If you were on the Solar Bonus Scheme, as of the 1st of January 2017 you are no longer being paid your 60 cent or 20 cent feed-in tariff. If you don’t do anything, you will send all of your solar power out to the grid and get nothing more than the current market rate for this power; typically between 5 – 8 cents a kWh. If you do not take action, this may result in significantly larger power bills, as much as $2000 or more a year depending on the size of your system.
So what are your options?
If you are happy with the current size of your solar system and you are confident that you will be able to use all of the solar power as it is generated, we recommend that you don’t expand your solar system or install battery storage.
To re-direct the solar power into the home, you will need to change your gross meter to a new net solar meter. You will need to contact your electricity retailer to arrange this, or there is a good chance your energy retailer has already send you a letter with further information. The good news is that many retailers will do this for you free of charge.
Will You Need More Solar Power?
Most solar systems on the solar bonus scheme are either 1.5kW or 2kW systems. The price of a solar power system has plummeted over the last few years to the point where it is so cheap, the average residential system is now over 5kW.
For most households on the current Solar Bonus Scheme, it is recommended that you add solar panels to your system to further reduce your power bill.
Adding panels to your existing system is easy. The new systems available today are fully compatible with an existing system and are managed through an energy management system that connects your system to the cloud, enabling online system monitoring from any internet connected device, including smart phones.
The best news of all is current households on the Solar Bonus Scheme are also eligible for the current federal government rebate! When you upgrade your system, the government incentive comes directly off the purchase price.
Key Benefits of Adding Panels To Your Existing System
- Fully compatible with existing systems
- No new inverter needed. Your new panels come with micro inverters that convert DC to AC under each panel. This means your new panels will output power independently from the other panels, allowing you to install new high-efficiency panels that do not match your existing ones.
- Safe and easy AC cable run from the new panel array directly into your meter board – no more high voltage DC.
- We will install an energy management hub in your meter board and connect your existing system into the new one.
- Your system is connected to the cloud for free online monitoring.
- 100% Battery Ready! Looking to add battery storage in the near future? Your new and expanded system is battery ready.
- Additional panels are eligible for the current government solar rebate.
- Our current lead time for installation is only two weeks.
I’m not home during the day
Solar Battery Storage and Energy Management are now available – and it’s cheaper than you might have thought!
Many households that previously had a gross solar system will not be suited for a new net system because the solar power needs to be used in the home as it is generated. If family members are at work & school during the day like so many households, it can be difficult to use most of the solar power in the home as it is generated.
This problem has now been solved thanks to solar batteries. A Solar Power Storage System is designed to store solar power generated during the day to then use at night. Unlike going off-grid, this means no expensive or complicated hardware is needed, we simply add the batteries and a small energy management hub that we install in your meter board.
Solar Batteries are small plug and play modules that are installed inside the home. They have a capacity from 1.2 kWh up to around 14Wh and can be cycled twice a day, giving you the capacity you need to power your home in the evenings.
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