All things Solar (merged threads)

[xisled]

If anyone interested in what is happening with the solar Tariffs in Vic as of 30th Sep.

http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/energy/env...eed-in-tariffs

[MAD]

Bye bye solar market.
Another manufacturing avenue gone.

But the carbon tax will make people buy green stuff.

[xisled]

Originally Posted by MAD

Bye bye solar market.
Another manufacturing avenue gone.

But the carbon tax will make people buy green stuff.

The only reason it bye bye solar markets, is to many people seen solar as a way to make an income. Working for a retailer who services VIC, NSW and QLD, so many people were angry because they will not be getting a massive cheque every quarter. The solar program was never designed for people to make an income. When I worked in customer service people would tell me how they are going to get thousands of dollars a year.

The whole basis of solar is not to get an income but to reduce peoples bills and to fix up the black outs during summer and take stress off the system. In Victoria this has happened as we did not have any black outs during summer.

[ute83]

Originally Posted by xisled

In Victoria this has happened as we did not have any black outs during summer.

That's because we didn't really have a summer. It's a bit tough when you sell the electricity you make for 8 cents per kw/h and then buy it back a few hours later at 33 cents per kw/h.

[MAD]

If they depend so much on residential solar to fill in the gaps, then 'The People' have a great weapon of protest... the power switch. (to the solar panels)

Why should the residential sector be footing the extra bill to help the state's supply, only to not be compensated for it.

Maybe there is some sort of business case if the lifetime of the panels were long enough, but at this rate you'd still owe money on the system after it reached it's life end.

[poppa smurf]

the shortfall in the necessity for more power production has been slowly subsiding for about eight years

yet we pay the highest power bills in the world........gee! I wonder why!

[Tha Jack]

I was about to sign up for a 4kw system this week but don't think I will bother. We use most of the power at night so with only 6c paid for extra power generated during the day I just cant see us recouping the outlay of the system.

[mickyyyy]

Originally Posted by Tha Jack

I was about to sign up for a 4kw system this week but don't think I will bother. We use most of the power at night so with only 6c paid for extra power generated during the day I just cant see us recouping the outlay of the system.

You have to remember that about 5kw is being used during the day for items on standby eg fridge, and other things pluged into the wall switched on... So maybe get a smaller system like a 2kw to cover day costs but if you plan to live in the same residance for 10+ years you must think am i going to use electricity during the day over time living in the house...

Im trying to figure out how much kw we use during the day to pick the right system plus thinking of changes in the next 10+ years of day usage...

[mickyyyy]

Things are not looking good at this stage for China manufacturing... I have chosen to go for Trina as they have local office and so does Suntach. Suntech are in trouble now so Trina is the go and its rated 2nd best panel in Australia!!!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48747814...les-price-war/

http://www.cnbc.com/id/48668173/Heav..._Consolidation

http://www.cnbc.com/id/48668173/Heav..._Consolidation

http://www.technologyreview.com/news...es-to-survive/

Maybe we will pay the extra $1000.00 and go german panel just incase things do not go right for the Chinese manufacturers, but if any of them were to get through it i would say Trina!!!

From my research EVERYONE should only buy product that has local support office like Trina and Suntech. REC is a little better but no local office and only sold through wholesale like apollo http://www.apolloenergy.com.au/

If all these other companies shut down then there goes your warranty so only use someone who has setup locally!!!

[poppa smurf]

unfortunately there are no guarantees any more, regardless of who you go through

here today......gone tomorrow is the norm

all we can do is buy what we assume to be reasonable stuff for the dollars and hope it goes the distance

because to be honest, I cant see any future in solar in Australia with the thought pattern this government has and it's pocket lining procedures

[EDManual]

My mum just bought a 4kw system to be installed soonish. I think its a bad idea...

[MAD]

But but but, the carbon tax!
It was supposed to spur on innovation and create jobs.

[mickyyyy]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

unfortunately there are no guarantees any more, regardless of who you go through

here today......gone tomorrow is the norm

all we can do is buy what we assume to be reasonable stuff for the dollars and hope it goes the distance

because to be honest, I cant see any future in solar in Australia with the thought pattern this government has and it's pocket lining procedures

Very true bud!!!

Only thing that is certain is higher bills...

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by MAD

But but but, the carbon tax!
It was supposed to spur on innovation and create jobs.

ah! the carbon tax or should I say "the second coming of the GST"......interesting to note the price of carbon has been dropped from $30 per tonne to $10 per tonne yet our bills still reflect the original $30 to quote a famous man....."why is it so?"

the carbon taxes immediate result was a 30% rise in power tariffs and a huge cost increase in air conditioning gas resulting in my reverse cycle ducted air conditioning system costing an extra $3,000 up from 10 months ago

the power moguls took one look at what is happening in Germany and other countries that have embraced solar and pressured the government to continue the profits by dropping all incentive to solar installers

to think about solar now would require a lot of homework.......here in south aus it is still worthwhile and it may be in the future for other states as well as the power continues to rise

and it will, mark my words, we have seen the beginnings of a triennial event

power will become extremely expensive in the coming years as big business wrings every cent out of it

[mickyyyy]

poppa smurf

I still think most ppl would benefit from solar to a certain extent if they live in the residence for long enough...

Apparently BlueGen is going to come down in cost to be affordable to home owners in the next 3-5yrs... 10k apparently

Also one installer/owner told me that in the next 3-5 years there will be, a lithium battery to store power and export extra to the grid. So basically storing energy produced during the day from your solar system and using at night...

You may need power from the grid as he said that the capacity stored is something like 5kw...

If all is true then we some other options coming in the near future!!!

[poppa smurf]

well I certainly hope there are alternatives in the future as i see power becoming too expensive for most folks

I already know of folks who are on low income who refuse to turn the heater on for fear of power costs

as for solar I just wished that common sense would prevail and a one to one tariff would apply......what we pay is what they pay

[xisled]

Originally Posted by MAD

But but but, the carbon tax!
It was supposed to spur on innovation and create jobs.

Do you understand the carbon tax.

As the consumer we do not pay the tax. The top 200 polluters in Australia do and the cost are passed down the line. The reason why price increased was because the massive businesses are hit by the tax, so this means more to produce the product, which mean price increase at the retail level.

Anyway solar in the country will start to slow down and most companies will disappear.

[MAD]

Originally Posted by xisled

Do you understand the carbon tax. Yep, wealth redistribution/pocket lining as other incentives are removed from the initial proposal.

As the consumer we do not pay the tax. The top 200 polluters in Australia do and the cost are passed down the line. To the consumer?
The reason why price increased was because the massive businesses are hit by the tax, so this means more to produce the product, which mean price increase at the retail level. So as a consumer I'm paying for the increased costs due to the carbon tax.

Anyway solar in the country will start to slow down and most companies will disappear.

so tell me again how the consumer doesn't pay the tax?


The basis of the carbon tax was to create an incentive for big business to invest in, and develop, green technology, so they would have a competitive edge over those companies that don't.

What's happening to the billions, of the carbon tax, that were earmarked to pay for shutting down the dirty coal plants? consolidated revenue?

[Tha Jack]

Just got off the phone to Origin.
They said as long as I purchase a system and have all the paperwork sent in before the 30th September and it is fully installed and connected to the grid by the 31st of December 2012 I will receive 31c kw of excess power generated.
It will cost 30.64c peak 7am till 11pm mon - fri and 18.20c off peak If I use more.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Tha Jack

Just got off the phone to Origin.
They said as long as I purchase a system and have all the paperwork sent in before the 30th September and it is fully installed and connected to the grid by the 31st of December 2012 I will receive 31c kw of excess power generated.
It will cost 30.64c peak 7am till 11pm mon - fri and 18.20c off peak If I use more.

are you able to achieve this within the given time frame????

if you can then I can see a bit of a win for you!

hope you can!

[Tha Jack]

Got a quote from Bradford Solar for a 4kw system,
Using 16 x 255w Suntech monocrystalline panels and a power one Aurora Invertor for $8240 which is the best deal I got so far.Does any one know if this is this a good system?

[Tha Jack]

Originally Posted by poppa smurf

are you able to achieve this within the given time frame????

if you can then I can see a bit of a win for you!

hope you can!

Yup, They can have the system I just posted installed within 4 weeks as long as the contract is signed and submitted by the end of the month I'm in.

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by xisled

Do you understand the carbon tax.

As the consumer we do not pay the tax. The top 200 polluters in Australia do and the cost are passed down the line. The reason why price increased was because the massive businesses are hit by the tax, so this means more to produce the product, which mean price increase at the retail level.

Anyway solar in the country will start to slow down and most companies will disappear.

sorry mate but as "the consumer" we are always the end tax payer........usually above the rate charged as is the case with power as of now

as I stated previously the original price of carbon was set at $30 per tonne and the power price went up immediately to reflect that, in my case a substantial increase

the government has now decided to go with "world parity'.....currently set at $10 per tonne but I have had no contact from my supplier as to when the new price will fall to reflect this new price

if this is not gouging then I don't know what is

a lot of the the top 200 polluters in the country have received an "amnesty" and some have successfully applied for a license to pollute without retribution or payment

big business have refused a buyout offer on playford at Port Augusta (not enough money offered) so generator No 2 will sit idle over summer until a decision has been reached

Joy Baluch told me that she and most of the City want a thermal solar plant put in place, the company that owns the generating plant are "thinking about it"

[poppa smurf]

Originally Posted by Tha Jack

Yup, They can have the system I just posted installed within 4 weeks as long as the contract is signed and submitted by the end of the month I'm in.

good on you.....happy for you!....a small win I think!

[davenl5l]

Originally Posted by Tha Jack

Got a quote from Bradford Solar for a 4kw system,
Using 16 x 255w Suntech monocrystalline panels and a power one Aurora Invertor for $8240 which is the best deal I got so far.Does any one know if this is this a good system?

try eurosolar i got 16x250w ameri solar monocrystaline panels 5kw jfi inverter 4kw system fully installed 2 storey house 220klm from adelaide $7,000 good instalation on time system works well 6week install

[mickyyyy]

Originally Posted by Tha Jack

Got a quote from Bradford Solar for a 4kw system,
Using 16 x 255w Suntech monocrystalline panels and a power one Aurora Invertor for $8240 which is the best deal I got so far.Does any one know if this is this a good system?

Good system but Suntach are in trouble right now... read post 1029

Change the panels to Trina as they are standing strong at this point and apparently Aurora inverter makes, more noise compared to SMA, Delta, Samil...

[Tha Jack]

Thanks for the advice guys. Will get onto eurosolar shortly and will also give Bradford Solar a call regarding changing panels to trina and inverter.

[mickyyyy]

The inverter's i suggested all have offices in Australia and Samil is an Australian owned company but manufactuer overseas...

[Tha Jack]

Originally Posted by davenl5l

try eurosolar i got 16x250w ameri solar monocrystaline panels 5kw jfi inverter 4kw system fully installed 2 storey house 220klm from adelaide $7,000 good instalation on time system works well 6week install

Just got a quote from eurosolar for the same system $8450 seems they charge more for Victorians.

[poppa smurf]

prices will vary from state to state.....some very markedly!.......buggered if I know why!