How Much Will You Get Paid For Your Solar Electricity?

October 11, 2012 2017-07-28T18:36:20 by 7 Comments

Hint: It’s a bit more complicated than you might think!

By my reckoning 25% of people buying solar power systems want to save the planet as a priority. The other 75% want to save their bottom line and saving the planet is a nice side-effect.

I get a lot of emails saying: “Help! My bills are [insert large number here] dolars a quarter – what size solar system do I need?”

The answer to this question is quite longwinded – but if you want to understand whether a solar system is worthwhile for you financially – you need to understand this stuff! So I made a video to help explain. If you are considering buying a solar system I strongly recommend watching this:

[Note: Since I made this video the Victorian and QLD Feed In tariffs are no longer more generous than the rest of the country – they are both 8c per kWh at time of writing!]

[Read more…]

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Do you really want to go off the grid with your solar power system?

October 5, 2012 2017-04-28T15:29:03 by 31 Comments

Did you hear about the Queensland proposal a couple of weeks ago that proposed an 8c per kWh GROSS Feed In Tariff? That would mean Queenslanders would have to sell ALL their solar power to the retailers for 8c (yes – ALL of it – even the stuff that they used in their home). And then buy it back for about 30c.

Yup – that would be called institutionalised theft.

Stories like that make most people want to get off the grid altogether.

So I get quite a few quote requests these days for “Off Grid” solar power systems. However most people don’t fully realise what a big and expensive step it is to cut the wires to the grid.

So I made this video to explain what it really means to go off grid in 2012. I hope you enjoy it:

[Read more…]

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The 3 Types Of Solar Installer

September 14, 2012 2017-04-28T15:33:42 by 4 Comments

Discover the 3 types of solar installer that you’ll find in the Australian Market. Learn which ones to avoid, and the tricks the bad ‘uns will pull to get your business.

Or if you don’t want to watch the video, here’s a transcript for your reading pleasure.
[Read more…]

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What is a Solar Feed In Tariff (Video).

September 6, 2012 2017-07-24T15:10:11 by 4 Comments

I’ve been busy making videos that answer some common solar questions. Here I talk about Feed In Tariffs and what to do if your nasty energy retailer wants to punish you for going solar…

Transcription below for those who prefer to read: [Read more…]

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Where to get quality advice on buying your new solar power system

September 3, 2012 2017-10-25T10:23:15 by Leave a Comment
finn in a video

Finn will be making a video a week for the next 15 weeks…

Well the long winter’s behind us and the new Spring awaits. Emerging blinking into the daylight, solar fans naturally turn their thoughts to increased solar radiation (you thought I was going to say love didn’t you?) as the sun begins its long, slow journey back towards its summer zenith.

[Read more…]

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Should you buy the cheapest solar system on the market?

August 30, 2012 2017-04-28T15:37:27 by 17 Comments

(This post was written in 2012 – but the principles still hold true!)

Everyone loves a bargain. Especially me! But are those solar systems advertised at jaw droppingly low prices a great deal or a future headache?

I feel quite strongly about this – so I decided to make a video. Here it is.

And here’s the transcript if you prefer to read rather than watch: [Read more…]

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Solar Panel Tilt Frames: Are they worth it?

July 15, 2012 2024-06-05T11:52:57 by 61 Comments
tilt frames for solar panels

Tilt frames maximise energy yield, at a price.

Here is (another!) really common question that I get:

“I’ve got 3 quotes for solar: The first company says my roof is at the wrong pitch and wants to charge me hundreds of dollars extra to put my solar panels on tilt frames to optimize the amount of electricity I get. The second mob say it is fine to just put the panels flush on my roof and the third guy says that, yes my roof isn’t at the perfect pitch, but the best solution is to mount them flush to the roof and simply add an extra solar panel to make up for any reduced power output.

Now I’m really confused! Help!”

The problem here is that there are 2 extremes of solar installer in my experience: [Read more…]

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How to work out if your solar system is performing properly.

June 12, 2012 2024-07-03T11:20:04 by 70 Comments
a ruler

Stop guessing, start measuring!

I got an email from Dec in Melbourne this week who is very worried that his solar installers have sold him a lemon:

Hi Finn, Since my last email, my 4.0kw solar has been independently checked and I have been told it was found to be installed correctly. At this time it is producing only 1800w on a clear sunny day. It seems that no one has an answer as to why the production is low as the system is only producing an average of 7.2kwh/day. Do you have any idea as to what I can do to try and resolve this as I am really struggling with getting this sorted out.

So has Dec been sold a heap of junk? Is his solar power system producing enough power for its size, location and the time of year (June) ? [Read more…]

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Pay-As-You-Go Solar Arrives In Australia

April 30, 2012 2017-10-25T10:27:39 by 2 Comments
Sim Cards

PAYG Solar Too?

Have you considered installing a domestic solar system but have been put off by the initial cost? Then the recently-announced unveiling of a radical new pay-as-you-go plan in Australia may be for you.

According to an April 21 report in the Sydney Morning Herald, an American company, Sungevity Inc., has teamed up with Lismore-based solar installer Nickel Energy to set up an Australian subsidiary, Sungevity Australia, which offers free solar panel installation. [Read more…]

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Hybrid Solar Systems Part 3: Costs and Payback

April 27, 2012 2023-12-21T16:59:47 by 13 Comments
solar panels and a dollar sign

What’s the payback?

Note: This post was written in 2012 and is way out of date. For the latest payback figures  please read this page which is kept up to date >>> Are Solar Batteries Worth It

In my previous 2 posts I looked at the concept and design of Hybrid Solar systems.

The main conclusion of those 2 articles was that

a) Hybrid solar rocks!

b) But you gotta pay for it!

So the question this post will try to answer is:

How Much Extra Does Hybrid Solar Cost?

and bearing in mind the extra costs:

What is the payback of Hybrid Solar Compared To Regular Grid Connect Solar?

So let’s look at the cost of a quality 5kW system and then see what it costs to upgrade it to “Hybrid”. [Read more…]

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