All things Solar (merged threads)

poppa smurf · 06-02-2012, 12:40 PM

I for one have......3.5 kilowatt system producing an average of 21 kilowatts of energy per day

my average daily use is around the 10 kilowatts per day

I purchased and had mine installed before the september cutoff date so was able to take full advantage of the solar infeed tariff

I also pressured my power supplier into a .50c per kilowatt infeed tariff

given the disincentives from our government I would not readily go down this path again

why in this day and age of rising energy costs, would the government actually reduce the infeed tariff from the home producer, I would have thought it would be greatly appreciated given it takes pressure off the "mainstream" generators

money I guess and the lack of payment to the multinational companies

SB076 · 06-02-2012, 12:55 PM

2.1 Kw system, it works well, however I would have got a bigger system if I could as I still pay for electircity. meaning I dont generate enough electricity - what I do generate subsidises what I use. My system is a couple of years old so a 2.1kw system was expensive back then. I should have held off and bought one last year I could have a 4kw system for the same price I paid for the 2.1kw system

4DBOSS · 27-11-2012, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SB076

I should have held off and bought one last year I could have a 4kw system for the same price I paid for the 2.1kw system

everything is cheaper now coz there is no government incentives.

installers were ripper us/government off

Mr Hardware · 06-02-2012, 01:48 PM

I don't think it does take pressures off the mainstream generators. Solar hardly produces anything during the peak usage hours of 4pm-8pm.

noosacuda · 06-02-2012, 01:54 PM

Looked into it,but too expensive. $13000+ buys a lot of electricity.

**buggerlugs** · 06-02-2012, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noosacuda

Looked into it,but too expensive. $13000+ buys a lot of electricity.

Wait till you see how much electricity is predicted to go up over the next 5 years. That $13,000 might not of looked to bad. Our $15,000 system will have paid for itself in 4 years. We wont have any power bills. You will.....................

ute83 · 06-02-2012, 02:02 PM

We have a 5kw system purchased before the cut off. We receive 66c per kw and pay about an average of 20c per kw we use. On a nice day we can sell about 24 kw ontop of what we have used for the day. Overnight we buy about 10 kw. Payback time will be about 4 to 5 years, free electricity thereafter. I'm happy.

fat289 · 06-02-2012, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ute83

We have a 5kw system purchased before the cut off. We receive 66c per kw and pay about an average of 20c per kw we use. On a nice day we can sell about 24 kw ontop of what we have used for the day. Overnight we buy about 10 kw. Payback time will be about 4 to 5 years, free electricity thereafter. I'm happy.

Its the 66c they pay you & everbody else on that scheem thats put electricity costs up for everbody else mate !!!

ute83 · 06-02-2012, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fat289

Its the 66c they pay you & everbody else on that scheem thats put electricity costs up for everbody else mate !!!

Yep good is'nt it......

xisled · 06-02-2012, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fat289

Its the 66c they pay you & everbody else on that scheem thats put electricity costs up for everbody else mate !!!

Some what true. If you are on a 66 cent buy back, you pay more per peak KW you use, than somone who does not have solar.

ute83 · 06-02-2012, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xisled

Some what true. If you are on a 66 cent buy back, you pay more per peak KW you use, than somone who does not have solar.

Also only somewhat true. I was on off peak hot water (g8) tariff and the normal tariff. Now i pay 30 cents peak and and 15 cents off peak, but the off peak is for all electricity used after 11 pm till 8am M-F and all weekend. So it's about the same. Oh and i get a 12 % discount for paying on time. Also I believe the Government pays towards the 66 cent infeed tariff.

Keepleft · 06-04-2012, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ute83

We have a 5kw system purchased before the cut off. We receive 66c per kw and pay about an average of 20c per kw we use. On a nice day we can sell about 24 kw ontop of what we have used for the day. Overnight we buy about 10 kw. Payback time will be about 4 to 5 years, free electricity thereafter. I'm happy.

A pretty good sized system, and if folk can afford such, should head in this direction.

Noted an article in Crikey the other day, the power providers must be nervous of future events-tech; having regard to SELF STORAGE where rather than sell back to the grid your daily excess, you store it for overnight use. You become in effect, independent of the grid.

Much discussion at the odd and weird Whirlpool forum about this.

poppa smurf · 06-02-2012, 03:09 PM

I would like to expand my system to around the 5 kilowatt but to do that would mean putting it on the roof of the house which I'm reluctant to do

.50c per kilowatt gives me a "profit" (fully taxable of course) of around $2,000 per year,

given the system cost me about $13,500 then upgrades to my distribution box costings of $3,000, total of roughly $16,500.....this included the government rebate of around $4,500

then I am looking at free power in around 8 - 9 years

power prices are skyrocketing because of the mining industry and simple price gouging by overseas conglomerates,

the generators tell you it is because of home solar systems but it is bunkum the other excuse was to "cover necessary upgrades to the infrastructure" which is not happening in our region at least

I'm glad I went solar when I did even though the systems are a hell of a lot cheaper now and will continue to fall in the future

there are systems going up everywhere here!

Spammy · 06-02-2012, 03:12 PM

Solar scheme was a vote-buying folly of enormous proportions.

If the govt really wanted to produce solar power they would have poured the money into legitimate, large scale solar farms.

poppa smurf · 06-02-2012, 03:15 PM

it is being thought of right now amongst the upper echelons to replace the port augusta coal power station with a solar array of monstrous proportions

at the moment wind farms are sprouting up everywhere

poppa smurf · 06-02-2012, 03:46 PM

yep! ^^^^^ lower supply charge, 10% discount for early payment and 26c peak!.....pays to talk to your supplier for a better deal

TheSneakiness · 06-02-2012, 04:09 PM

I pay 22 cents per KW/h peak and 8 cents per KW/h off peak.

My latest electricity bill is $148 for the quarter.

No, I'm not on solar (tight **** property manager).

z80 · 06-02-2012, 04:20 PM

11kw system.

Making about 50+ kilowatts a day.

Did not apply for the rebates, claimed the GSt and depreciation instead as well; as the govt 50% stimulus to businesses.
(buying all the gear wholesale with an ABN was far cheaper than being ripped off with a solar business who get all the RECS and just inflate the prices of the components)

Getting minimum $500 credit per quarter on my bill as well as 100% free power.

With depreciation etc 3 year maximum payback period.

Mr Brooksy · 06-02-2012, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by z80

11kw system.

Making about 50+ kilowatts a day.

Did not apply for the rebates, claimed the GSt and depreciation instead as well; as the govt 50% stimulus to businesses.
(buying all the gear wholesale with an ABN was far cheaper than being ripped off with a solar business who get all the RECS and just inflate the prices of the components)

Getting minimum $500 credit per quarter on my bill as well as 100% free power.

With depreciation etc 3 year maximum payback period.

image

Great work z80!

We have the 66c rebate. Haven't paid a bill in a year and a half! 6 months left to pay off the system. And 13 years til we get the RECS back too.

poppa smurf · 06-02-2012, 04:39 PM

okay now you mention the renewable energy certificates can you explain to me

(1) what the the hell they are

(2) what can be done with them

I understand they are like stock's and bond's but who buy's them and what for!

z80 · 06-02-2012, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

okay now you mention the renewable energy certificates can you explain to me

(1) what the the hell they are

(2) what can be done with them

I understand they are like stock's and bond's but who buy's them and what for!

The govt gives you a dollar value incentive according to the number of watts rating of your panels up to a maximum of 1000 watts (last I looked)

It lets the govt know how many watts of renewables are out there to meet their targets.

So lets say you get 70 RECs for a 1kw system.
Today they are worth 30 dollars each...so the rebate is $2100.

Hope that explains it.

Here is the official calculator...

https://www.rec-registry.gov.au/sguCalculatorInit.shtml

Normally the installer gives you a "discount" and they claim it as a deduction off the price...Hmmmm...

poppa smurf · 06-02-2012, 04:53 PM

yeah! I got the discount but it wasn't in that region of dollars......I got a fair bit off but not for that!

thanks for the explain! makes it a bit clearer

Stagg · 06-02-2012, 05:02 PM

REC = Renewable Energy Certificate (Photovoltaic)
STC = Small Scale Technology Certificate (Solar Hot Water)

Each system is deemed to remove a certain amount of tonnes of greenhouse gases over a period of ten years. It gets a little ocmplicated with PV though, because however many tonnes of C02 it rids, that figure is multiplied by 4, and that is your REC value.

Each REC has a dollar value, like shares, and that value will go up and down depending on what the independent REC traders are willing to pay.

For example, a 1.5kW system may qualify for 25 RECs, but you are able to claim 100 RECs instead of just $25 at whatever value they are.

You are able to hold onto your RECs instead of gaining the point of sale rebate, and you can sell your RECs to the highest paying trader. I've never had a customer whose paid full price instead of taking hte rebate though.

How they are created is a tricky one though, because the government doesn't pay for it.

When an organisation wishes to create a landfill, a power plant, remove forestry, or anything anti-green, they must seek approval from government regulators. They then are told how many STC's they have to buy to allow them to complete whichever work they need to.

So for example, if Rio Tinto wants to dig a new hole in Karratha, the plan is presented and the regulator instructs them to purchase 10,000 RECs at current market value.

These 10,000 RECs are then paid to the REC traders, who will pass on the value of the RECs to either the retailer, or the customer.

In my opinion it shows how green the government really is, that for every tonne of greenhouse gases removed by renewable energy, a tonne is created...

poppa smurf · 06-02-2012, 05:29 PM

good explanation....thanks for that, yeah! the guvment certainly aren't dinkum about cleaning up the place when theres a quid to be made!

I reckon the power company will owe me money on this bill due this month....my first amongst many (I hope)

whats going to happen to all this credit, we will end up owning the companies

pursuit57 · 20-11-2012, 12:41 PM

Hi guys, great thread..
I'm a semi retired sparky but not accrediated for solar install's - wasn't in position unfortunately to fit solar before rebates etc changed but looking at now.
Any members on NSW mid nth coast (say..newcastle to taree/port macq) that can recommend an installer that they were happy with overall & turns up !
Thanks

ZA-289 · 06-02-2012, 05:30 PM

We have a 3kw system getting 44c per kilowat producing 20kw on a a good day,
only use about 10kw per day. Cost $7k

We usually get a power cheque (not bill) each 1/4 and will have paid itself in under 4 years.

poppa smurf · 06-02-2012, 05:37 PM

have any of you blokes got solar hot water

how do you get on with it

does it save you anything...good thing,..bad thing

I'm thinking of getting one but can't see it doing any good, we all shower after work (night time) so given the solar side of the thing wouldn't work then it would be automatically boosted by gas or lectrickery wouldn't it

thereby negating any foreseeable benefits

do i simply switch the boost side off and let the hot water in the heater go cold until the morrow???

z80 · 06-02-2012, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

have any of you blokes got solar hot water

how do you get on with it

does it save you anything...good thing,..bad thing???

Saved us stuff all...it lasted 10 years and then shat itself, it needed to be completely replaced.
That worked out at 500 dollars a year in wear and tear.
A normal electric would have been 60 dollars a year wear and tear.

With off peak power at 9c a kw thats a lot of wear and tear versus power savings...not worth it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

I'm thinking of getting one but can't see it doing any good, we all shower after work (night time) so given the solar side of the thing wouldn't work then it would be automatically boosted by gas or lectrickery wouldn't it

thereby negating any foreseeable benefits???

Most solar systems are boosted with dirty power if the thermostat says it didnt get hot enough during the day.

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

do i simply switch the boost side off and let the hot water in the heater go cold until the morrow???

You can have it boost off full priced power during the day (or have a luke warm shower)

Or you can wait till its boosted late at night and go to bed dirty, then shower in the morning.

Either way unless you are in QLD,WA OR NT you will use full priced power in a lot of cases.

I prefer to make solar electricity and then use the electricity to make the hot water at 1/7th the price they paid me for the power....

**buggerlugs** · 06-02-2012, 05:48 PM

Got solar hot water . It is great. But you need a booster switch if you have a few rainy days in a row, as a back up. Wish I had got solar hot water years ago. Cost $2500 after rebates. 2 adults , 3 kids who all love long showers !!

poppa smurf · 06-02-2012, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

Got solar hot water . It is great. But you need a booster switch if you have a few rainy days in a row, as a back up. Wish I had got solar hot water years ago. Cost $2500 after rebates. 2 adults , 3 kids who all love long showers !!

so do you leave it on all the time or just boost as necessary!

last I looked into it the price, from memory, was around the $3,500 gas boosted

the reason i'm asking is if we swap our power supply across to origin we will be able to pay for our gas bill and buy a solar hot water system from the infeed credits of the solar array

at the moment we will just have a useless credit (I think) unless i pay tax on it which I don't want to do.....may as well use the excess power generated to pay for something