable weather or when loads are
safety reasons and there will be no energy
larger than the original design.
available.
It is generally recommended that the system
Where continuity of supply is critical for
includes a generator for battery charge
Grid connected system. part of the load a special type of inverter
equalisation. [See: 6.9 Batteries and Inverters]
and batteries may be used to give
unprecedented supply, but this adds to the Your stand alone power system should be
The inverter converts the low DC voltage
cost of the system. designed to meet the required household load.
generated by the system to the normal 240V
Excess energy generated is stored in batteries
AC household supply. It also monitors the
for use when the renewable source is not
operation of the system to control how much Stand alone power systems available. The battery bank should be sufficient
electricity is drawn from or fed to the grid.
Sometimes known as Remote Area Power to provide power for several days.
Supplies, these systems are also used in less Stand alone systems are usually installed where
remote rural areas where the cost of connection electricity supply is not available or connection
If the household uses more to the electricity. They are more complex costs are high. However, some people install
energy than the renewable and expensive than grid connected systems these systems to be independent from the
sources can supply, the because they need to be self-sufficient. mains supply or to have reliable power in areas
shortfall is provided by where blackouts are common.
The main components of a stand-alone
the grid so power is
system include:
always available.
> A renewable energy source.
In some cases it may be
> Control equipment for battery charging and appropriate to use more
backup power source operation. than one type of renewable
> Storage batteries. energy source, such as a
photovoltaic system with a
> An inverter.
wind system.
 6.6 Renewable energy 207 ENERGY use

Reducing energy GreenPower Additional REading

consumption GreenPower enables householders to buy Contact your State / Territory government or local
Investing in energy efficiency will avoid accredited renewable energy from the council for further information on renewable energy,
unnecessary expenditure on system capacity. electricity grid. including what rebates are available.
www.gov.au
This is particularly important for systems that
A ustralian Business Council for Sustainable
must be self-sufficient. They do not have Energy (2006), Australia’s Renewable Energy Use:
access to the electricity supply grid for back-up Technologies and Services.
and you may have to resort to using expensive
 lean Energy Council
C
fuels such as diesel. For grid connected GreenPower is a national accreditation program www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au
systems, using less energy reduces the amount that sets stringent environmental and reporting
purchased from the grid or increases the standards for renewable electricity products  epartment of the Environment, Water, Heritage
D
and the Arts (2008), Australian Residential Sector
amount that can be sold back to the grid. This offered by energy suppliers across Australia.
Baseline Energy Estimates 1990 – 2020.
saves you money. GreenPower aims to increase Australia’s
capacity to produce environmentally friendly Gilchrist G (1995), The Big Switch – Clean Energy for
the 21st Century, Allen and Unwin, Sydney.
renewable electricity by driving demand for
Before installing a renewable alternative energy generation.  reen Electricity Watch
G
www.greenelectricitywatch.org
energy system, your electricity Accreditation is essentially an endorsement
usage needs to be calculated from an independent authority. In GreenPower’s  reenPower
G
www.greenpower.gov.au
and minimised through energy case this means the renewable energy
efficiency or use of alternate product is endorsed by a collection of state R enewable Energy, Australian Government
fuels to reduce the size and cost governments that manage the GreenPower www.greenhouse.gov.au/renewable
of the system. program. For a renewable energy product
R enew: technology for a sustainable future,
to gain endorsement from the GreenPower Alternative Technology Association
program it must be generated from: www.ata.org.au

> Eligible renewable energy sources that meet T he Australia and New Zealand Solar Energy Society
General rules www.anzes.org
strict environmental standards.
Use energy sources other than fossil-fuel
> A new renewable energy facility that was built
electricity where possible, eg solar for hot Principal authors:
since January 1997 (Other renewable energy Geoff Stapleton
water. If solar is not suitable consider an
exists, but it may not be accredited because Geoff Milne
efficient heat pump system. [See: 6.5 Hot
it was built before 1997, and was already
Water Service] Contributing author:
contributing energy to the electricity grid). Geoff Milne
Limit the use of high power demand electrical
Accreditation ensures that energy companies
appliances such as cookers, microwave ovens,
are producing renewable energy of the same
water heaters, room heaters, clothes dryers, air
standard, making it easier for customers to
conditioners, vacuum cleaners and hair dryers.
choose between different renewable energy
Buy energy efficient appliances, especially products. From a customer’s perspective,
fridges and freezers. [See: 6.4 Appliances] the GreenPower label demonstrates at a
glance that they are supporting renewable
Use externally heated water from solar systems
energy that is best for the environment and
for clothes and dishwashers – do not let them
the renewable energy purchased will decrease
heat their own water.
greenhouse pollution.
Use passive design building principles to
Since 1997, more than 645,000 residential
reduce the need for heating and cooling.
and commercial customers Australia wide
[See: 4.5 Passive Cooling; 4.6 Passive Heating]
have contributed to reducing greenhouse gas
Use natural lighting and energy efficient emissions by buying GreenPower, resulting
fluorescent lighting. [See: 6.3 Lighting] in savings of nearly 4.5 million tonnes of
greenhouse gas emissions.
Be aware that many appliances use stand-
by energy when not actually being used. You can get more information on GreenPower
Televisions, videos, clocks, computers, faxes, from www.greenpower.gov.au and you can
battery chargers, power packs, etc. still use check with electricity retailers to see the options
power when they are ‘switched off’. These for buying accredited GreenPower offered
small loads may be enough to switch on the under various names.
inverter, and inverters are often very inefficient
at low load. Turn appliances off at the wall
switch when not in use and buy Energy Star
approved models. [See: 6.1 Energy Use
Introduction]