Power customer subsidized solar projects approved...So how are they performing?

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Thank you (genuine) Chuck for providing an honest evaluation and actual numbers.

[malleefarmer]

Guess ive changed my tune on this over the years.

If power prices just keep going up and up with no end in sight solar is seriously being considered with battery storage.

Not saving planet per say but m aybe dollars in the long run.

As you know we have highest or second highest power prices on the planet

[malleefarmer]

looking seriously now.

Chuck you may wish to comment from a friend who has 2 systems installed his information good as is yours but a bit different being in canadda

Remember you have to allow for inverter replacement normally at half life of panel, and solar panel and battery replacement. If you charge your self monthly for this them you may find no cheaper in long run, if you keep losing power its a good option. All these households who have fitted and will be up for new panels in another 15-25 years when they retired in for a shock. It needs careful planning.

you can get commercial grade panels like in a solar farm with 50 year life, but get any frosts on that u can start reducing life. They got a new one at clermont, gets to -5 here. Not sure how hail affects household grade panels.chinese panels are fools gold.

First off an energy audit, how much power you use and when.
The battery systems are the rolls Royce way to go, and save on the maintenance etc of a generator.
I personally use the network as my battery and use a generator backup. I already have the generator and need to maintain it anyway. Therefore battery is an expensive luxury.
I use to pay around $1000 to $1200 per quarterly to run the bore and used j-tariff. Meter change and ETSA took away the j-tariff. Hence decision to put in solar system. Pay back worked out to be four years. Haven’t had a bill since, runs the house as well and account in credit with yearly cheque.
It does depend on when you use power, it’s all a data exercise and numbers.

from another mate
Peter, we have solar panels, but not battery as yet. As I understand it special wiring has to be done to use your own power from your battery in the event of a blackout. I would not get rid of your gen set in a hurry. Panels certainly lower the power bill, by how much depends on how well you use them....eg if sun is shining, use clothes washer / dishwasher etc. When sun does not shine be frugal

Depends on amp draw, u can calculate this, if you monitor your normal use and say 80% of storage amp you will get how long u can run for. Replenishment rate is where alot come unstuck, once power is back on under your normal use how long to build back up to 100% capacity of amps in battery. This is what they dont tell you with renewable systems.

[malleefarmer]

My last post may be confusing .....maybe most of my posts are.......

Anyway one lot of comments guys is all renewable with generator back up.

Other guys isnt has solaR during day grid power at night without battery storage.

And comment about losing power is directed at me because we often have black outs here and have generator back up we plug into house emergency power.

feed in tariff small print

20c feed-in tariff for 24 months
for every kWh of solar energy you export to the grid*


*Only available to residential customers with a solar PV system no larger than 10kW in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland where AGL operates. Offer available to net metered and gross metered customers, and customers who are currently receiving a feed-in tariff under any Government scheme. The 20c AGL Solar Savers™ feed-in tariff is made up of AGL’s Retailer Feed-in Tariff and an AGL bonus feed-in tariff of 8.7c in VIC, 8.9c in NSW, 9.4c in QLD and 3.7c in SA. AGL’s Market Contract General Terms apply and for customers in Victoria the Electricity Generation Feed-in Terms also apply to the VIC AGL Solar Savers™ feed-in tariff.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Guess ive changed my tune on this over the years.

If power prices just keep going up and up with no end in sight solar is seriously being considered with battery storage.

Not saving planet per say but m aybe dollars in the long run.

As you know we have highest or second highest power prices on the planet

Which from a sceptical point of view is an odd conclusion to come to. As we keep hearing, your power costs have gone up exponentially since converting to renewables, the only logical conclusion is that those renewables are what drove the cost up. So the only solution you the consumer are left with is to add more of the renewables which are what caused the price hike to start with, which will probably only cause even more grid issues( assuming it is grid tied), and cause the cost of what you get from the grid to go up even more, in a vicious circle. Not many other options, can't build your own coal fired power plant, and as i understand, they have been busy demolishing the existing coal plants, so the country with abundant coal, has the most expensive electricity.

[malleefarmer]

Grid power is suggested to be 15% higher in 2 years kinda being forced to go solar