Posts By Ronald Brakels, Author & Fact-Checker At SolarQuotes

Victoria Solar Rebate Update — Get Your Fresh Details Here!

Victoria Solar Homes rebate update

Victoria’s Solar Rebate Update — Get Your Fresh Details Here While They’re Hot!

Victoria’s Solar Homes rebate program was announced on Sunday and this article I wrote on it was published yesterday.  Since then fresh information has come to light on the State Government’s Solar Victoria site.  This article covers what’s new including details on a $1,000 solar hot water rebate. [Read more…]

Victorian Solar Rebate Explained: Up To 50% off Solar – Starting Now

Solar Homes rebate program - Victoria

A massive new solar subsidy is now available in Victoria. Here’s how it works and how much it can save you.

Hey, Victorians!  Listen up!  If you want solar panels your state government has just made things fantastic for you.  They will now cover up to half the cost of a new solar power system. [Read more…]

Death Match: Origin Solar Flex Leasing Vs. Buying Your Own System

lease vs cash - Origin Solar Flex review

Solar power for $0 upfront sounds tempting. But is it a good deal?

This is Thunderdome.

Two methods of putting solar on your roof enter.

One method leaves.

Today’s deathmatch is between Origin Energy’s Solar Flex leasing agreement and Private Ownership! [Read more…]

Is AGL’s ‘Solar Savers’ 20c Feed-In Tariff A Good Deal?

AGL 20c Feed In Tariff - Solar Savers

AGL’s 20 cent feed-in tariff could be  a good deal for efficient homes with over 5 kilowatts of inverter capacity.

If I were to ask:

“Would you like a 20 cent feed-in tariff for the electricity your solar system sends into the grid?”

Chances are at least some of you would reply:

“A whole 20 cents?  That’s more than what I’m getting now, so yeah, baby!  Yeah!”

[Read more…]

SunTenants: A Simple Way To Get Solar On Rented Roofs?

tenant and landlord looking at returns

Suntenants offers simple solar for renters.

Update August 25th 2021:  Sun Tenants is no longer in operation.

Almost one-third of Australians live in rental properties.  This is a problem because tenants don’t like paying their own money to put solar panels on their landlord’s roof and few landlords see solar power as a good investment.  Because of this, lots of the population are missing out on the savings solar slathers all over electricity bills.  It also prevents the world benefiting from the extra clean energy that would be generated. [Read more…]

Solar Panel Performance Warranties Are Still Crap But Getting Better

crap solar panel warranties

I’ve already written about how incredibly awful solar panel performance warranties are, but I’m writing about them again because they are so bad I could write for days on the topic and still have a big sack full of snide remarks left over. However, despite my massive sack, I have to admit that warranties are improving.  And not just performance warranties, which are currently for 25 or 30 years, but also the more useful product warranties that are mostly for 10 years.

[Read more…]

Poor Solar Panel Performance? Be Sure To Check Both Energy and Power.

Poor solar panel performance? What you should check

If you suspect your solar power system has poor performance – here’s what you need to check.

Although I personally can’t think of anything in life more exciting than getting a new solar power system installed, I sincerely hope you can – otherwise you’d be as weird as me.  Having said that, even those who score 10 out of 10 on the Voight-Kampff normal human test should feel excited when they get their first solar system.  Unfortunately, this excitement sometimes gives way to confusion and heartbreak if they erroneously come to the conclusion that their new solar panels are not performing as well as they should. [Read more…]

The ACCC Wants To Lower Electricity Prices Even If It Kills You

ACCC and Australia's Solar Subsidy

Ending the “Solar Rebate” will save households $18 per year and kill people. Nice one ACCC.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, or ACCC, published a report last Wednesday titled Restoring electricity affordability and Australia’s competitive advantage.  Michael alerted people about it here and wrote more here.  The opening lines of the report don’t pull any punches and begins with: [Read more…]

Queensland’s Interest Free Solar Loan Scheme Is Kind Of Sad

qld interest free loans

The Queensland Government recently confirmed the details of their interest free loan scheme for rooftop solar.  Michael — the guy who does the real writing work on this blog instead of mostly just stringing together old jokes as I do — wrote about this and the conditions that have to be met to qualify for a loan in this article here. [Read more…]

Victoria’s New Time Varying Solar Feed-In Tariff Is Worth Getting

Victoria Time Varying Solar Feed-In Tariff

As of 1 July 2018 there is a new, optional, feed-in-tariff in Victoria that changes through the day.

A new type of solar feed-in tariff is now available in Victoria.  It’s called a time varying tariff and the amount of money it pays for solar electricity depends on the time of day it’s sent into the grid.  It is worth less during off-peak periods, more during shoulder periods, and the most during peak periods. [Read more…]

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