Solar panels.

[smithcorp]

We started getting quotes for a battery and I had one installer (who originally did the first panels on our roof years ago), recommend not getting a battery yet - to leave it for 2 years, prices coming down etc. But the main reason was that in his view our current panels are producing so much and our power use is so modest that we don't need a battery yet.

Attached image shows results for our power use/generation for June. We are producing much more than we take and as this quarter is the first since we got net metering, the predicted bill shows us only paying for access charge (its sitting at a prediction of $95 and the next bill is September, so by then we will probably be in credit). So I think he's right - no need fro a battery yet.

BUT, this morning's IPART report (https://www.smh.com.au/environment/clim ... 4zp7x.html) recommends the Government halves the FiT in NSW - and you know the Berejiklian government is going to do that. Even with a halved FiT (we are on 15c with Origin for the next year, after that we will shift to whoever gives us the lowest usage rates regardless of FiT) we should still be okay, but maybe a battery should still be in our planning for the next year? My company provides interest-free loans for solar installations, so the cost burden wouldn't be too great.

What's everyone think?

[nutty]

So I got my first power bill in the new place.. Under $300.. So im really questioning if I should spend the money.

A 5.5~6 year ROI isn't the worse as we plan to be here longer but is it really worth dropping the cash up front.. Here's my ROI calc

2018-07-02.png

[smithcorp]

Solar seasons...

[smithcorp]

And there it is! Well within a quarter, we have gone into credit thanks to our new panels and net metering. And with a month still to go!

[norbs]

And days are getting longer Smiss.

October/November are historically my best months.

[Sarsippius]

Your peak in the summer months is a bit higher than I get but damn it really drops off in those winter months, June I still get over 500 kWh. This time of year I would definitely make some money but the in-laws are in the back house, they pay 50% of actual usage so that helps to pay off the system but it's a bit of a sore spot for me as I feel they're a bit wasteful. I've considered getting a meter put into their electrical box but at about $400 I'm not sure it's worth it.

I remember a few years back before I got my panels I visited a mate in Melbourne and his were mounted at a pretty big angle, close to 45 degrees I reckon. Is that pretty typical for you guys in the southern states?

I got up and hosed the dust off my panels again over the weekend, I swear the birds use them for target practice

[smithcorp]

Neither of my panel installs are angled any more than the roof - one set are on the pitched tile roof facing north, and the second set are an an almost-flat roof facing north (its got a 3% fall towards the north).

[norbs]

Ideally, they should be set up at an angle of your latitude.

Have a look at your peak output in winter vs summer. That is all to do with angles.

[ysu]

Printed cheap & lightweight, simple solar panels, hey!
http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018 ... y/10186950

[smithcorp]

So - my bill for last quarter is minus $28.36. Previous bill was $103.33 so the panels have been pretty effective through winter! Roll on summer!

[smithcorp]

My Origin deal with the 15c feed-in tariff has ended and we've gone down to 8c. It looks like the Origin plans that give good FiT are for new customers - can i ring Origin and try to negotiate a better rate, or move to somebody else?

[norbs]

My Origin deal with the 15c feed-in tariff has ended and we've gone down to 8c. It looks like the Origin plans that give good FiT are for new customers - can i ring Origin and try to negotiate a better rate, or move to somebody else?

Yes. And thanks for the reminder Smiss....


Solar Boost
Benefits
3% off electricity usage charges
20.00 c/kWh solar feed-in tariff

But I want to go back to the other plan as the solar boost is my summer plan.

[Speed]

Finally decided to take the plunge in getting solar panels and just got our first full period bill yesterday.
Down from $500 average for this period over the last 4 years to $160
If those numbers continue the system will pay for itself in under 2 years.

We have a 6.6KW system which cost $4,100 after a $3,800 rebate.
I initially looked into a similar sized system 5ish years ago and was quoted around 12K
We have 21 x 315 Watt CanadianSolar panels with a Fronius inverter and our maximum production day so far was 39.65Kw. (Interested to see what our maximum for the year will be).

Pretty pleased so far although our 7c/Kwh feed in is pretty piss poor.

[durbster]

2 years. Wow.

The solutions here can take 15 years to pay off!

[smithcorp]

On Origin's Solar Optimiser deal in time for summer - looking good!

[norbs]

Finally decided to take the plunge in getting solar panels and just got our first full period bill yesterday.
Down from $500 average for this period over the last 4 years to $160
If those numbers continue the system will pay for itself in under 2 years.

We have a 6.6KW system which cost $4,100 after a $3,800 rebate.
I initially looked into a similar sized system 5ish years ago and was quoted around 12K
We have 21 x 315 Watt CanadianSolar panels with a Fronius inverter and our maximum production day so far was 39.65Kw. (Interested to see what our maximum for the year will be).

Pretty pleased so far although our 7c/Kwh feed in is pretty piss poor.

Shop around. 7c/kwh is fuck all. I just got another 10c/day off my interconnect fee by threatening to change suppliers. I dont know where you are Speed, but check this out...

https://wattever.com.au/retailer-solar- ... territory/

[Speed]

2 years. Wow.
The solutions here can take 15 years to pay off!

Bloody hell, that sucks.

On Origin's Solar Optimiser deal in time for summer - looking good!

Wow, that is awesome.

Shop around. 7c/kwh is fuck all. I just got another 10c/day off my interconnect fee by threatening to change suppliers. I dont know where you are Speed, but check this out...
https://wattever.com.au/retailer-solar- ... territory/

Thanks for the link.
I’m in WA. We only have 2 suppliers and I don’t even know when the 2nd one came along….both give the same feedback tariff.

[durbster]

2 years. Wow.
The solutions here can take 15 years to pay off!

Bloody hell, that sucks.

I just double checked and I was wrong. Now the government has cancelled the feed-in tariff, it could take almost 70 years to break-even (in Scotland).

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utili ... #makemoney

[Speed]

Ha ha, talk about encouragement.

[durbster]

Yeah. Solar isn't a feasible domestic option for us at the moment.

As far as renewables are concerned, it's offshore wind farms for us which are now cheaper than coal. It does make for an odd view from my nearest beach though.

[Speed]

That makes sense....looks awesome.

[markus]

2 years. Wow.

The solutions here can take 15 years to pay off!

Pffft. 25 years here where everything is expensive and the sun never shines.

[smithcorp]

The bushfire smoke has cost me about $130 in credits this quarter

[norbs]

The bushfire smoke has cost me about $130 in credits this quarter

That and high grid voltage has cost me a lot more. However, it is still ticking away.

[richo]

Could any of you fine gents recommend someone for sales and installation of solar ? The cockheads I have called have never showed .