Make electricity while the sun shines
With soaring electricity prices hitting homeowners hard, and long sunny summer days on their way, installing solar panels is becoming an attractive consideration: prices are coming down, technologies are improving and government incentives to go solar are now in full swing.
But is going solar right for you? Ultimately, this will be determined by undertaking thorough research as unfortunately one size does not fit all. Make sure you weigh up the pros and cons before making a commitment.
Why go solar?
Going solar, for most households, is a way of reducing electricity costs, saving money over the longer term as well as reducing greenhouse emissions. The actual savings will vary according to the size of your solar system, its location, which products are used and how much electricity you use at home. Your choice of electricity supplier will make a difference, too.
Talking to an accredited designer/installer will help clarify a lot of the information about solar solutions. They can calculate the potential savings you could make and provide you with plenty of up-to-the-minute information on solar system sizes, panel options (e.g. whether you choose Mono Crystalline, Poly Crystalline or Thin Film panels), choosing an inverter and much more.
Getting government rebates
The Federal Government offers a range of incentives to support Australian households installing small-scale solar systems and costs can work out to be fairly reasonable. To be eligible for government rebates the designer and installer of your solar PV system must be accredited by the Clean Energy Council. You can access a list of accredited professionals at www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au.
How they work
Solar Photovoltaic (PV) panels are generally fitted on the roof, facing north to maximise the amount of sunlight that hits them. The output of a solar PV system is measured in kilowatts (kW). In most cases, solar panels are connected to a home’s mains power through a device called an inverter. An inverter converts DC electricity into AC electricity that supplies power to home appliances.
Feed-in tariffs
When you install a solar system you can enjoy the benefits of a feed-in tariff, which is a premium rate paid for the electricity you produce from a renewable source such as your rooftop solar system. You get paid an amount for every kWh your system feeds back into the grid. Unfortunately there is no national feed-in tariff scheme – they differ from state to state. You must apply to your electricity retailer to receive the feed-in tariff. There are many different tariff schemes around - and keep in mind that some states have gross feed in tariffs while others have net. ‘Net’ tariff rates are paid for excess electricity after a household has used all it needs and ‘gross’ tariff is paid for all solar electricity generated. In a nutshell, read the fine print carefully before signing an agreement with your electricity supplier.
What you want to achieve?
It’s also worth having a think about what you want to achieve through solar. Do you want to partially offset your energy consumption for 5-10 years or do you want a solar system that will completely offset your electricity use for the next 20-25 years? Keep your long-term objectives in mind when looking to make the investment.
Going solar is a major purchasing decision, so as you can see, you need to do your research. The best place to start is the Clean Energy Council’s Consumer Guide to Buying Household Solar Panels, which is available for download at www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au.
Websites to visit