Solar Electric for the home

**slug_burner** · 20th June 2010, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by stuee

..........snip..

The main point of the scheme being that its to recover capital expenses of installing a solar system as opposed to making money from it.

The only concern I would have with the NSW system is how likely is it for the govt to change the feed in tariff? As it is it's a very generous scheme and would a change in government or cost cutting effect that tariff?

I don't see the difference between the recovery of capital expense and making money. If it was all about recovery of capital expense only then they would cap the payments to you once you recovered your initial outlay. Unless they figure that the system will require replacement at about the time that the system has paid for it self.

It is all about trying to meet the targets set for going away from carbon producing electricity generation.

I too would have some concern about the possibility that the NSW scheme will change as it is so much more generous that other states and also covers all power produced not just the amount that is put back into the grid.

**PhilipA** · 20th June 2010, 01:24 PM

I recall reading recently that the scheme goes for 7years from inception last year. No guarantees after that.
Also consider that the 60 cents( plus 6 from) Energy Australia) will remain at that fixed price for the duration of the scheme , but purchased energy will increase reputedly by at least 30% with no ETS and 60% with an ETS.

Also consider that TOD metering is very likely to be rolled out in this time period. NOW if with Energy Australia.
Regards Philip A

**PhilipA** · 22nd June 2010, 02:30 PM

I just heard a good one from a friend a few days ago.
He alleges that the residents of South west Sydney have worked out a great new scam.
They buy the solar panels under the program and supplement the electricity they sell to the grid at 66C a KW hour by running a generator into the system. Sounds quite believable and elegant to me.

So there you go all you solar installers. How to make sure that your bill goes down.

It must be a diesel gene ,because on a quick calculation a petrol one would cost too much in fuel , but if they pooled together a few houses with panels and a big diesel it may be a goer.
Regards Philip A

richard4u2 · 22nd June 2010, 04:58 PM

dont know if i got this right or not , but you only get paid if your meter has a lower reading at the end of the month then at the beginning of the month ?

**Quarks** · 22nd June 2010, 09:34 PM

The other day we signed up to get solar installed. I was expecting that they would want to put the panels on the north-facing garage roof, but instead the E-NE roof of the house is the preferred option as that requires a far less complex wiring run to the meter box. It's only a 2.2kW system, but we are also getting a new meter installed (have to rearrange the meter box to fit it too), which will count energy produced separately to that consumed.

**bee utey** · 22nd June 2010, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by richard4u2

dont know if i got this right or not , but you only get paid if your meter has a lower reading at the end of the month then at the beginning of the month ?

Um, no. you have to have the right meter/s installed (at your cost) which measure the solar output separately from the consumption, and then you get paid the solar rebate for the production, less what your comsumption cost is. There is net metering or gross metering of the solar output depending on what state you are in. They are calculated differently.

**hoadie72** · 22nd June 2010, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by PhilipA

I just heard a good one from a friend a few days ago.
He alleges that the residents of South west Sydney have worked out a great new scam.
They buy the solar panels under the program and supplement the electricity they sell to the grid at 66C a KW hour by running a generator into the system. Sounds quite believable and elegant to me.

So there you go all you solar installers. How to make sure that your bill goes down.

It must be a diesel gene ,because on a quick calculation a petrol one would cost too much in fuel , but if they pooled together a few houses with panels and a big diesel it may be a goer.
Regards Philip A

Wouldn't the electricity company keep records of the size of the panels and quickly put two and two together and come up with 15? ie the supposed output of the panels is greater than what is possible?

**p38arover** · 22nd June 2010, 11:08 PM

Re the financial viability of the project, I probably wouldn't have gone ahead with it had (a) the NSW scheme offered a 7-year guarantee of 60 c/kwh and (b) I hadn't got the $10,000 interest-free loan for system.

**Bundalene** · 28th June 2010, 07:18 PM

Guess what we had installed to-day.

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Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Erich

**gpigeon** · 30th June 2010, 09:16 AM

Philip A,
If those people in Western Sydney want to cheat the system why bother to run a generator?????
Just hook up a 12V/24V battery charger (run from the mains) to the inverter and feed the output straight back into the grid. Costs you about 20c per kWh to supply the battery charger and you get about 66c per kWh Feed in Tariff. Sure you will have some losses due to inefficiencies but much less than running an IC engine.
NOT legal (the FIT is for PV & wind generated power only) plus it wouldn't take long for the Energy supplier to get onto it. They will know the size of the installation and the likely output. Unless you can convince them that the sun shines more on you (some people do have this problem!)than anyone else I think they will be paying you a visit.
regards.
BW

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