The Guwing Green Journal
Field notes on
clean energy.
Straight-talking, engineer-led writing on solar, batteries and energy efficiency. No jargon, no sales spin. Just the way we would explain it to a mate over the fence.
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Design28 July 202611 min readBifacial Solar Panels: Are They Worth the Extra Cost on Your Roof?
The 30% more power claim is a laboratory best case. Australian research puts realistic rooftop gains at 5% to 15%, and on a flush-mounted dark roof it drops to almost nothing. Here is how to tell which case your roof is.
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For business27 July 20267 min read100kW Solar System: A Complete Guide
A 100kW system is built for businesses with serious daytime demand. Here is what it produces, what drives the cost, how much roof it needs, and the certificate threshold that changes everything at exactly this size.
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Buying guide26 July 20268 min read20kW Solar System: Compared Prices and Returns
A 20kW system suits large homes and small businesses with heavy daytime demand. Here are the price bands, expected daily output by city, the roof space required, and what actually drives the payback.
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Buying guide25 July 20268 min readIs Home Solar Power Worth It?
For most Australian homes the answer is yes, but the size of the win depends on when you use electricity, how your roof sits, and how long you plan to stay. Here is what actually drives the return, and when it is worth waiting.
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Buying guide23 July 20269 min readMonocrystalline vs Polycrystalline Solar Panels: What Actually Matters in 2026
Monocrystalline is now the default on Australian rooftops and polycrystalline is no longer manufactured. Here is the real efficiency, heat and cost difference, and why panel type matters less than getting the design right.
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Solar basics21 July 20268 min readWhat Are Solar Panels Made Of?
Glass, aluminium, copper and silicon, sealed against 25 years of Australian weather. Here is what is actually inside a panel, whether any of it is hazardous, and how material quality separates a premium system from a bargain one.
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Solar basics19 July 20267 min readSolar Panel Cleaning: When It Helps and How to Do It Safely
Rain does most of the work on a tilted roof, but not all of it. Here is when cleaning is genuinely worth doing, how to do it safely from the ground, and why a clean panel still is not a serviced one.
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Rebates15 July 20269 min readEmpowering Homes Program NSW: What Replaced It in 2026
The Empowering Homes battery loan trial is closed to new applications, but its replacement is a better deal: a statewide zero-interest loan of up to $15,000 with a higher income cap and a much longer list of eligible upgrades. Here is how the two programs compare and how the new incentives stack.
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Solar basics14 July 202612 min readSolar Panel Maintenance: What You Actually Need to Do
Solar panels are low-maintenance, but low isn't none. Here is what maintenance actually involves, how often your system truly needs it, which checks you can safely do yourself, and when to call in a licensed professional.
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