Solar

[rustalan]

Well I bit the bullet and had solar put in today. Had a great price so couldn't resist, so in with a 5kw system. After working out the average kw hour rate of the system and checking my bill it should about halve it. The deal was a little over $6500 with $650 dep. 24 months no interest repayments 30c feed in tariff for 3 yrs, fully upgradable. If anyone is interested PM me for more details. Yes they are Australia wide. Don't know how long this offer will last.

[4_amusement_only]

Nice. So how long will it take you to recoup 6.5k from savings on your current electricity bills?

[ddstoys]

That's a great deal we installed a 6kw system about 6 months ago and cost us $12000

[Cursed]

I should look into solar power.

The only thing i don't quite get is this whole tariff thing, i could be wrong here but are you not at the mercy of the electricity companies on what they will "pay you" per kilowatt? Only reason i say this is i am pretty sure my cousin got solar just over a year or so ago and he is getting something like 64c per kilowatt for x amount of years vs. 30c (which i hear is the going rate now) for yours.

I am not trying to upset you or anything but it is the fact that tariffs are very low now compared to what they were. I am sure i have heard of 84c as well. This is a massive difference and i have no doubt that when the certain amount of years ends they are in for a shock!! Fancy going from 64c or even 84c down to 30c!!

And what will it be in another 3-4 years time?? Going by those numbers it will be 15c, wont be saving much then!

Could someone please tell me i have it all wrong as i hope i do, but the tariff is the one thing that i dislike and if anything tariffs should be going up NOT down!

[ddstoys]

The power companies will always screw you over my mum has a 3kw system but is getting 84c and is always In credit.

  When we installed our system it was worked out on our average kilowatt usage + line charges etc and what size system we would need to cover everything.   

   So our 6kw system will hopefully cover out power bill and gas bill no matter what price the electricity goes to because we are covering the kw we use.  The price can go up but we still only use ---kw if price goes up we save more but still only use the same.

   So far they already owe us $300+ which is better than is owing them $700+ each quarter

[pinnies4me]

The rebate level was a government set "incentive" to motivate people to go solar.

This has been reduced several times, getting it to a level that represents to the energy company the wholesale cost.

I looked at solar a year or so ago, and a 5KW system was $12,000.00. Same company, now that the grants and incentives have decreased, are selling systems for under $7,000.00.

Those that got in earlier paid a premium for the system, but provided they stay at that house they'll do OK being locked into the earlier rates. People buying now are getting the benefit of the decreased price of the systems that seems to have followed down in pricing as the tariff dropped.

[ktm450]

Well I bit the bullet and had solar put in today. Had a great price so couldn't resist, so in with a 5kw system. After working out the average kw hour rate of the system and checking my bill it should about halve it. The deal was a little over $6500 with $650 dep. 24 months no interest repayments 30c feed in tariff for 3 yrs, fully upgradable. If anyone is interested PM me for more details. Yes they are Australia wide. Don't know how long this offer will last.

What will the feed in tariff be after 3 years?

[Homepin]

What will the feed in tariff be after 3 years?

That is the $64,000 question - my bet is WAY lower than people will be happy with.....time to buy a battery bank then and disconnect from the grid.

[pinnies4me]

What will the feed in tariff be after 3 years?

That is the $64,000 question - my bet is WAY lower than people will be happy with.....time to buy a battery bank then and disconnect from the grid.

That's it isn't it? Worst thing about solar is if the grid goes down, your solar stops (for safety reasons) so even with solar, you are at the mercy of the grid unless you are battery. But the battery technology doesn't seem quite there (or affordable) yet??

[pinball god]

The power companies will always screw you over my mum has a 3kw system but is getting 84c and is always In credit.

  When we installed our system it was worked out on our average kilowatt usage + line charges etc and what size system we would need to cover everything.  

   So our 6kw system will hopefully cover out power bill and gas bill no matter what price the electricity goes to because we are covering the kw we use.  The price can go up but we still only use ---kw if price goes up we save more but still only use the same.

   So far they already owe us $300+ which is better than is owing them $700+ each quarter

not been a fan, sceptical of return on investment but could be wrong. How many kw can you use to break even on 6kw system?

[ddstoys]

Our daily average over the year to cover the line rentals we need to make around 13kw a day.   That's just so we don't get a bill so of we make anything over 13kw we should make credits towards our next bill.     If you can get a 5kw system for $6500 interest free why wouldn't you.   I might even get a 5kw system for the shed that would take us from 30 panels to over 50 lmfao.

[Cursed]

Just to be clear, are you saying that when the bill comes your Kw are taken off the total used. Not the 'cost' of them?

For example if you used a total of just say 100kw for the bill and you fed back 95kw you are only billed for 5kw?

I thought it would be you used 100kw and the bill should be say $200 they then work out that 95kw times 30c = 28.50 so your bill would be $171.50

If it is the first then what you are saying sounds much better to me. And building a system to your usage makes sense. Provided you are only billed for what you use over what you feed back.

So essentially the tarriff is for everything OVER what you use. I hope i am getting this right. 

[Homepin]

Just to be clear, are you saying that when the bill comes your Kw are taken off the total used. Not the 'cost' of them?

For example if you used a total of just say 100kw for the bill and you fed back 95kw you are only billed for 5kw?

I thought it would be you used 100kw and the bill should be say $200 they then work out that 95kw times 30c = 28.50 so your bill would be $171.50

If it is the first then what you are saying sounds much better to me. And building a system to your usage makes sense. Provided you are only billed for what you use over what you feed back.

So essentially the tarriff is for everything OVER what you use. I hope i am getting this right. 

Don't worry - the confusion will be intentional....

[Cursed]

Don't worry - the confusion will be intentional....

lol, I think i confused myself with that post to be honest. Feeling a little simple at the moment.

[ddstoys]

Basically what happens is the power you use for example 100kw is taken from your meter then the solar is put into the meter say 90kw you are ten charged normal rated for the usage say 30c a kw but the other way around if you make more you get say 16c a kw or whatever your deal is.


  And I don't look at how long it will take to pay off I look at that ill never need to find that $700 plus whatever increases the power companies decide to bump it upto again.