Solar Advantage

So what are the benefits of using solar power and just how can you get started? This short article will help you with these questions.

For many people, it would take many hours to research these issues. This is where access to trusted information, for instance from Solar Victoria, Yarra Energy Foundation or more locally Electrify Boroondara can be helpful.

Advantages of solar

Firstly on the benefits of making your own energy. 

Solar will reduce your environmental impact

While solar systems still have an environmental impact through resources consumed in their manufacture and delivery,  and at the end of their  lifecycle, they create far far less of an environmental impact than energy generated by fossil fuels. Solar and battery systems help your household reduce its climate impact. New research, profiled in Carbon Brief, finds that, even accounting from manufacturing and other emissions from the whole lifecycle, solar has an amazingly low carbon footprint.

“The study finds that electricity from fossil fuels, hydro and bioenergy has “significantly higher” embodied energy, compared to solar power (and wind and nuclear) “.

Check out this article from Zen Energy on solar advantages. Solar reduces our reliance on fossil fuels. Solar panels don’t create any greenhouse gases when generating or storing electricity, helping your household reduce its impact on climate change. Plus, any solar generation your household doesn’t use is sent back to the electricity grid and is used by other households, reducing their environmental impact.

 

Solar will lower your power bill

By generating and using your own electricity the amount of power you purchase will reduce along with your bill.

”While we can’t say exactly how much you’ll save with rooftop solar, we can tell you that 56% of respondents to our 2016 Solar Census survey are cutting their bills by more than half!” Check out the clear summaries in Solar Citizens guide, Thinking of Going Solar, including points like:

• Orientation – east and west are still good, generating only 15% less than north facing – a mix may be optimal
• Panel type – consider using cheaper, less efficient polycrystalline panels if you have a lot of roof space, but if you have roof constraints then you may well opt for more efficient by more expensive monocrystalline panels.

By using electricity  from 10am to 4pm, in the middle of the day, you can make better use of the solar energy you generate on your rooftop. For example, a hot water heat pump can run in the middle of the day, or a pool filter, or dishwasher. You may be able to generate enough power to run an electric car as well! For more detailed information, look through Australian Energy Foundation’s comprehensive set of solar pages.

 

Solar panels are a great investment

The payback time will vary from household to household but panels will typically pay back in 3-6 years. Almost one in four households in Australia have already installed solar. Chances are someone in your street already has solar on their roof. If we looked at a popular installation size of 5kW, then payback in Victoria is likely to be just over 5 years given slightly higher installation costs. However most people will qualify from Victoria’s solar home program, offering rebates of $1400 to households with combined incomes of under $180,000 a year, which will improve economic returns.

Solar Quotes recommend using the accessible LG savings and payback calculator for a more individual estimate or try Renew’s wonderful Sunulator tool.

 

Installation of a solar system will increase the value of your home

Most warranties of new solar panels will be issued by the manufacturer, not the installer. A good benchmark is a 25-year solar panel performance warranty and a 5-10 year factory defect warranty. The inverter will last more than 10 years on average, especially if it is installed away from full direct sunlight.

So given the low-maintenance of a solar system, no moving parts and research that shows 56% of respondents cut their bill in half, this makes rooftop solar valuable to a future purchaser of your home. If you think about it, it is a money saving asset, so most prospective buyers like to see it on a house they are thinking of buying and are therefore likely to be prepared to pay a little bit extra. Momentum Energy suggests houses with panels tend to sell faster as well, thus adding more value and helping offset or more than offset installation costs.

 

Consider purchasing a battery

If your budget extends to installing a battery then this will enable you to use more of the electricity generated from solar panels by charging the battery during the day with ‘free’ power and then using it during the evening. It is expected that the costs of batteries will drop significantly in the next few years, similar to what has happened with solar panels. Victoria offers a battery rebate as an alternative to the solar PV rebate for eligible households. 

 

Solar Buyers Guide 

Other great resources include the Solar Buyers Guides published by the Victorian Government 

These will lead you through the key issues and factors to be considered including:

• Why install a solar system? 
• What rebates and incentives are available for Victorians?
• Grid connected solar explained
• Finding the right solar panels, inverter, batteries and components
• Working out costs and benefits
• Planning your system
• Finding the right installer and steps to installation
• Consumer protections
• Ensuring the job is done safely

 

For more information on the benefits of solar PV systems see also Sustainability Victoria solar pages.

 

 

Other Useful Links

• Solar Victoria Solar Homes Program – this guide explains a variety of reasons to install solar.
• Clean Energy Council’s advice on buying solar, and batteries facts and guides info page.
• Choice’s buying solar guide with checklists and links.

 

 

Further Information

Solar Victoria

• Solar Victoria information page with links to solar panel information and solar hot water, news, case studies, rebates and more
• Solar rebate page – up to $1400 per household, – combined incomes under $210,000 per year
• Savings page – average household saves over $1000 per year on energy bills

Clean Energy Council

• Finding an approved solar retailer through the NETCC scheme

Yarra Energy Foundation

• How to choose solar page

Electrify Boroondara

• Solar information page
• How to get started on your electrification journey resource with useful links
• Electrification information master page leading to info pages on heat pump hot water, induction cooking, EVs, e-bikes, batteries, energy efficiency and more
• Going electric slideset with detailed information and justifying links – all you need to know on electric appliances, saving money on energy bills, saving carbon and why gas is seriously bad for your health.
• Solar experts panel at the Electrify Boroondara Expo with John Grimes, Smart Energy Council and Ric Brazzale, Green Energy Markets

Lighter Footprints

• Solar information page and blog on the why people put on solar PV.
• Check out our entertaining short video on going electric with home energy expert Tim Forcey or pick up a copy of his new handbook here, full of tips on the electrification process, including solar PV.
• Webinar on solar from Peter Mercurio, YEF, with slideset here, Although the MCPH program has finished, the slideset has particularly useful details on installation, orientation, shading and mounting.
• Webinar on solar and heat pumps from Lachlan Hensey MCPH via YEF
• Confused about V2G and V2H or why islanding is a good idea? Want to know more about switchboards and EV charging? Our 2030 Home video is for you – including EV expert Bryce Gaton and home energy expert David Cootes.

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