Better energy.
A brighter
everyday.
Understand solar, clean electricity and the energy your home uses. Clear explanations, useful tools and thoughtful guides to help you make sense of your options.
Find your starting point ↗ Explore the free toolsWhat would you like
to understand better?
Explore the connections between the energy you generate, the electricity you buy and the demand you can reduce.
Make sense
of sunlight.
Solar panels turn sunlight into electricity. Useful planning starts with your annual energy use, roof condition, shade and the way your utility treats exported power.
- Panel capacity versus actual generation
- Inverters, roof space and orientation
- Self-consumption and export credits
- Ownership, warranties and maintenance
See the
bigger picture.
Wind, solar, hydro and other sources work within a connected electricity system. Storage and flexible demand help match supply with when people need power.
- Renewable versus low-carbon energy
- How electricity reaches your home
- What batteries can and cannot do
- Community and utility energy options
Start with
what you save.
Using less energy for the same comfort or service can reduce the demand that future equipment needs to meet. Begin by understanding where your energy goes.
- Monthly bills and seasonal patterns
- Lighting, appliances and standby loads
- Insulation, air sealing and comfort
- Heating, cooling and hot water
A little math.
A lot more clarity.
Explore three everyday energy questions. Change the example inputs to your own numbers; each tool shows the calculation behind its estimate.
Your inputs stay in your browser. These simplified tools support learning; they are not equipment specifications or installation designs.
Choose the question
before the technology.
Generation, storage and efficiency solve different problems. Understanding the distinction makes comparisons more useful.
| Option | What it does | What to check | A common misconception |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy efficiency | Reduces energy needed to deliver a service or level of comfort. | Current use, building condition, ventilation and installation quality. | Every upgrade produces the same savings in every home. |
| Rooftop solar | Generates electricity at your property during available sunlight. | Roof life, shade, generation estimate, utility terms and warranties. | Annual generation equal to use means a zero electricity bill. |
| Battery storage | Stores electricity for use at another time. | Usable energy, continuous power, supported circuits and reserve settings. | Any battery can run every appliance during an outage. |
| Heat pump | Moves heat for space conditioning or water heating. | Building heat demand, climate performance, distribution and sizing. | Equipment efficiency alone determines the final running cost. |
| Community solar | Offers participation in a shared solar project where available. | Eligibility, subscription charges, bill credits and cancellation terms. | Every community solar contract has identical terms. |
| Renewable electricity plan | Changes how an electricity purchase is supplied or matched. | Supplier claims, certificates, contract length and pricing. | A renewable plan provides household backup power. |
Small steps.
A more informed next move.
Build a picture of your home before comparing equipment. These four steps turn a broad goal into useful questions.
Read the pattern.
Gather 12 months of bills. Record kWh separately from the total amount paid, and note seasonal changes, occupancy and new appliances.
Name the priority.
Choose what matters most: comfort, lower demand, cleaner supply or outage resilience. List any planned changes, such as an electric vehicle.
Check the basics.
Review lighting, controls and maintenance. Identify persistent comfort problems and ask whether a professional home assessment would help.
Compare clearly.
Use the same assumptions across proposals. Request equipment details, expected output, exclusions, warranty responsibilities and service arrangements.
Five questions worth asking
What assumptions drive the estimate? · What is included in the price? · What happens if the equipment underperforms? · Who handles maintenance and warranty claims? · Which local utility and installation requirements apply?
A few terms.
A stronger foundation.
- kW · kilowatt
- A unit of power: the rate at which energy is used or produced. One kilowatt equals 1,000 watts.
- kWh · kilowatt-hour
- A unit of energy. A constant 1 kW load running for one hour uses 1 kWh.
- Peak sun hours
- Daily sunlight expressed as the equivalent hours at a reference intensity of 1,000 watts per square metre. It is not simply daylight duration.
- Inverter
- Equipment that converts direct-current electricity from panels or batteries into alternating current used by most household circuits.
- Self-consumption
- The share of your generated electricity used at your property rather than sent to the grid. Timing affects how much you can use directly.
- Export credit
- The value your utility assigns to electricity sent to the grid. It may differ from the price you pay to import electricity.
- Usable battery capacity
- The amount of stored energy a battery allows you to draw under specified conditions, usually expressed in kWh.
- Power rating
- How quickly a device can deliver or consume energy. A battery’s kW rating and kWh capacity describe different limits.
- Demand flexibility
- Shifting when electricity is used, for example by scheduling charging, to match available supply or a different electricity price.
- Heat pump COP
- Coefficient of performance: heat delivered divided by electricity input under stated conditions. Performance changes with operating conditions.
- Embodied emissions
- Emissions associated with producing, transporting and installing a product, distinct from emissions during operation.
- Simple payback
- Upfront net cost divided by estimated annual net savings. This simplified measure leaves out financing, time value and later changes.
Fresh thinking.
For your next energy question.
The latest stories on solar energy, clean electricity and a more efficient home. Select a topic to explore.
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Fresh thinking.
For your next energy question.
The latest stories on solar energy, clean electricity and a more efficient home. Select a topic to explore.
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Start curious.
Leave clearer.
Energy decisions depend on the home, the equipment and the local context. Start with the essentials, then check the details that apply to you.
Clarity before claims.
We explain concepts in plain language, make calculator assumptions visible and distinguish estimates from promises. These pages help you ask better questions and understand the trade-offs.
For information about The Cleanergy and editorial standards, see About in the footer.
Should I consider efficiency before solar?
Understanding current demand helps you judge the size of a future solar system. Planned changes to heating, transport or occupancy also matter. The sequence of upgrades depends on your home and project timing.
Will ordinary solar panels power my home in an outage?
Many grid-connected systems shut down when the grid fails. Backup requires equipment and controls designed for safe operation during an outage. Ask which circuits remain powered, for how long and under which conditions.
Is battery capacity the same as battery power?
No. Capacity in kWh describes stored energy; power in kW describes the rate at which it can be delivered. Both matter when deciding which loads a system can support.
Why does solar generation not equal bill savings?
Some generation may be exported, credits may differ from retail prices and fixed charges can remain. The timing of use and local billing arrangement matter as much as annual energy totals.
Can renters explore cleaner energy?
Lease-permitted lighting and appliance choices can be a starting point. Some areas offer community solar or renewable electricity plans; availability, eligibility and contract terms vary.
How accurate are the calculators?
They show simplified relationships using the numbers you enter. Solar output changes with weather, shade and system conditions; appliances cycle; battery loads vary. Use a site-specific assessment for equipment decisions.
Does clean energy mean no environmental impact?
No technology is impact-free. Manufacturing, materials, land use, operation and end-of-life handling all matter. Operational emissions are only one part of a full lifecycle comparison.
Are these installation instructions?
These are educational explanations. Electrical, roofing, battery and heating work needs appropriate professional assessment and compliance with local requirements.
One better question
can change your next step.
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