Jan 2012

Prices for solar panels and inverters have fallen yet again. There has never been a better time to invest in a solar system.

In mid 2011 The NSW O'Farrell government commissioned the Independant Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) to conduct a review into Feed in Tariffs (FiTs) in NSW.

IPART released its draft report in Nov 2011, and the final report is due for release in April 2012. A copy of the draft report is available here: IPART Draft Report NOV 2011

IPART is recommending a non-binding price of 8 to 10c be paid for energy exported to the grid.

Geoff Bragg, one of our designer/ installers is also chairman of Solar Energy Industries Association NSW (SEIA) and has made a submission to the IPART review, also available here: SEIA NSW submission to IPART review

Whilst the likely outcome of the review is not ideal, (it ought to be 1:1 retail - ie. whatever you are paying for your electricity you should be paid the same for exports) it still makes economic sense to install solar.

By sizing the solar PV system to produce the same amount of energy your household or business uses during the day, you don't have to buy in electricity at that time, and you effectively receive a saving equivalent to the full retail price.

As we are advising our customers under this NET FiT, any consumption you can shift from night-time to day-time will get the best financial return from your solar system. For example, programming dishwashers, washing machines, reverse-cycle air conditioners and water pumps to work during the middle hours of the day ensures you consume all of your solar energy, rather than exporting it.

There are also back-up systems with batteries that can be programmed to maximise self-consumption of the energy produced by a solar PV system, which double as a back-up power supply in the event of a power failure.

However you look at it, producing some or all of your own energy from the sun makes sense.