Australia is in the throes of an energy crisis. For a country rich in energy resources, it seems crazy. But last week the entire east coast was facing the threat of widespread blackouts and load shedding. Wholesale energy prices were soaring. Coal and gas generators were being accused of gamesmanship, holding out for higher prices. […]
Category: general
Consumption monitoring. Why you should demand it with your solar.
You’re keen to get solar panels installed and excited about the prospect of getting your electricity bills down. But how will you know how much your system is saving you once it’s installed? Knowing that your solar panels are generating electricity is a good start. And knowing how much electricity they’re producing is nice too. […]
The All-Electric Future Home
As our economy moves forward to ever greater use of renewable energy, what of our homes? What choices can we make to ensure our homes are greener and cheaper to run? Solar is a great starting point. A quality rooftop solar panel system provides the infrastructure to get your home running on clean renewable energy. […]
Future proof your new solar system
If you’re buying a solar panels system, you want to know it’s future-proof. It’s always hard to predict the future, particularly when it comes to energy. All you can do is look at technology trends and consider how relevant they may be to your situation. In the future, it’s likely that more and more homes […]
Tesla Solar Tiles. Are they ever coming?
In 2016 when Elon Musk launched his revolutionary concept for solar tiles, it captured the imagination of homeowners everywhere, including in Australia. In case you didn’t know, Tesla solar tiles are a roofing material that also produces solar electricity. And they look pretty fabulous. Back in 2016, the question was: When can I get them? […]
What size solar panel system should I get for my home?
Ten years ago, the average size residential solar system was around 2.6kW (approx. 13 panels at 200 watts per panel). Today it’s around 6.6kW (approx. 17 panels at 390 watts per panel). Industry projections are for the average size to increase to 10kW or more. In fact, that’s happening already. Look around and you’ll see […]
GST: A ticking time bomb for the Australian solar industry
There’s a right way and a wrong way to calculate GST on residential solar power (PV) systems. For various reasons, some solar companies are calculating GST in the wrong way. This is resulting in a massive underpayment of GST by Australian solar companies worth millions in unpaid taxes. This is a ticking time bomb for […]
How to maximise solar self-consumption.
You’ve got solar panels installed. Congratulations! Now you want low electricity bills. The best way to achieve this is by maximising your solar self-consumption. Solar self-consumption sounds boring. But it’s the key to getting the most of out your solar. Read this post to get the lowdown on solar self-consumption. It’s worth knowing about if […]
Bigger rebates for Victorian households who join a new Virtual Power Plant Pilot
Victorian homeowners who purchase battery storage now have the option to join a new Virtual Power Plant Pilot (VPP) through the Victorian Government’s Solar Homes Program. If eligible, homeowners will receive a boosted battery rebate of $4,174 as well as financial incentives from their VPP provider. Each VPP plan is different. Most provide ongoing electricity […]
Tier 1 Solar Panels: Are they the best?
The term ‘tier 1 solar panels’ is used a lot by solar salespeople. It sounds good, but what does it mean? And if you buy a tier 1 solar panel, are you getting good quality? This post explains what the Tier 1 solar panel ranking is. It also covers: Why the Tier 1 rating is […]
