All things Solar (merged threads)

[comagutsa]

dam thats huge

[poppa smurf]

not pleasant here in good old SA.....guvvy's broke so we taxpayers have a lot of mouths to feed.....mining tax went no-where, GST gobbled up by the snouts in the trough, slush fund is looking healthy though

anyhow just looked at my account again and I pay .291300 for step 1 and .296800 for step 2

this was after a lot of negotiation and many threats....

just had a lady here who has recently broken up with her hubby, electricity bill over $1,000 for 3 months.....she doesn't know how she's going to pay it

land rates left in arrears by ex, court settlement of rates negotiated to $100 per fortnight and house repayments of $300 per fortnight....she is working 7 days a week now just to keep a little bit afloat

my heart goes out to these folks

[fnm17]

Just had Solar installer come check out my inverter which was playing up and they said the inverter needs to be replaced, its only been going for 6 months :( luckily there is warranty !

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by fnm17

Just had Solar installer come check out my inverter which was playing up and they said the inverter needs to be replaced, its only been going for 6 months :( luckily there is warranty !

what brand and size of inverter was it, I know there were a lot of problems with a certain 3 kilowatt one which were replaced with 3.5 or better

[fnm17]

Its a Growatt 5Kw, they told me it was the smaller ones that had the issue. Maybe might get a more newer version .... doubt it though.

[supershifty]

I discovered something interesting regarding inverter size and whatever FIT/govco rebate plan you're on. My inverter is registered with the government and energy supplier/retailer as being 2kW and I get FIT of 8c/52c kW. If my inverter fails and cannot be replaced with one of the same rating and have to go larger it is classed as a system upgrade and I therefore lose my current FIT's and go on to whatever FIT's are available on offer at the time of replacement. All good if the inverter fails now, but hypothetically in say 5 yrs time they've stopped making small inverters like mine - the generous FIT is gone. Bugger!

I don't know if this applies in other states, and I'm not going to lose any sleep over it, would be a disappointment though.

Cheers!

[fnm17]

Yep correct as soon as you change your system rating, there goes your 44c rebate and dropped to the 8c, as you are changing the contract with the government. This always made me laugh when I saw solar companies offering systems that could be upgraded, i.e. 5kW inverter but only a 2kW system.

[prydey]

Originally Posted by fnm17

This always made me laugh when I saw solar companies offering systems that could be upgraded, i.e. 5kW inverter but only a 2kW system.

not quite true but you'd have to check with each state for the exact details.

here in sa, if you have a larger inverter than the system on your roof, you can register it with sa power network (formerly etsa) as a larger system, and then you do actually leave yourself the option of adding panels later and not affecting your feed in tariff.

so if you have a 3kw system with 5 kw inverter, if you tell etsa that is maximum generative capacity is 5kw, then in the future you can increase the panels up to a 5kw limit without affecting your feed in.

the problem with this, is adding panels is an extremely expensive exercise. much cheaper to buy a bigger system to start with.

[poppa smurf]

yes thats right the initial contract is for the "expected" or maximum power generation......changing the inverter to a larger model does not affect this, in fact with a few certain systems I have heard of many so called "upgrades" to a larger inverter with no penalty

adding panels, however, definitely would break your contract

[fnm17]

I will be keeping my 5kw system as it is, won't run the gauntlet with the subsidy, if I had the 8c rebate, my pay back period would be too long and no doubtly I would sell my house before then.

[Stagg]

So after being a couch potato constantly looking for jobs online for the last few days, calling work colleagues from council sustainable divisions and through architect repeat customers, I managed to find a new role that I am starting monday.

Ironically, as I am qualified with a Diploma of Project Management with no experience yet I began looking through construction classifieds for an entry level project coordinator/project manager, and I ended up being dragged back into the industry, this time not in sales lol

I've got a position in a construction PM company, who creates tenders for domestic and commercial new builds, and they required a Project coordinator to liaise with other managers to ensure that all project adhere to the VEET (Victorian Energy Efficiency Target) scheme i.e. LED lighting, insulation, solar hot water, and solar power mainly. Also including aspects such as draft proofing and double glazing. What interested them was that I had a lot of experience in Renewable Energy and also the fact that I had plenty of exposure dealing with the VEET programs, and also with the LGEEP commercial subsidy program, so for them it was a no brainer. So yeah I got pulled back into the industry however for a job that is not commissions based, that is not a sales role, and I am also going to finally be getting some project management experience

I came around to collect the last of my stuff from my old job, and when I told a few of those guys that I am working on larger commercial size renewable energy projects now, almost immediately, they started trying to persuade me to give them a call to price up PV systems and trying to give me a kickback... surprise surprise lol

Looked at the old works install calendar, absolutely ZERO installs booked for the future, absolutely ZERO new orders placed, and another sales guy there got laid off today as well, I am oh so glad that I spent 12 hours per day since monday looking for work.


I've already been told that my first job is helping price up a Tender for a new shopping centre in Craigieburn, looking at full LED lighting in every store, a 100kW Solar PV system, Double Glazing, passive solar design, and also ensuring that all these practices adhere to the VEET target which requires the building to be built to a six star energy efficiency rating. So I'm happy with the result. Gone from quoting a $10k domestic Solar PV system to pricing up and project coordinating part of a multi-million dollar super-enviro shopping centre

[poppa smurf]

well done you......I hope it is all that you expect and more!

[Stagg]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

well done you......I hope it is all that you expect and more!

Well, after four years of trying to pull teeth and being at the mercy of government rebates dropping, and on top of that gaining my diploma of management last year while still working, I sure feel like I have earned a role that is a little more involved and qualifications relevant than a face to face sales rep

I'm just excited about designing massive PV systems and the rest!

[SPArKy_Dave]

Originally Posted by Stagg

I'm just excited about designing massive PV systems and the rest!

Assuming you've got your CEC GC design qualification............

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Stagg

So after being a couch potato constantly looking for jobs online for the last few days, calling work colleagues from council sustainable divisions and through architect repeat customers, I managed to find a new role that I am starting monday.

Ironically, as I am qualified with a Diploma of Project Management with no experience yet I began looking through construction classifieds for an entry level project coordinator/project manager, and I ended up being dragged back into the industry, this time not in sales lol

I've got a position in a construction PM company, who creates tenders for domestic and commercial new builds, and they required a Project coordinator to liaise with other managers to ensure that all project adhere to the VEET (Victorian Energy Efficiency Target) scheme i.e. LED lighting, insulation, solar hot water, and solar power mainly. Also including aspects such as draft proofing and double glazing. What interested them was that I had a lot of experience in Renewable Energy and also the fact that I had plenty of exposure dealing with the VEET programs, and also with the LGEEP commercial subsidy program, so for them it was a no brainer. So yeah I got pulled back into the industry however for a job that is not commissions based, that is not a sales role, and I am also going to finally be getting some project management experience

I came around to collect the last of my stuff from my old job, and when I told a few of those guys that I am working on larger commercial size renewable energy projects now, almost immediately, they started trying to persuade me to give them a call to price up PV systems and trying to give me a kickback... surprise surprise lol

Looked at the old works install calendar, absolutely ZERO installs booked for the future, absolutely ZERO new orders placed, and another sales guy there got laid off today as well, I am oh so glad that I spent 12 hours per day since monday looking for work.


I've already been told that my first job is helping price up a Tender for a new shopping centre in Craigieburn, looking at full LED lighting in every store, a 100kW Solar PV system, Double Glazing, passive solar design, and also ensuring that all these practices adhere to the VEET target which requires the building to be built to a six star energy efficiency rating. So I'm happy with the result. Gone from quoting a $10k domestic Solar PV system to pricing up and project coordinating part of a multi-million dollar super-enviro shopping centre

congrats on finding employment again so quickly, however, if you were annoyed because the residential market was largely driven by the dollar, you are in for a rude shock if you think the commercial market will be any different. actually, it will be different. it will be worse.

[Stagg]

Originally Posted by prydey

congrats on finding employment again so quickly, however, if you were annoyed because the residential market was largely driven by the dollar, you are in for a rude shock if you think the commercial market will be any different. actually, it will be different. it will be worse.

I'm not selling anymore though, I'm project managing ensuring all new buildings we do will be meeting the VEET standards

[Stagg]

Originally Posted by SPArKy_Dave

Assuming you've got your CEC GC design qualification............

Well I'll get to choose how big the system is and where it will go.. Then get some quotes from retail shops. I know a few places with Solar PV engineers that I can use

[davenl5l]

Eurosolar sent me a text today and in it they said they are looking for a experianced solar sales person im not sure but it may be in qld if anyone wants a job

[paule11]

Got our first bill for 98 days with the new meter on
Had to pay $187.60 usually over $800, 2422 kwh on normal Tariff 306 kwh for pool economy tariff.
5kw solar generated 1154 kw back into the grid.
Air conditioners have been on a lot 2 kids I come home now and they are still on in their rooms set at 20 to 22 continually turning them to 24 or 25 or turning them off .

[poppa smurf]

good result.....we don't mind using the air con when it is not so expensive in fact I have had a quote for ducted reverse cycling to be installed (currently running a swampy plus split reverse for when the weather gets a bit tropical)...$12,000 that I will be happy knowing wont cost me much to run

just on another note I did a bit more digging into my solar generation as I was not happy with the initial result

given the $850 + credit and the deduction of a non existent power bill I decided to look at my sunny boy wireless monitor

I put the figures in and looked at the total power generation for the past 12 months

it is in excess of $4,500.00 worth of power

so by these figures the system will be paid off in 3 years.....I'm a bit happier now

[davenl5l]

1st bill 16 days of solar down $50 next bill 3 months total $45 next bill 3 months total -$128 current bill -$160 total credit now $288 loving it (4kw system north facing 3 people)

[poppa smurf]

well done......good result........

[sgt_doofey]

Just did some quick calculations and it looks like we're going to save over $600 this year on power costs with the 1.5kW solar system on our roof. That's the cost of the solar power we've generated and used if we had to buy it from the grid, and also the credits we've received so far for the power we've put back in to the grid.
With a purchase price of $2200, we should pay it off in about 3-4 years.

[Stagg]

Exciting news today, over 1,000,000 homes in Australia are now using solar power!!

I can't even think to imagine the carbon offset of all of those systems, of those 1m homes, you guys have all helped make that difference that we all try so hard to make for years to come.





My band had a gig last night and one of my old work colleagues and my old sales manager came along to catch up with me and see how I'm going in the new job. So far because I'm a project manager now I've started off with a small project, which is the free energy saving power boards for homes, so I'm hoping to have that online in the next three months after we get VEET accreditation. In the meantime, applying for tenders and helping out with other project here like the NBN rollout and civil concrete work orders (you wouldn't believe how much more money there is in concrete compared to solar power!!)

He had said that since I left there, three more of the sales staff had to be let go, because of how quiet the whole industry has gone. Sadly, two of those guys had kids, one of them just had his fourth child a few weeks before I left, because it's been getting that quiet; and now they are potentially looking at closing the business if it doesn't pick up in the next 6-8 weeks, really really sad because it really is definitely not a fly by nighter business yet they are losing so much business to the fly by nighters, really upsets me. :(




On another note as well, if anyone who reads this is potentially looking at going down the path of grid connect WITH a battery backup (use the battery power before grid power, charge the batteries before exporting etc) I would recommend doing a google search on the NEDAP Power Router. It's a grid connect AND a battery backup inverter + power router all-in-one setup, along with full bluetooth battery monitoring, PV array monitoring, and has all these extra little bells & whistles like sends messages to your phone if something is not performing as it should, if your battery bank is low, and you can operate it via your phone so if you are at work and your battery bank starts running low from standby power or something, you can remotely shut off power to your home. So it's a bit of a technical whizbang machine lol

[fnm17]

Originally Posted by Stagg

On another note as well, if anyone who reads this is potentially looking at going down the path of grid connect WITH a battery backup (use the battery power before grid power, charge the batteries before exporting etc) I would recommend doing a google search on the NEDAP Power Router. It's a grid connect AND a battery backup inverter + power router all-in-one setup, along with full bluetooth battery monitoring, PV array monitoring, and has all these extra little bells & whistles like sends messages to your phone if something is not performing as it should, if your battery bank is low, and you can operate it via your phone so if you are at work and your battery bank starts running low from standby power or something, you can remotely shut off power to your home. So it's a bit of a technical whizbang machine lol

I thought this would be the next big thing once people sign up after the rebates or if the government does a back flip on its rebate.

Also another note my Inverter got replaced on warranty and is pumping once again after previous inverter stopped, which suprised me as it was a True Value Solar inverter and thought they would of taken more time for warranty repairs.

[Stagg]

Just realised

Originally Posted by comagutsa

dam thats huge

thats what she said

[SPArKy_Dave]

I'm already working with the Hybrid solar systems - (systems with battery storage)

It's a nice niche market atm, as you have to be accredited for both Grid Connect, AND Standalone solar.
I'm glad I did all the extra schooling years ago, to get my SPS accreditation.

I guess since the feed-in tariff is worth nothing these days, solar with battery storage shines through.

[Stagg]

Originally Posted by SPArKy_Dave

I guess since the feed-in tariff is worth nothing these days, solar with battery storage shines through.

One thing with that though; a handful of people such as myself believe its the REAL way to go solar, but for the majority of people who have gone solar..

What's the payback period? ooohhh thats a bit expensive, I just saw a special on TV for $1199 installed...

All the reason in the world to go off grid, nek minnit go grid connect because of the payback period lol... It does happen!

[comagutsa]

i will be the 1st to get on board once storage batteries and set up gets cheap enough for me to get away from sending all my extra KW to synergy and only getting 8.4c/unit haha...

[creative]

Originally Posted by Stagg

On another note as well, if anyone who reads this is potentially looking at going down the path of grid connect WITH a battery backup (use the battery power before grid power, charge the batteries before exporting etc) I would recommend doing a google search on the NEDAP Power Router. It's a grid connect AND a battery backup inverter + power router all-in-one setup, along with full bluetooth battery monitoring, PV array monitoring, and has all these extra little bells & whistles like sends messages to your phone if something is not performing as it should, if your battery bank is low, and you can operate it via your phone so if you are at work and your battery bank starts running low from standby power or something, you can remotely shut off power to your home. So it's a bit of a technical whizbang machine lol

;)

Thanks for the info on this bud. Been a big help!