I missed the feed-in tariffs will getting a solar system still help me?This is a question people ask me all the time. It is true that the people who installed systems while the rebates were in place are certainly now counting their savings each day. The challenge for me and our company in those days was trying to encourage people to go for big systems. I am pleased to say that most of our customers in the various states did purchase the maximum sized 5 kw systems and the lucky ones in SA regularly chose to get the 10 and up to 30kw systems.
Today the size, placement, type and design of a solar system needs to be more tailored to your specific home or commercial building roof line. Your electricity bill's consumption patterns is also very important to establish if and what type of system will be most beneficial. The good news is most sites considering solar do add up. Simply, the solar panel and inverter costs have been halved. This is a consequence of the massive uptake in solar over the last 5 years. To put this in perspective for you, in 2009 there were only 80,000 addresses in Australia with solar systems. By 2013 we had past 1,000,000 addresses with solar. The forces of supply and demand determine price. I would greatly encourage people interested in solar to take advantage of these low prices while sale volumes are still strong, because they will not last. The solar component cost reduction has offset the reduced Government rebates and rising electricity cost are offsetting the reduced state feed-in tariffs. The other benefits you get for getting a system now are that interest rates have lowered and the advances in micro inverters, remote monitoring, maximum string voltage design and more efficient panel temperature performance are allowing our customers to experience fantastic payback times on their investments. How does the Federal Government Rebate work?
It is actually called the Solar Credits Program and is designed to save you thousands. It's a bit tricky as the number of certificates is proportional to your location. In Sydney, for a 3kW installed system you are given 62 RECS which is eligible for 1 times multiplier of the carbon credits (Small-scale Technology Certificates or STCs). Assuming a STC price of $35, a 3kW solar power system in Sydney would generate 62 x $35 = $2170 in rebates. This solar rebate is not means tested or tied to your income. It is not limited to households, business can also claim the rebate off the price of an installed system. At Eco Installers we hold this cost on your behalf and only charge you the net amount. This certificates usually take 2 to 6 weeks to process after installation.
How does the State Government Feed-in tariff work?It is actually called the Solar Bonus Scheme, which is a legislated rate at which electricity retailers must buy solar power produced by you. Feed-In Tariffs vary from state to state and from retailer to retailer. We can help you choose a good retailer.
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All systems are installed by Clean Energy Council Accredited installers
Read about Government rebates here
Save the PlanetEvery day tonnes of carbon are spewed into the atmosphere from coal-fired electricity stations. These dinosaurs of energy production are some of Australia’s worst polluters, and most of your electricity comes from here. Installing a 1.5kW solar electricity system can remove around 2.2 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere each year – that is the equivalent of taking one car off the road for 8 months.
Installing solar power will add value to your property. |