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…]
Where to get quality advice on buying your new solar power system
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.
Should you buy the cheapest solar system on the market?
(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…]
Solar Panel Tilt Frames: Are they worth it?
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…]
How to work out if your solar system is performing properly.
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…]
Pay-As-You-Go Solar Arrives In Australia
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…]
Hybrid Solar Systems Part 3: Costs and Payback
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…]
Hybrid Solar Part 2: How To Future Proof Your Solar System
Hybrid Solar Too?
Please note: this post was written in 2012 and is way out of date.
>>> Please visit this page on solar batteries, which is constantly updated. <<<
In my previous blog post on hybrid solar systems (aka grid connect with battery backup) I promised to follow up with a post that went into more detail on the costs and give examples of inverter hardware that can be used to make such a beast.
I’ve realised that if I go into the costs and paybacks then this blog post may be longer than War and Peace. So in this post I’ll cover the hardware and I’ll save the financials for next time.
As I said in the previous post, your motivation for spending more on a hybrid solar system will likely be either: [Read more…]
The inflated STC Price Scam : The Solar Cowboy’s Favourite Trick?
Don’t fall for it!
I’m angry.
I get a lot of emails asking for me to look over quotes. I try to answer every one. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks to reply, but generally I manage to reply.
Tonight I got 3 emails in a row with quotes from 3 separate companies which all appeared to be trying the same trick. They appear to be deceiving the customer into thinking they are getting a great deal and then hitting them with a bill for thousands more than the quoted price when the system is installed.
I love the solar industry, and to see these guys operating like this makes me so freaking angry I want to scream! [Read more…]
Grid Connected Solar Panels with Battery Backup (aka Hybrid Solar)
Batteries + Solar?
Note: This post was written in 2012 and is way out of date.
>>> Please read this post on solar batteries for the latest information. <<<
A few weeks ago I blogged about my mate who really hates his electricity company. In fact he hates them so much he wanted his new house to have an expensive off grid solar system with battery backup, diesel genset, the works.
I blogged how the cost of going off grid with solar would be over $50,000 compared to about $12,000 for a standard, grid connect 5kW system and that it would be economically barmy to go completely off grid if your home already has a connection to the grid which you can use.
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