Okay, let me begin by saying that solar power salespeople (and companies) are some of the most unscrupulous operators going round…
Feel free to read my brief gripe below, but basically - keen to hear everyone's thoughts, experiences and feedback on solar power at home.
Is it worth 'investing' the money in solar for your home
What has it saved you on your regular electricity bill?
Does it add value to a house?
Have you had a good/bad/ugly experience with Solar?
Also, wondering if the populous can help us decide via the poll whether we should fork out the cash for a solar system.
My gripe
We've gotten several quotes for a 5kW hybrid (battery-ready) system in QLD and prices have ranged from $3k to $14k. Literally every salesperson believes that their product/s are superior and every quote that we've been delivered is accompanied by oodles of varying fine print. Obviously products, brands and service vary, but I would have thought that an industry which has been around for 10+ years now would be much more commoditised. Clearly, there are plenty of operators making good money off the back of the limited consumer understanding.
Most providers are unhappy to hear that you've been shopping around and pressure you into making a deal 'on-the-spot' on the grounds that their offer is "today only" (or similar). Some even refused to follow up with a professional written quote when I challenged them about how they were able to pay a $0.48/kWh feed-in tariff with their 'green energy partner', telling me that it was a special 'deal' they had negotiated based on the volume of systems they were installing. Knowing that the QLD average feed-in is closer to $0.08/kWh, I was able to eventually weasel them into a corner to indirectly admit that the increased buyback (feed-in) rate was built into the system price and, when the salesperson realised where things were going, she promptly departed unceremoniously.
I find it hard to believe that these companies can continue to exist, but there's obviously enough mis/un-informed people out there for these salespeople, full of bravado, self-assurance and conviction, to take advantage of.
Anyway, all that aside - I'm interested in everyone's thoughts, particularly those either shopping for solar or who already have a system themselves.
Should We Get Solar?
Guiding inputs for poll responses:
- 2 person household, rarely anyone home
- Soon to be a 3 person household, with new stay-at-home mum
- Wanting to install A/C to overcome the QLD summer heat, especially in time for new bub
- Pool pump which needs to run 4hrs+ per day (very low voltage though, already on off-peak tariff)
- Current electricity bill is higher than what our electricity company expects for a 2 person household, likely because of our expensive downlights (no, they won't take energy-saving bulbs…), a large fridge + pool pump.
- Based on our current usage, electricity prices and some rough calculations, if we spent $6k on a 5kW system, it would take 12+ years for us to recoup the cost via savings
- Current mortgage rate is 4.00%pa with full offset facility
depends on your feed in tariff rates and your cost of usage, how long you plan to live there and current installation prices.
also how easily you can move your usage to the most beneficial periods.
I bought a house with a 1kw system with the WA 40c feedin tariff, I upgraded it to a 2kw system which was the maximum size of the inverter. I calculated to payback the upgrade would take 1.5 years. (you can estimate yearly power production give a lat/lng position).
It is now past that and everything else is a bonus. Most likely when the 40c tariff ends in 2019 I'll upgrade to a 5kw system.