In 1958, NASA made history by becoming the first organisation to successfully harness solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. PV panels were prohibitively expensive at the time. But during the space race, NASA could easily afford to use solar technology when powering its satellites.
As solar panels became cheaper and more efficient, they slowly trickled into the consumer market. But until 10 or so years ago, they remained very niche – only available through certain channels.
Today, however, solar panels are everywhere – available online, at hardware stores, and through installers. And they’re cheaper than ever, with prices continuing to fall every year.
The problem that consumers face isn’t where to buy solar panels.
It’s where best to buy them.
Should You Buy Solar Panels via Retail or Wholesale?
Because of solar’s rapid growth, the line has blurred between wholesale and retail panels. Many top manufacturers now make their technology available to end-users – allowing anyone to buy high quality PV modules and install them on their own.
This wide availability is a win for consumers. They can easily comparison shop without having to go through traditional gatekeepers like installers.
However, this ease and convenience come at a cost.
For example, there exists a growing trend in Australia in which “Solar Cowboys” quickly set up PV installation firms in pursuit of quick and easy profits. For tips on avoiding this, read our article here.
But there’s another problem as well.
Solar panel selection is highly dependent on geography, climate, and use cases. PV modules that might be perfect for the German market won’t necessarily deliver the same benefits if installed in Australia (and vice versa).
And this explains why you should never buy solar panels without first doing a careful analysis of the home or business on which they’ll be installed.
At Solarbank, for example, we are partial to Trina and LG solar panels because they are ideally suited for Australia’s sunny, arid climate. Even still, we don’t choose one make or model over another until we have:
- Discussed your financial and environmental goals.
- Examined your historical electricity consumption.
- Carefully analysed your home’s solar power potential.
Only then can we recommend the optimal solar panel configuration for your needs.
Are We the Best Place to Buy Solar Panels in Australia?
If you’ve found a PV technology you like, we can easily accommodate your preferences. However, the high quality solar panels we use are ideally suited for Australia’s climate. And our teams have rigorously tested each design in the field to ensure these modules are up to the task.
Better still, we’re able to take advantage of wholesale pricing and bulk ordering before passing on substantial savings to you – our customer.
And because we custom design every PV system we install, you also enjoy the highest possible utility bill and carbon savings from your installation over the next 20 to 25 years.
