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AHE Solar PV Assessments - NSW Mid North Coast
How Solar Power Can Offset Rising Electricity Costs
 If your looking to install a Solar PV system on your home in NSW, currently it's still one of the best ways to reduce your electricity costs. And as electricity prices rise, you save more!
With the recent closure of the NSW State Government's gross feed investment style solar programs [60 & 20 cents per kW generated], it appears solar pv for many households has dropped off the radar. Primarily we would say this is due to the negative media and a lack of understanding by the householder, of how a solar pv system can offset a home's electricity costs.
How A Solar PV System Can Make $$$ For You?
There are basically three ways to make money with a solar pv system. The gross feed system where your paid for every kW generated. The net feed system where your paid primarily, to export excess electricity back into the grid. And finally there's the electricity offset system. Of these three systems, the first two are usually Government or electricity supplier funded. This means to some extent you may run the risk of changes, being made to these programs at anytime.
The net feed system currently [December 2011] in NSW, will only show you a minor return, as the rate for kWs exported back to the grid, is only 8 cents per kW offered only by AGL.
The greatest home electricity savings you can make, is by offsetting your electricity usage during the day. Simply put, you use what you generate, offsetting what you would normally have purchased. As electricity costs rise, your electricity savings will further increase, as your offsetting this rising cost. Currently electricity is costing you around 30 cents per kW, in country NSW.
When you're on a TOU TARIFF, you may be paying as much as 44 cents for on-peak electricity. And that certainly is a cost that needs to be addressed and eliminated!
Rising Electricity Costs
2011 - 2013 Forecast 60% [Recent July 2011 18%] 28% Still To Go! 2013 - 2014 Planned 33%. Inflation every year will add 3% - 5% Coal contracts per ton have recently increased by 500%. Carbon tax could be $25 per ton. NSW households will further be billed $12 for the blowout of the recent Gross Feed applications
Obviously it makes sense to offset as much of these electricity costs, as possible.
So What Can You Do?
 Well you need to fully understand 100%, how a solar power electricity system will offset your electricity for you. And this is where we can help, by performing a Solar Assessment of your home. An Aussie Home Energy Solar Assessment is thorough and will determine:
The correct size solar system you need, to maximise offsetting your electricity costs. Any energy efficiency initiatives that you could implement in your home. Occupational safety risks of your home. The suitability of your roof for mounting a solar system. Access to your home. Any shading issues and how this may affect estimated output of your Solar PV. Orientation and tilt angle of your solar array. The proposed location of your inverter. Any changes or upgrades to the electricity power box.
An Aussie Home Energy Solar Assessment offers you a quotation including:
The solar system's specifications including quantity, make & model number of the solar panels and inverter. An estimate of yearly energy output of the system based on available solar radiation adjusted for tilt, orientation and shading, and taking into account temperature, dirt, module mismatch, cable losses and inverter efficiency. The estimated financial savings based on current electricity costs. All equipment and install charges. Detailed system warranty information.
What You Need To Know?
Well we're going to be explaining everything in detail to you, during the Solar Assessment. But for those of you wishing to do a little homework, before we arrive we would recommend the following.
 You read & understand an excellent guide on what to look for when thinking of buying a solar pv system, which has been compiled by the CLEAN ENERGY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA [CEC], called the SOLAR PV CONSUMER GUIDE This explains in detail everything you need to know when deciding to install solar pv. We recommend you read this guide, before we arrive at your home.
The rest of this page offers answers to common questions, we're asked whilst in homes and further details how a solar pv system can save you $$$'s, by offsetting your electricity costs.
Are There Any Government Rebates Available?
There are still excellent discounts available through the Government's Small scale Technology Certificates [Known as STCs]. These rebates are deducted from the cost of the system. Currently for the Mid North Coast of NSW [Zone 3], the following savings apply. The STC value is based on $25 per certificate.
1.5 kW $2301 2.0 kW $2591 3.0 kW $3089 4.0 kW $3664 5.0 kW $4164
What Will My Solar PV Generate During The Day?
It's important for you to fully understand 100%, what the output of your solar pv system is during the daytime. Knowing this, will allow any system to be sized correctly to offset your electricity use, during the day. To small a solar pv system and you will be buying electricity that you could have been generating. To large a system and you will be sending electricity back into the grid, currently with little return. As we said before, currently the rate for net feed in NSW is only 8 cents per kW. The average daily generated power [CEC figures] of a solar system is:
1.5 kW - 5.85 kW 2.0 kW - 7.8 kW 3.0 kW - 11.7 kW 4.0 kW - 15.6 kW
Using the above CEC figures, you will want to make sure you're using the same amount of electricity whilst the sun is up. Regarding the electricity savings we've done the maths for you. Based on current and forecast electricity costs you could save:
Electricity savings that cannot be ignored, if you're interested about reducing your electricity costs at source! See our GUIDES page for more information on these savings.
How Much Electricity Does My Home Use During Daytime?
 Well there's a few tricks that we use to work this out. It depends on factors such as, what electricity your using when your home in the the day and what your using when your not.
The most accurate way for us to work out your home's electricity usage during the day, is to have you install a HOME ELECTRICITY MONITOR prior to the assessment. An electricity monitor allows you to easily see the electricity your using during the daytime. This daytime usage is what your solar pv system will offset. The table displayed, shows bi-hourly home electricity usage during daytime hours.
During the assessment we will analyse your monitor's data via a computer connection to the monitor. A period of two weeks is usually sufficient to get an idea of daytime electricity usage. If you wish to analyse the monitor's data yourself, you will need a USB PC CONNECTIVITY CABLE & SOFTWARE.
Knowing when you use electricity, will allow the correct size of solar pv system to be tailored to your home. Importantly a home electricity monitor operating in your home for a couple of weeks, will educate you on your electricity usage habits. You will learn where electricity is being used and wasted. This experience further helping you to save on electricity costs. Everyone who's installed one of our home electricity monitors, has always saved money of their electricity bill!
Once your Solar PV System is installed, the home electricity monitor will further be able to monitor the output of your Solar System. Keeping you notified 24/7 of the power generated above your roof and the power used below. Further being an SOLAR POWER ALERT SYSTEM, should an issue arise!
An Electricity Monitor Creates A Tailored Solar PV System!
Remember you can maximise your electricity savings twofold, when installing a HOME ELECTRICITY MONITOR, prior to installing a Solar Electricity Power system.
You learn about electricity usage from day 1, allowing you to save on electricity costs. Your installed solar pv is tailored to your daytime [sun hours] usage.
Why Does The Price Vary For A Solar PV System?
The price of any solar pv system can be affected by so many variables. Some of them are:
Type of inverter. Government rebates. Installation costs. Removal of trees. Height of roof. System design.
Our Solar Assessment will make you aware of all costs included in the Solar PV system we offer. We make sure there are no hidden costs!
What About Accreditation & Australian Standards?
All Solar PV installers should be accredited. There are Australian standards that system products need to meet, before being suitable for installation in Australia.
What About Any Warranty & Guarantee?
Solar panels come with a warranty on the efficiency over time. For example this is usually 90% for the 10 years and 80% up to year 25. A guarantee on the panel may be 10 years. Inverters can be anywhere from 5 to 25 years. It's important with any warranty or guarantee, to know who is offering it. The manufacturer or the solar sales business. There will be warranties on workmanship offered ranging from 2 years onward.
Feed In Tariffs
In the past NSW has had two Gross Feed tariffs. A 60 cent tariff and recently a 20 cent tariff, both offered and withdrawn by the NSW State Government. With a gross feed in system, you are paid for everything generated above the roof. This type of system is purely for investment purposes. It does not relate in anyway to your electricity costs. What is interesting though as the electricity costs rise sharply, this will eat away very fast at your profit. See SOLAR PV GAIN for more information.
A net feed tariff is where you are paid for excess electricity you have not used at that time, which is fed back into the electricity grid. Currently the best net feed tariff, is offered by AGL at 8 cents per kW. At 8 cents per kW, you can see why we suggest an electricity offset solar pv, as giving you the best return. Currently you will offset electricity at 30 cents per kW. This will rise rapidly over the next few years. Thus you will be saving more.
Further Assistance In Your Quest To Install Solar PV
 If you've more questions we firstly suggest the Clean Energy Council's SOLAR PV CONSUMER GUIDE
When you're ready for your Solar Assessment, please CONTACT US
We've been very careful in selecting who we're working with in the Solar PV industry. We want to be able to offer clients, new or existing, a solid creditable solar pv offer. An offer that is reasonable and does what it is installed to do, that being to reduce your home's electricity costs.
Keep an eye on our COMMUNITY page, for future community based events.
Kempsey : South West Rocks : Macksville : Bowraville
Nambucca Heads : Urunga : Bellingen : Coffs Harbour
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