Over the last 5 or so years, the solar industry in Australia has grown at an enormous rate. Only 3 - 4 years ago, the average domestic household would have a system installed that was capable of producing 1 to 1.5 kw, or around 6 - 8 panels on the roof.
Today that is considered tiny, with 2 - 3 kw often being the smallest people will ask for. How does solar power work? A typical household will use around 18kw per day. This power is taken from the 'grid' ie the powerlines in the street, fed from a power producing station, in Victoria typically a coal fired plant, but can come from other sources too. You pay for every watt you use. When you have solar power installed on your roof, you have in essence a mini power plant working (while the sun is out) for your personal use. Your T.V, fridge, oven, lights etc will be powered by the solar panels first when they are producing. If any excess power is left over, it will automatically feed itself back into the grid, and you will be paid what is called a feed in tariff. How much power you produce is determined by a number of things: * The size of your array (solar panels) plus the location eg facing North with no trees or obstructions blocking the sun. * The time of year - Summer has naturally more light and longer days than Winter. * How power hungry your house is - the more appliances you have running, the type of lights you use etc * How well maintained your system is - it pays to have your system checked at least once a year by a qualified electrician to see if you are getting maximum output, and have your panels properly cleaned, just a tiny amount of bird droppings can have an enormous negative affect. Plus a number of other factors. What has changed in the last 5 years? A number of things, first of all the feed in tariff has been slashed, that is the electricity that is left over that your solar array has produced, after it has powered your house, has dropped from around 66c per kwh to 8c here in Victoria. But at the same time the size of the solar arrays have grown and the cost of the parts have dropped dramatically. So, say if you have a 2kw array installed, and it sets you back around $7,000, it would take you roughly 12 years to completely pay off, using todays figures. But as we know electricity has doubled in price in the last ten years, and is set to raise by at least another 40% so if you are smart and use your power correctly, ie low energy globes in your lights, newer less power hungry appliances like fridges and washing machines etc, you will actually pay off your investment, and be making money a lot faster. I am a big advocate of green, environmentally friendly energy, or alternate energy as it is often called. I believe it is the way we should be heading as we start to see the negative affects our lifestyle has on our planet. Solar. wind and other alternative power sources are becoming a normal and much needed part of our lives. I will be happy to answer any questions you may have on installing a solar array at your property, and can arrange a quote that is tailored specifically to your needs. We only use the best parts and equipment that is on the market, systems that have a 25 year warranty, look and operate at the highest levels, and can be monitored via wifi from your home computer to see exactly how much you are producing every day. Earth Neutral