FAQs

About Solar Power

What is solar power?

Solar power is the most abundant renewable energy source in the world, it is electricity created by harnessing the energy from sunlight. Photovoltaic (PV) panels collect energy from the sun and generate green, clean electricity that can be stored in batteries or distributed through transmission lines to homes and businesses.

How do solar facilities work?

Solar panels are the technology that converts sunlight into direct current electricity that passes through an inverter to be converted into alternative current electricity. This electricity is then distributed through the wider electricity grid network or stored in batteries to be used in homes or businesses.

Are glint and glare a problem for solar facilities?

No, glint and glare are not a problem. Solar panels are designed to absorb light rather than reflect it and studies conducted on operating solar facilities have shown there are no significant glare issues.

A solar facility at Melbourne Airport demonstrates that glare is not an issue for the planes flying overhead. For Progress Power, Xurban Consultants undertook landscaping and visual screening reviews and have put measures in place to minimise the visual impact and reflectivity to road users and nearby neighbours. This includes thick native vegetation positioned around the edge of the site.

Are solar facilities noisy?

Solar facilities are not noisy, they are in fact relatively quiet places. The equipment used is governed by electrical regulations in regards to security and noise level requirements.

Do solar facilities create heat?

A number of national and international research studies have been conducted on large-scale solar power plants and the impact on temperature. Overwhelmingly, studies have concluded that heat island effect is not applicable and that natural convection will take any warm air upward.