Yesterday’s Victorian Solar Homes Program rebate quota was snapped up in less than two hours.
Despite increasing the monthly quota to 6,500 in October (up from 3,333 in August) the government rebate program is still forcing people to delay their rooftop solar installations. This is effectively putting a cap on Victoria’s solar industry at the busiest time of the year.
That’s because disappointed Victorians who miss out on a rebate are putting solar power installations on hold until the next quota window — even as summer’s big power bills approach.
Meanwhile, reports of exhausting red tape and unreliable facial recognition technology are frustrating customers who do qualify for the rebate.
Problems with the Victorian Solar Homes program
Despite acknowledging the Victorian Government’s good intentions, the solar industry has criticised the Solar Homes program for causing a decrease in installation numbers.
On July 25, members of the Victorian solar industry protested on the steps of Parliament House. John Grimes, head of the Smart Energy Council, told the assembly that installers were going out of business.
He said customers deciding to delay installations had brought a formerly booming industry to its knees.
The application process had “customers in tears”, he added, because they could not navigate the system. “Or they’re throwing the solar thing out, saying, ‘I can’t be bothered, it’s too difficult.’”
Suitability of solar systems in question
The government rebate cap of $2,225 also affects the suitability and quality of the solar panels attainable under the program.
The Solar Homes’ government contribution of $2,225 is meant to cover half of a solar system’s cost. This places a perceived value — set by government — of $4,450 on the total cost.
Choosing a solar system that’s the right size is essential for power bill savings. With customer expectations fixed at $4,450, many households have settled for systems that are too small for their needs, or even worse, choosing cheaper solar systems that are renowned for serious issues with reliability and performance. In fact, an unacceptable 1 in 4 solar systems are currently deemed defective by the Clean Energy Council and this is predicted to increase.
A good quality solar system can actually pay for itself in 3-5 years and save you tens of thousands of dollars over the life of the system. There really is no need to risk buying a cheap solar system. For more information, call the Solaray Team today and we’d be happy to go through your options and the various price points for an installation.
This means that although increasing the rebate quota has eased pressure on the industry, customers are still adversely affected by the rules of the quota lottery.
Get the benefit of solar power before summer
The decision to delay installation and the risk of installing underperforming panels both result in added expenditure. In the first case, because power bills are at their highest over summer due to air conditioning, pool pumps, etc. In the second, from our experience panel upgrades/repairs are often necessary with cheaper systems.
The fact is that with high grid electricity prices, lower power bills are possible with self-generated solar power. Installing solar is typically the most effective way to protect yourself from rising power costs for Australian households and businesses.
Solaray can help you install the best solar power system for your household without any high-pressure sales tactics.
For more information, fill in the form below and we will be in touch to discuss your solar needs:
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