Overview of DAS – Company History

DAS Solar, founded in August 2018 by Yong Liu in Quzhou, China, which makes them one of the latest entrants to the solar panel manufacturing industry. 

The company has grown rapidly and now claims to have a product capacity of 30GW across their manufacturing sites in China. DAS have focused on N-type solar panels and also offer a lightweight solar panel. 

DAS Solar established its first overseas subsidiary in Germany in early 2023. On DAS Solar’s website their Australian address is listed as Level 61, 1 Farrer Pl which appears to be the address of their lawyers King & Wood Mallesons. 

Key Indicators

What is a Bloomberg Tier 1 Solar Panel?

Bloomberg’s infamous tier 1 ranking is NOT a measure of Solar Panel quality in any way. It is simply an indication of the bankability of the manufacturer based on publicly released information on the financial health of the company. This should give you an idea if the company is a large, well-known manufacturer.

See full list of Bloomberg Tier 1 Solar Panels

DAS solar panels are not a Bloomberg tier 1 solar panel.

What is PV Evolution Labs Top Performer?

PV Evolution Labs with support from DNV GL independently test solar panel reliability. The tests are voluntary, with solar panel manufacturers paying to participate in the testing. This testing process is internationally renowned and is an accurate reflection of the solar panel’s performance.

DAS Solar’s N-type bifacial solar panel modules were named as top performers across 5 of 7 tests performed by PV Evolution labs.

See full list of PV Evolution Labs Top Performing Solar Panels

Why is office location in Australia important?

Most solar panel manufacturers entering the Australian market first set up their distribution channels and worry about customer service later. This has led to many unhappy customers who are left trying to contact Chinese head offices to claim their 25-year product warranty.

Relying on your solar installer is not always an option as we’ve seen many residential solar installers (including the large ones) go out of business well within the lifetime of the systems they are installing.

DAS currently do Not have an Australian office

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DAS Solar Panel Technologies

DAS currently has 93 solar panels approved by the Clean Energy Council in Australia under the name “DAS SOLAR CO LTD”. This is a requirement to be eligible for the federal STC solar rebate.

N type Series

The DAS N-type series, launched in July 2022, offers modules ranging from 430W to 635W, encompassing three sub-series: D-Max, D-Matrix, and D-Mini. The solar panels are bifacial and have a glass backsheet. 

The D-Mini model is the solar panel best suited to residential solar projects with its smaller dimensions (1.7m by 1.1m) enabling designs to make the most of more compact roof spaces. 

The D-Mini comes in power outputs ranging from 410 watts to 435 watts with a maximum efficiency rating of up to 22.3%. This matches many of the mainstream solar panel brands in the cost-effective tier.

The N-type series come with options for black frames or all black appearance to suit customers aesthetic preferences.

P type Series

The P type series offers older technology in the cell design. The solar cells are Mono-PERC which was the leading technology before N-type technology was introduced. They come in bifacial double glass construction or mono-facial single glass.

These solar panels are generally in larger dimension sizes (2.3m by 1.1m) and have a shorter product warranty to the N-type panels so are not likely designed for residential applications.

The maximum efficiency for these panels is rated up to 21.7%.

Lightweight panels

One of the more unique solar panel series is DAS Solar’s lightweight solar panel solution. There are only a few manufacturers of lightweight solar panels in the market and they attempt to provide a solution for roof spaces that cannot withstand the weight and loading of a traditional solar panel. 

The DAS lightweight solar panels need to be glued to the roof space. The panels weigh 9.9kg with a thickness of 4mm which is approximately half the weight of a traditional solar panel. This series of solar panels offer a maximum power output ranging from 415W to 430W. 

The solar panels utilise P-type solar cells and come with a maximum efficiency rating of up to 20.8%.

DAS’s Warranty for Australian Customers

Solar panels typically come with both product and performance warranties. The product warranty covers manufacturing faults that lead to damage or malfunction and is typically 15 to 25 years for most solar panel manufacturers. DAS offers a 10-year standard warranty for their lightweight series panels, a 15-year warranty for P-type panels, and a 25-year product warranty for their N-type (TOPCon) panels.

The performance warranty ensures a certain level of output for the solar panel’s lifetime, normally guaranteeing 80-85% of the nameplate output after 25 years. DAS provides a 25-year performance warranty for their P-type series and lightweight series, while their N-type series provides a 30-year performance warranty. The N-type features a 30 year minimum guarantee of 87.4% after 30 years which matches some of the leading solar panels on the market. For the P-type series, the degradation rate is slightly higher at 2% in the first year and 0.50% annually from year 2 to 25, ending at 86%. The lightweight series follows a degradation rate of 2.5% with 0.5% annual degradation for the 25-year performance warranty.

It is important to note that since DAS currently does not have an Australian office, and the only contact information on the warranty document is for their Chinese headquarters. This may present a serious headache for Australian customers attempting to claim warranty and should be taken into consideration before purchasing these panels. 

See more details of DAS’s warranty document here.

Pros and cons of DAS solar panels

Pros:

• N-type series solar panels offer competitive performance characteristics
• DAS Solar offer one of the few lightweight solar panel solutions on the market

Cons:

• Relatively short solar history compared to other major solar panel brands
• No Australian office to support customers
• Limited availability of case studies showcasing the utilization of their panels in larger projects in Australia

So, Should I Buy DAS Panels?

While the company has demonstrated rapid growth and innovation, offering N-type solar panel options and lightweight curved panels, there are also notable concerns. 

DAS’s relatively short solar history compared to other major brands may raise questions about the longevity and reliability of their panels. Additionally, the fact that DAS Solar don’t have an established office in Australia and support team to help customers with technical issues should be a concern for Australian customers.

Example of a DAS Project 

While there’s limited information available about DAS’s Australian case studies due to their relatively recent entry into the solar market, the company has successfully completed numerous large-scale utility projects in China. One notable example is the Awati project, which has an annual average grid-connected electricity output of 800,000 MWh. 

Project Name: Xinjiang Awati 400 MW Storage and solar power plant

Location: Awati County, Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

System Size: 400MW 

Models: DAS-DH144PA-545

Commissioning year: 2023

The post DAS Solar Panels: An Independent Review by Solar Choice appeared first on Solar Choice.

Powerwall 3 pic.twitter.com/0OXw9hvZNp

The Tesla Powerwall 3 is available in the US and will be available in Australia in the second half of 2024. The official Powerwall 3 release date in Australia has been purported to be between July & December.

This home solar battery & inverter combo is the next generation of Tesla battery storage systems. When Elon Musk hinted in this retweet, that a single Powerwall 3 can manage peak loads of ~30kW (although leaked specs suggest it will have a continuous power rating of 11.5kW and peak power rating of 15kW). This has raised numerous questions about the Tesla Powerwall 3 specs, pricing and availability in Australia.

Is it a game changer or a missed opportunity?

What is The Tesla Powerwall 3 Price in Australia?

While Tesla has not officially announced Australian pricing The Powerwall 3 is expected to cost approximately $10,400 excluding installation or the necessary “Backup Gateway”. This is similar pricing inline with the Tesla Powerwall 2. As with the Powerwall 2 you’ll need to purchase the Backup Gateway separately for $1,700.

The built-in 11.5kW hybrid inverter may range in cost from $2,000 to $3,500, adding significant value and savings on costs for home oweners looking for a solar battery for their home.

Game Changer or Missed Opportunity?

For the average Australian homeowner, the question of “are solar batteries worth it?” remains a topic of much debate. The release of the Tesla Powerwall 3 in the US is no exception, stirring mixed feelings among Australian installers. Many see it as a missed opportunity, pointing out its limitations in retrofitting existing solar systems due to its integrated inverter design. This makes it ideal for new solar setups but less appealing for those seeking an upgrade, which is where the Tesla Powerwall 2 might still reign supreme

Key Concerns with the Powerwall 3

• Targeted for New Installations: Its design benefits new setups but offers more challenges than additional features for those looking to upgrade.
• Charging Capacity Mismatch: With a charging limit of 5kW against the potential for 20kW of solar panels, there’s a notable efficiency gap.
• Lack of Built-in Backup Gateway: Missing functionality that could have added ≈ $1700 value.
• Unchanged Pricing: Without significant price improvements or a built-in backup gateway, it’s new features might be nice to have rather than need to have. Putting into question it’s true value proposition in the Australian market.
• Bi-directional Charging Limitations: Despite its forward-thinking features, Australian regulations hamper its full potential.

The Powerwall 3 thus stands at a crossroads. For new solar adopters, it’s a leap forward. However, for the retrofit market and those eyeing cost and compatibility, the Powerwall 2 might still be the smarter choice. With a focus that perhaps leans too heavily towards the American market, the Powerwall 3’s place in the Australian energy landscape remains uncertain in more ways than one.

What are The Performance Specs of Tesla Powerwall 3?

The big difference in this generation of Powerwall is the inclusion of an 11.5kW built-in solar inverter and 6 Maximum Power Point Trackers (MPPTs), which means it is capable of handling up to 20kW of solar panels, the value proposition of the Powerwall 3 could be hard to match.

The Powerwall 3 features a 13.5 kWh energy storage capacity, with a continuous power output of 11.5kW and enhanced peak power capabilities, thanks to a high Locked Rotor Amps (LRA) rating. This makes it capable of supporting the startup of high-demand electrical appliances and systems, aimed at ensuring reliable power backup for the entire home.

The Tesla Powerwall 2 must have a separate solar inverter installed. This means the target market for the Powerwall 3 is likely to be customers looking to install solar and a battery all at once, rather than customers who already have solar panels and an inverter installed.

While the Powerwall 2 also has a 13.5kWh energy storage capacity, it has a much lower peak power rating of 5kW. This big improvement for the Powerwall 3 means that it can handle much greater loads in off-grid systems or during a power outage.

See the Tesla Powerwall 3 Data Sheet for more details

What Are The Dimensions of the Powerwall 3 Battery?

Tesla has refined the Powerwall 3’s design, creating a unit that’s both slimmer and slightly heavier than its earlier iteration. The dimensions of the Powerwall 3 are 43.25 in x 24 in x 7.6 in and a weight of 287 lbs in the U.S. which translated to 1098 mm x 609 mm x 193 mm, with a total weight of 130 kg here in Australia.

Tesla Powerwall 3 Battery Chemistry

Tesla has confirmed the switched to Lithium Ferro Phosphate (LFP) chemistry. They’ve moved away from the Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) used in the Powerwall 2. This change aims to enhance safety, durability, and environmental sustainability by removing cobalt from production, although it may lead to lower energy density.

Tesla is promoting that the new cells will maintain at least 70% of their capacity after 10 years. This indicates that fully utilizing the battery to achieve the best return on investment might be more beneficial than restricting its use to lessen wear and tear.

What Is The Powerwall 3 Backup Gateway?

The Backup Gateway or more simply the Backup ‘Switchboard’ ensures homeowners can maintain power during outages and effectively manage their energy use.

Some battery manufacturers have this capability built into the battery. Tesla charge an additional $1,700 for their Gateway which is a notable addition to the overall cost of the system.

Pros and Cons of the Tesla Powerwall 3

Pros

• Integrated Solar Inverter: Comes with an 11.5kW built-in solar inverter, reducing the need for additional equipment and simplifying the installation process.
• High Solar Compatibility: It can connect to up to 20kW of solar panels, offering substantial potential for energy generation and storage. This surpasses the Powerwall 2’s compatibility, which is more limited in this regard.
• Scalable Storage Solution: The Powerwall 3 features DC-coupled battery expansion units, allowing homeowners to expand their storage capacity affordably over time, making it a versatile option for growing energy needs.
• Enhanced Power Output: With a continuous power output of 11.5kW, it supports larger households and more extensive energy needs
• Bidirectional Charging and V2H Integration: The Powerwall 3 offers innovative features like bidirectional charging and the potential for vehicle-to-home power sharing, which enhances its utility and future-proofs the system.
• High Peak Power Rating: Capable of handling high inrush currents, making it ideal for starting up high-demand appliances without grid support.

Cons

• Limited Charging Power: Despite its high solar compatibility, the Powerwall 3’s battery charging is limited to 5kW. This means that although you can connect up to 20kW of solar panels, much of that capacity might be wasted for most household applications.
• Compatibility with Existing Solar Systems: While there’s potential for AC-coupling with existing solar systems, confirmation and specifics are pending, which may affect retrofitting decisions.
• Bidirectional Charging and V2H Integration: Currently only available for the cyber truck in the USA.
• Not compatible with other Powerwall models: Tesla has not officially announced direct compatibility for integrating Powerwall units. This means that, as of now, you cannot directly connect a Powerwall 3 to an existing Powerwall 2 system.

What Is The warranty On The Tesla Powerwall 3?

Solar Choice expects the Powerwall 3’s warranty to provide comprehensive coverage for defects and capacity degradation over 10 years. We will confirm specific details upon the product’s release. The industry predicts a warranty structure similar to Tesla’s Powerwall 2 and the US market.

How The Tesla Mobile App Integrates With The Powerwall 3

The mobile app will likely offer real-time monitoring and management, allowing users to tailor their energy use to suit their needs. Whether prioritising backup power, maximising self-consumption of solar energy, or taking advantage of time-based control to benefit from variable electricity rates, the app provides comprehensive control over home energy management.

Is Tesla Powerwall 3 Available In Australia?

While the anticipation for the Powerwall 3 in Australia is high, its expected release in the latter half of 2024. This means that potential buyers have time to assess their current and future energy needs.

For those of you Interested in purchasing a Powerwall 3, simply enter your postcode to get in touch with an accredited installer so you can organise early access and discuss the Powerwall 3’s integration into your home energy system. With Solar Choice’s extensive network of professional installers, homeowners can ensure a seamless and efficient installation process.

What Tesla Powerwall 3 Incentives are in Australia?

Australian government schemes and incentives for home & battery systems are available for homeowners. Residents may benefit from various state-based incentives and schemes designed to encourage the adoption of renewable energy solutions, like the Queensland battery booster rebate. Potential buyers should explore available programs in their region to take advantage of financial support or rebates that may offset the initial investment cost.

Integration & Expansion Capabilities

One of the most interesting advancements with the Powerwall 3 is it allows for “DC-coupled battery expansion units.” This feature suggests that homeowners can increase their storage capacity making the system both scalable at a lower price per kWh. Homeowners can stack up to four Powerwall 3 units to achieve a total capacity of 54kWh, offering a scalable energy storage solution that meets their growing needs.

Powerwall 3 Continuous Power, Battery Storage & Load Management

The Powerwall 3 delivers a continuous output of 11.5 kW, offering 20-30% more continuous power than Tesla Powerwall 2 and it’s 5kW output and the Tesla Powerwall Plus (PW+) 5.7 kW. This coupled with the peak power rating, make it a good source of backup power for essential home functions during outages.

Its capability to manage high inrush currents allows it to start even high-demand appliances smoothly. However, homeowners need to carefully plan their backup power strategies, as the significant but finite 13.5 kWh storage capacity can deplete quickly under large loads if not managed wisely.

Bi-directional Charging

Tesla’s forward-thinking design includes features such as bidirectional charging and the possibility of vehicle-to-home (V2H) power sharing, with the Powerwall 3 potentially serving as a central hub for a home’s renewable energy ecosystem. This integration not only enhances the utility of the Powerwall 3 but also positions Tesla at the forefront of home energy innovation.

Final Thoughts

As the Tesla Powerwall 3 prepares to make its arrival to Australian shores in 2024, the energy sector stands at a fascinating juncture. The mixed reactions from installers underscore the Powerwall 3’s potential as both a game changer for new solar adopters and a possible missed opportunity for those looking to retrofit.

With so much yet to be revealed about how the Powerwall 3 will fit into the Australian context, its launch will be a critical moment to watch. It promises to push the boundaries of what’s possible in home energy storage, potentially reshaping our approach to energy consumption and production.

As we stand on the brink of this technological shift, the true impact of the Powerwall 3 remains to be seen, offering much food for thought for industry professionals, policymakers and homeowners alike.

The post Tesla Powerwall 3 Review: Release, Costs & Specs appeared first on Solar Choice.

Asking – what is the “best” electricity provider in Brisbane? – is a question that doesn’t have an straightforward answer. First, you need to understand how electricity gets to your house, and the various charges that make up your bill.

After that, you will be better able to compare ‘apples to apples’ and unravel the difference in costs and charges in your quest to find the cheapest electricity supplier in Brisbane.

Getting electricity into your house to power your lights, hot water and appliances involves interconnected organisations such as the networks or distributors who manage the electricity grid in different geographic areas, and the power companies or retailers who provide your electricity and send you a bill each month.

Understanding your electricity bill

What you pay month to month for your electricity is made up of various charges for service (or supply) and usage. Here’s an overview of the cost components of your monthly electricity bill:

Cost per kWh

This is generally the bulk of your electricity bill, and is the variable cost of the electricity you consume in your household. Known as the ‘tariff’, it is measured in Kilowatt hours, or kWh.

As a commodity, electricity is subject to the forces of supply and demand, and when more people are using electricity the cost is higher. ‘Peak’ usage is the most expensive kWh rate for electricity purchase, and typically applies from the afternoon to the evening.

In contrast, ‘off-peak’ periods, generally from late evening to early morning, are the cheapest kWh rates. The cost difference between peak and off-peak can be significant, so adjusting your electricity usage throughout the day and evening can make a real difference to your bill.

There are also ‘shoulder’ periods in between peak and off-peak that cost somewhere in between each of these.

The good news if you live in Brisbane or South East Queensland is that no matter what electricity provider you choose, you have access to some of the cheapest electricity usage rates in the country.

And a recent report by the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) finds that electricity costs to consumers in Queensland are expected to decrease by 10% between 2023 & 2024, the largest expected fall of any state in Australia, representing an average annual household saving of $126.

Controlled load

This is a line item on your electricity bill that in Queensland may be called ‘Tariff 31’ or ‘Tariff 33’. Basically, controlled load electricity is supplied to specific high energy use appliances such as electric hot water systems or underfloor heating that are separately metered.

Controlled load is generally a lower rate (comparable to off-peak prices) for appliances that usually run overnight. The use of this type of electricity is restricted to certain times of the day.

Supply charge

This is a fixed daily charge that you pay to be connected to the electricity grid. Commonly known as the ‘poles and wires’, this charge pays for the infrastructure of the electricity network and the supply of smart meters (or meter readers who attend your home to check your meter for usage).

The distributor charges your retailer for this service, and they pass it on to you via your bill as the supply charge. In a specific geographic area such as Brisbane, the supply charge will be consistent no matter who you choose as your electricity provider or retailer.

Therefore, the variable usage cost per kWh for various times throughout the day will be the driver for finding the cheapest electricity supplier in Brisbane.

A good way to understand your electricity bill is to speak to an electricity comparator. Selectra Australia have a good guide to understanding electricity bills.

Who is the cheapest electricity provider in Brisbane?

Electricity is an essential commodity and in Australia the various Government and regulatory bodies keep a reasonably tight level of control on the energy industry in general. This includes ensuring transparency in costs and charges to improve affordability for this essential service.

Because of this, they are able to provide handy comparison tools that cover every single energy retailer, one of which we’ll use to help find the cheapest electricity provider in Brisbane. To compile the below list of the cheapest electricity companies in Brisbane, we used the Energy Made Easy website, a comparison tool provided by the Australian Government.

For the purpose of this exercise, the information we input to the comparison tool was as follows:

• Electricity plan
• Brisbane city 4000
• 2 to 3 person household
• No bill or meter data provided
• No controlled load
• No solar panels
• No pool
• No smart meter
• No current electricity retailer

The result was the annual cost for electricity from 24 retailers, ranging in price from $1,770 to $2,240 (including GST). It’s clearly worthwhile to compare, as the most expensive costs nearly 40% more than the cheapest. Based on our review in June 2024 we can see that OVO Energy is the cheapest electricity provider in Brisbane with an annual cost of $1,770 for a typical household. Remember this excludes any discounted pricing.

List of 10 Lowest Cost Electricity Providers in Brisbane

*Based on entering the above details into EnergyMadeEasy government Website. We recommend you seek a comparison with your own specific details before making a decision.

The results provided also include other important information that may be applicable to each plan such as disconnection fee, new connection fee, late payment fees, dishonour fees, credit card processing fees, paper bill fees and so on. Results can be refined based on features that are important to you.

You won’t necessarily get the same result once you input the relevant information for your household into the comparison tool, so the prices we found aren’t as important as the relative costs between various electricity providers.

Note that electricity prices fluctuate due to a range of factors including changes in demand, plant operating costs, keeping the network maintained and functioning, and Government regulations. The list we have compiled is correct at this moment in time, but will change over time.

What about discounts and deals?

At any given time, because electricity retailing is a competitive business, there will be a number of deals and discounts in the market to entice new customers. When you are considering switching retailers to save money, you should check for available discounts and deals.

And if you haven’t compared energy plans in a while, discounts you had previously signed up for could have expired, and you may be on the Default Market Offer (DMO), which is effectively the maximum price that retailers can charge electricity customers on default contracts (also known as standing offer contracts). If you are on the DMO, you can get a much better rate for your electricity.

The post 10 Cheapest Electricity Providers in Brisbane appeared first on Solar Choice.

Please take a look at our methodology – we’ve attempted to be very transparent about the conclusion we have reached. Important to note that we are just looking for the best quality inverter in this article ignoring costs – not the best value inverter. In this article, we are looking at residential solar so for ease of comparison we have assessed each company’s best single-phase 5kW inverter model.

List of the Best Solar Inverters in Australia for 2024:

Note: Solar Choice is not an installer and has no incentive to promote one brand over another. Be careful of installers’ articles on the web suggesting the brands they sell are the best!

Inverter	Image	Warranty	Max Efficiency	PV Evolution Labs Top Performer?	Key Features/ Comments
Enphase IQ8		15 Years (extendable to 25)	97.4%	No	Micro-inverters   US company
SolarEdge SE5000H		12 Years (25 years for optimisers)	99.2%	No	Power optimisers   Israeli company
Huawei SUN2000 -5KTL-L1		10 Years (extendable to 20)	98.4%	Yes*	Hybrid inverter   PV Labs Top Performer
SMA SB5.0-1AV-41		10 years   (5 full+5 full on registration)	97%	Yes*	Shadefix function   German company
Fronius GEN24 5.0		10 years   (5 full +5 parts only on registration)	97.6%	Yes*	Hybrid Inverter   Austrian company
Sungrow SG5.0RS		10 years	97.9%	No	Low start-up voltage (40v) Built-in DC isolator
Goodwe    MS Series		10 years   (5 full + 5 parts only)	97.7%	No	3 MPPTs   200% DC oversizing
Delta H5A_222		5 years (extendable to 20 years)	97.5%	Yes*	Low start-up voltage (30v)   Built-in DC isolator

*Not the same model that is available in Australia is marked as a top performer but is an indication of a quality brand

Important note: This ranking reflects the opinion of Solar Choice only and we encourage readers to do their own research and come to their own conclusions.

How we determined the best solar inverters in Australia

1. Max Efficiency

The efficiency of the solar inverter is an essential factor because all the DC electricity produced by the solar panels will pass through the inverter to be converted into Alternating Current (AC) which can be consumed by home appliances.

All inverters are tested by independent authorities which provide maximum efficiency and a European efficiency rating and will display these results on their product datasheet. In our comparison, we have used the maximum efficiency for an apples-for-apples comparison.

A solar inverter’s efficiency will vary based on the amount of power that is generated and the amount of solar energy that is inputted. The maximum efficiency is measured as the highest point in the curve where the inverter is at its optimal performance.

Most solar inverters maximum efficiency ranges from 96.5% to 98%, with the higher being more efficient.

2. Warranty

The warranty period can vary depending on brand. We recommend that you choose an inverter with a minimum warranty period of at least 5 years with 10 years being ideal.

There has been an increasing number of manufacturers who are offering extended warranties, up to an additional 20 years which usually comes at an additional cost.

As we’ve seen many residential solar installers go out of business within the lifetime of the solar systems they’ve installed, many end-consumers need to get in touch with product manufacturers directly. For this reason we generally recommend you pick a brand with an Australian office and an Australian phone number you can call.

A long warranty from a company with no Australian presence is not worth much in our opinion.

You can review our list of CEC approved inverter brands with an Australian office.

3. PV Evolution Labs Top Performer

PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) has been independently testing solar panel reliability since 2014. The solar panel testing is considered internationally as an excellent indication of solar panel quality. 

In 2019, PVEL launched their inaugural ranking of solar inverters, which seeks to identify the top performer solar inverter brands.

A point to note is that the testing process is voluntary and the product manufacturers have to pay to be a part of it so they are not testing the entire market.

You can review our list of PVEL Top Performers, or you can download and take a look at the PVEL 2019 Inverter Scorecard.

4. Key Features

We have looked at the key points of difference that each inverter brings to the market to factor into the ranking.

Notably, the fact that Enphase’s solution is micro-inverters and SolarEdge includes power optimisers has lifted them to the top of our ranking. This functionality enables individual panel level optimisation and monitoring which adds significant value to the end consumer. Read more on this here.

Limitations of our ranking

It is clear from our methodology that we have not assessed every factor of an inverter, but are looking to find a simple way to identify the best quality and leading solar inverter options available on the Australian market.

• Costs – first and foremost as we are considering the ‘best solar inverters’ for the Australian market we have ignored price for the purposes of this ranking. The inverters towards the top of this ranking will cost more than the options towards the bottom as per the below indicative guide:

How much does an inverter cost?

Depending on the Brand, the best solar inverters can cost anywhere from $800 to $2,600.

• Other inverter specifications – in order to keep this simple we have selected some of the most important aspects of an inverter to compare. A more holistic approach may lead to a slightly different ordering and outcome. For example if you have 3-phase power or shading impacts on your roof, the list of possible inverters would look different to our ranking
• Country of manufacture – for some people this can be very important. These days the vast majority of solar equipment is manufactured in China. Even European brands like SolarEdge, Fronius and SMA have major production facilities in China. If you are looking for something that is not manufactured in China you can look at the datasheet of the model of inverter you have been quoted to see where it was manufactured.

What about brands that are not on this ranking?

These are what we would consider the top 7 brands in Australia for solar inverters. That does not mean that brands not listed on this page won’t do the job. There are cheaper options from Chinese manufacturers that can serve a customer on a budget well, but you will have to take the risk that they may not last as long as the options here and may not perform as well. You can read our product reviews on all inverters in the Australian market here.

The post Best Solar Inverters in Australia 2024 appeared first on Solar Choice.

Overview of SolarEdge – Company History

Established in 2006, SolarEdge developed the DC optimised inverter solution that changed the way power is harvested and managed in photovoltaic (PV) systems. The SolarEdge intelligent inverter solution maximises power generation while lowering the cost of energy produced by the PV system, for improved return on investment.

In 2010, the company shipped an estimated 250,000 power optimizers and 12,000 inverters – amounting to a total generation of 50 megawatts and 70% of the power optimizers market.

In March 2015, SolarEdge had an initial public offering on the NASDAQ with 7,000,000 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $18.00 per share, raising $126 million.

In May 2015, SolarEdge partnered with Tesla Motors or the joint development of a photovoltaic (PV) storage and backup power solution for the residential solar market, based on the Powerwall home and industrial battery packs that were unveiled in April 2015, and quickly received orders to a total value of US$800 million.

Solar Edge now has over 2,400 employees globally with a monitored site in over 130 countries. The headquarters are located in Israel with offices all over the world including the USA, Germany, France, Japan, China, India, and Australia.

How Solar Inverters Work?

String inverters have traditionally been the standard in the solar industry. They send the power produced by solar panels to a central inverter that changes it from DC to usable AC power for your home.

Microinverters, on the other hand, convert DC to AC power at each individual panel and allow for monitoring and power regulation at the panel level. This is useful for homes that are located somewhere with shading from clouds, trees, or other buildings.

Solar Edge Inverters – Point of Difference

There are many solar panels out there, what makes SolarEdge inverters stand out?

DC Optimisation

Solar Edge is best known for pioneering the concept of a string inverter matched with individual ‘DC optimisers’ on each solar panel. This achieves similar benefits to Micro-inverter systems usually at a lower cost. These optimisers allow:

• individual panel monitoring
• individual panel optimisation (i.e. shade or dirt on one panel will not affect the other panels like a conventional string inverter setup)
• rapid shutdown of panels in the case of an emergency
• An increase in total energy generation over the lifetime of the system
• An inverter with smaller dimensions because the Multi Power Point Tracking (MPPT) is all done at the panel.

SolarEdge Inverter Efficiency

While efficiency standards for residential inverters are generally 95 to 98 percent, while SolarEdge’s inverters boast a maximum efficiency of 99.2 percent.
This greater efficiency will lead to a slight increase in energy production over the lifetime of a solar system and compliments the other advantages of the power optimisers.

SolarEdge Inverters Technologies

SolarEdge currently has 29 inverters approved by the Clean Energy Council in Australia under the name “SolarEdge Technologies Ltd”. This is a requirement to be eligible for the federal STC solar rebate.
Currently, Solaredge offers both single phase and three phase inverters on the Australian market for residential and commercial solutions.

Single Phase Inverters

SolarEdge’s single-phase inverters are designed for residential solar PV systems, where the power output is usually lower than that of commercial or industrial systems. These inverters are smaller in size, easier to install, and less expensive than three-phase inverters. See below summary of the different single phase inverters SolarEdge has available:

Genesis

• SolarEdge’s entry level single phase inverter
• Power optimised – like all SolarEdge solutions
• Weighted efficiency of 99% for 5kW to 10kW models

 EV Charging

• EV Charger and Solar Inverter built in one device
• 3kW and 5kW versions available
• Weighted efficiency 99% for 5kW model
• Charge EV from PV surplus

Home Hub

• Compatible with DC connected battery
• Provides back-up power in black-out
• Models from 3kW to 10kW
• Up to 300% DC oversizing

SolarEdge also offers StorEdge solutions which are designed to enable their non-hybrid inverters to connect with a DC battery like LG’s Chem.

Three Phase Inverters

SolarEdge offers a range of three-phase inverters that are designed for commercial and industrial solar PV systems.In general, three-phase inverters are larger in size and more expensive than single-phase inverters. 

SolarEdge provides three-phase inverters from 5kW to 100kW, with a maximum efficiency of up to 99.2%. The 50kW to 100kW options couple together 2 or 3 smaller inverters with one central ‘Synergy Manager’ to achieve the overall power output.

These inverters are compatible with a wide range of solar panels and have features such as built-in panel-level monitoring and rapid shutdown which can be a big advantage in commercial applications. Additionally, SolarEdge’s three-phase inverters come with advanced safety features such as built-in thermal sensors to detect faulty wiring.

SolarEdge Warranty Offer for Australian Customers

The Solar Edge inverters have a 12-year product warranty, and the accompanying power optimizers have a 25-year warranty.

The standard 12-year product warranty for the inverter is unparalleled in the industry, and is a great indicator of high quality. The inverter warranty can also be extended to 20 years and 25 years with most of their residential models.

As the power optimisers are located on the roof and exposed more to the elements, a 25-year warranty provides peace of mind to owners for the expected life of a typical solar system. The warranty offer for SolarEdge is better than premium alternatives like Enphase micro-inverters.

SolarEdge has an Australian office and a clear warranty claim process on their website, and we have not heard any difficulties in claiming warranty from SolarEdge from our customers.

Click here for more

How much do SolarEdge Inverters Costs?

As many Solar Edge inverters are manufactured in China or Hungary, this enables them to be sold at a cheaper price in comparison to European manufactured competitors.

Indicative pricing

Keep in mind that inverter costs generally only run between 10-20% of your total system, so often it is worth investing in a high-quality inverter given this will have a large impact on the efficiency and performance of your Solar Power project.

SolarEdge Inverter Limitations

Of course, any inverter can have its limitations and SolarEdge is no different. Solar Edge Inverters are on the pricier side so expect to pay around 20-40% higher cost on average than other high performing and highly rated inverters. Keep in mind that inverter costs generally only run between 10-20% of your total system so it can depend greatly on the rest of your set up including your Solar Panels and Solar Battery.

Whether the size and scope of your system will need enough power to fully make use of SolarEdge optimizers is another consideration on whether to go with SolarEdge.

Pros and Cons of SolarEdge Inverters

Pros:

• One of the largest inverter companies in the world
• Industry-leading warranty offer

Cons:

• High upfront cost to reflect premium product
• Only compatible with SolarEdge optimizers

SolarEdge Inverter Technical Specifications

Are SolarEdge Inverters Worth It?

If you’re considering buying an inverter, SolarEdge is one of the largest and most well-established companies in the world. With an office in Australia and long warranties, you can be confident in the quality and reliability of their products. However, it’s important to note that the initial cost of a SolarEdge inverter is higher compared to other options. 

If you have shading issues on your roof or you are willing to pay a bit extra to get a premium solution, then our opinion is that SolarEdge would be a great fit for any residential or commercial projects.

Example of a SolarEdge Commercial Solar Project

In 2014, Honda Motorcars’ dealership in Ohio, USA wanted to install a carport canopy that would protect its fleet of automobiles, attract new customers, and power the facility. Dovetail Solar and Wind, were commissioned to run the project, and straight away they knew that SolarEdge’s inverters were going to be the best option. An inverter is generally only 10% of the costs of a commercial solar project, however, it is responsible for 100% of the energy production. Therefore, SolarEdge’s optimized inverter architecture offers the best of both worlds IE the design flexibility and energy boost of MLPE (Module Level Power Electronics) combined with the cost effectiveness and simplicity of a string inverter.

Fun Facts on The Project

– More than 80% of the steel used for the structure came from recycled cars

– The project will cover at least 75 – 80% of the facilities energy

– Green Energy Ohio named Honda their Business of the Year in 2015

Read more product reviews from Solar Choice

The post Solar Edge Inverters – Independent Review appeared first on Solar Choice.

Overview of Sofar Solar – Company History

Sofar Solar, a division of Sofar Group, is a Chinese manufacturer of solar inverters established in 2013. We weren’t able to find any information on the web about the Sofar Group or its ownership, so the financial backing of this company is not very clear.

Sofar Solar’s two manufacturing facilities are located in Shenzhen and Xinyang in China. Sofar Solar distributes its products around the world with particular focuses in China, India, Australia and Europe. Despite a later start in the inverter industry Sofar Solar has advised their sales rapidly grew to $300 million in 2018. Sofar Solar also manufacture battery storage systems and electric vehicle chargers.

Sofar Solar first entered the Australian market in 2018 initially having their products de-listed by the Clean Energy Council as their inverters failed to shut down correctly in the event of a grid failure. Sofar Solar have now resolved all technical issues with their first round of inverters and now has 41 inverter models approved by the Clean Energy Council. They have an Australian office set up on Pitt St in Sydney NSW.

A Brief Rundown on Inverter Technology

A solar power system’s inverter is the point at which the DC electricity produced by solar panels is turned into grid-compatible AC electricity.

String inverters (such as Sofar’s product range) have traditionally been the standard in the solar industry. They send the power produced by solar panels to a central inverter that changes it from DC electricity to the usable AC electricity that powers homes.

On the other hand, Microinverters, convert DC to AC electricity at each panel and allow for monitoring and power regulation at the panel level. This is useful for homes that are located somewhere with shading from clouds, trees, or other buildings and is more expensive tthana string inverter solution.

Sofar Solar Inverters – Point of Difference

The Sofar Solar inverters have some functionality built into the inverter that typically installers would have to install a separate device to manage.

I-V Curve Scanning

This functionality is designed to measure the maximum power point voltage (Vmpp), current (Impp) and peak power (Pmax) of the solar panel arrays that are connected to the inverter. In simple terms, they help you identify where the output of the panels is declining more rapidly than the normal degradation rate. This could be due to soiling or some issue with the installation, or it could be claimable under the solar panel’s performance warranty.

Export Limitation

In many areas of Australia, solar is only permitted by the local distribution network if the solar power system does not export any energy back to the grid. In these cases, an installer will be required to install an export limiter which will effectively ramp down the power generated to match what is required by the building. Sofar Solar inverters have this functionality built-in enabling a quicker and more cost effective installation in these circumstances.

LCD, Sound and Alarm Systems

Most residential solar inverters are simple devices that rely on a wifi connection and their online monitoring system and/or app to assess the performance of the system. Sofar’s residential solar inverters feature an LCD display which and built in sounds which enable the user to be better informed directly from the physical device. They also have a comparable monitoring system that supports their inverters.

25 Years of Data Storage

Sofar Solar’s inverters come with an SD card built in which will record the energy generation data for up to 25 years. For most inverters this will be located on a server and only available with an internet connection.

Sofar Solar Inverter Technologies

There are 97 of SOFARSOLAR’s Inverters (under the name of Shenzhen SOFARSOLAR Co Ltd) approved by the Clean Energy Council for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, which is Australia’s home solar rebate program. The majority of the listed inverters are available in Australia.

Sofar Residential Solar Inverters

Sofar Solar’s single-phase residential range of solar inverters extends from 3kW  to 10kW. Each inverter comes with 2 maximum power point trackers (MPPTs) meaning solar paired solar panels can be installed on 2 different roof orientations.  

Their commonly used single-phase 5kW inverter has a maximum efficiency rating of 98.4% for their latest edition (model number 5KTLM-G3) which is towards the leading end of the market. 

The inverter comes with wifi and bluetooth connectivity and a small LCD display to help users interact with their system. The built-in zero export function keeps cost down in areas where owners are not able to sell energy back into the grid.

Sofar also have a 3-phase residential solar range with models from 5kW to 10kW. These inverters have very similar characteristics to the single-phase options with a slightly higher maximum efficiency rating up to 98.6%.

Sofar Commercial Solar Inverters

Sofar target a range of commercial solar systems with the commercial solar inverters extending up to a output capacity of 110kVA.

Their larger solar inverters feature a maximum efficiency rating of 98.6% which compares favourable against other popular brands.

The commercial inverters up to 20kW in AC capacity are limited to 2 MPPTs. For simple commercial roof spaces with a 2 sided fall this will suffice, however for more complicated roofs there may be a requirement to install an extra inverter or power optimisers to avoid system losses. 

While from a technical perspective the solar inverter offering from Sofar now appears to be competitive, Solar Choice has not observed Sofar inverters gain much traction in the commercial solar market.

Sofar Hybrid Solar and Battery Inverter

A hybrid inverter refers to inverters that can perform as a grid-connected inverter and as a charger for a battery bank. 

Sofar has single-phase hybrid inverters with output capacities of 3kW to 6kW. The inverters are designed for use in both on-grid battery systems and off-grid.The on-grid solutions can activate an emergency power supply (in the event of a power outage) in around 10 seconds.

Sofar’s 3-phase hybrid inverters, ranging from 5kW to 20kW suiting larger residential applications or off-grid solutions with 3-phase requirements. These inverters only have 1 battery input channel for inverters up to 10kW and 2 input channels for the 10kW to 20kW options.

Sofar Solar’s Inverters Efficiency

An important aspect of getting the most value out of a solar inverter is choosing an appropriately sized inverter to optimise the solar panel system efficiency. To read about the importance of inverter sizing and system efficiency click here.

Residential inverter efficiency standards are generally 95 to 98 per cent. Sofar inverters meet these standards and have at least 97.5% max efficiency for their residential G3 range and extend up to 98.6% for the 60kW commercial solar inverter (60000TL).

See our summary below of the average efficiency of each range of solar inverters that is offered by Sofar Solar:

• 1 – 3kW String inverter (Single MPPT): Mean of 97.7%
• 3 – 6kW String inverter (Dual MPPT): Mean of 97.6%
• 4 – 12kW String inverter (Three-phase & Dual MPPT): Mean of 98.3%
• 10 – 20kW String inverter (Three-phase & Dual MPPT): Mean of 98.2%
• 20 – 30kW String inverter (Three-phase & Dual MPPT): Mean of 98.6%
• 30 – 40kW String inverter (Three-phase & Dual MPPT): Mean of 98.7%
• 50 – 70kW String inverter (Three-phase & Three-MPPT): Mean of 98.6%

Sofar Solar Inverter Warranty Offer for Australian Customers

In recent years, Sofar have upgraded their warranty offer to a 10-year term of all inverters in the Australian market. This is a positive improvement and now meets the expectations of Australian inverters.

Sofar’s warranty will only cover the labour required to replace or repair their faulty inverter under a certain set of conditions and at their own discretion. These conditions include ensuring the inverter has been serviced (although they don’t specify how regularly) and that Sofar is contacted prior to the site visit which may not be logical if the customer can identify the if the inverter is the problem themselves.

In our opinion it is likely that the customer could be left with a bill for the electricians time in the event of a warrantied defect or failure.

Customers have the option of purchasing an additional 5, 10, 15 or 20 years of warranty from Sofar within 12 months of the date of production (at Sofar Solar’s discretion). If this is something you are interested in then it would be sensible to ask your installer to confirm that the warranty can be extended before making a purchase.

If customers experience any warranty-related issue, the original installer who installed the system should be the first line of support for replacing or repairing the product. However, Sofar also suggests that customers who can no longer contact their original installer could contact them directly at their Australian office in Brisbane :

Address: 6 / 81 Beal Street MEADOWBROOK QLD 4131

Tech Support: 1300 1 SOFAR (1300 176 327)
Sales / Admin: 1300 2 SOFAR (1300 276 327)
Web: www.sofarsolar.com.au/ www.sofarsolar.com
Email: service@sofarsolar.com

You can read more about Sofar Solar’s warranty conditions here.

Comparison Sofar Solar’s Inverter Specifications (common models)

So, is Sofar a good solar inverter brand?

Currently Sofar Solar have limited experience in the Australia market. The inverter brand is reportedly in the top 3 of inverter brands used in India and the top 5 in China, so the company is not as small as its Australian market penetration would initially suggest. Given their hope to grow market share in Australia, their products are priced at a discount to bigger brands.

As they don’t have the proven track record in Australia as many of the other inverter brands, in our opinion it would be a riskier choice in terms of reliability. While they have received the required approval from the Clean Energy Council, Sofar’s products do not have any notable awards or third-party proof of their quality or reliability.

Example of a large-scale SOFARSOLAR Inverter Solar Project 

A 2.4 MW ground-mounted solar power plant in Korea has utilised Sofar Solar’s 33KW commercial inverters (SOFAR33000TL).

Read more product reviews from Solar Choice

The post Sofar Solar Inverters: An Independent Review by Solar Choice appeared first on Solar Choice.

Before considering the transition to solar energy and the installation of solar panels in your home, we recommend reading this guide to understand the fundamentals.

Solar energy adoption has been rapidly increasing in Australia, with 2024 seeing a significant rise in both residential and commercial installations. The government continues to provide incentives, and technological advancements are making solar power more accessible and efficient than ever.

Solar Choice is an independent organization with no bias toward product brands or different types of solar systems.

The Basics: How does solar power work in Australia?

The majority of home solar systems in Australia without a battery are grid-connected. If you are starting from scratch, you can find a full explanation of the main system types below.

For those who prefer to watch rather than read, we have summarised this article into an easy-to-digest video that can be found at the top of this post.

Grid-connected solar systems

Allows you to keep your connection to the grid to buy power at night times (and when it’s cloudy).

Your inverter will work with grid power to use all solar power first before drawing any power from the grid.

Grid-connected solar systems also enable you to sell power back to the grid.

Generally speaking, it is not feasible or economically viable to disconnect from the grid altogether.

Off-grid solar systems

It is a standalone power source system.

They include solar panels and batteries to provide a 24-hour power solution and do not require any grid connection.

Remote properties may require expenditures exceeding $50,000 solely to establish a connection to the power grid.

These systems are most common in new construction projects in rural parts of Australia.

In these scenarios, it can be economically and environmentally a better choice to put in an off-grid system.

Whilst Off-grid systems have a much larger upfront cost (usually min. $25,000) the power bill savings will be 100% from day one.

Hybrid solar systems

Grid-connected systems include a solar battery to store solar energy.

This energy can then be reused at times when there is no solar power (i.e. night-time).

Solar Batteries also provide an excellent backup power source and the ability to make greater use of your solar power.

You need to be aware that at their current pricing, they do not offer a great return on investment.

In fact, in 48 scenarios we recently modelled across every state in Australia. None provided a payback period under 8 years and most scenarios were over 20 years.

Given the typical lifetime of a modern battery is 10 years, you can see why less than 1 in 10 households are currently installing a battery with solar in 2024.

How Does Solar Power Save you Money?

First, it’s important to understand how installing solar panels will actively reduce your electricity bill in order to assess if it’s a worthwhile investment. For now, we will set aside the environmental benefits.

Offsetting your energy consumption

The primary way in which solar can help you tackle your energy costs is by reducing the amount of electricity you need to buy from your electricity retailer, which typically will cost between 20-40c per kWh.

A grid-connected solar system will prioritise solar energy and harmoniously supply any remaining energy needs from the grid.

A household can offset 25-75% of its energy usage with solar panels, based on the portion consumed during daylight hours.

This offset percentage can get closer to 100% by installing a battery storage system.

Feed-in tariff for excess energy

The sun determines the amount of energy generated by your solar panel system, not your energy consumption. During certain times, you can sell surplus energy back to the grid at a rate called a ‘feed-in tariff’.

These feed-in tariffs vary by state and which electricity retailer (e.g. AGL, Origin etc.) you are with. Typically you can find a feed in tariff between 2-12c per kWh.

Your ability to access a feed-in tariff is usually limited to a maximum solar system size – for a full explanation of what is possible state by state read this guide.

Installing solar will reduce the quantity of energy you buy, and you will notice an additional line item for the Feed-in credit on your electricity bill.

Some options for increasing self-consumption

Increasing your self-consumption of solar energy will reduce your energy bills. To improve your return on investment you can consider applying a timer on common household appliances, such as:

• Electric hot water system
• Washing machine
• Dishwasher
• Swimming pool pump
• Underfloor heating system

You can buy programable wall-socket timers from a hardware store for under $50 or an electrician can install one for you.

How much will I save on my electricity bill?

To determine your energy bill savings, first calculate the appropriate system size for your requirements.

Understanding your self-consumed solar energy is crucial for estimating your savings.

To save money, know how much solar energy you’ll use (self-consumed energy) and sell for a feed-in tariff.

Different rates apply when buying and selling energy, so estimating savings requires understanding self-consumption.

Using the Solar Choice advanced calculator we have created the below 5 scenarios.

This helps you compare savings from different system sizes with some typical assumptions made on energy consumption. We suggest you have a play with one or both of our free-to-use calculators:

1. Easy to use calculator
2. Advanced calculator for more precise results

Assumptions:

• Solar panels are installed in Sydney at 30-degree slope to the north. See examples of output of systems from Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart or Darwin
• Electricity price of $0.25 per kWh and a Solar Feed-in rate of $0.07 per kWh
• Electricity usage is focused in the mornings (6 am to 8 am) and the evenings (4 pm til 10 pm) – under the ‘double peak’ profile

How much does home solar cost?

The price of solar depends on where you live, what type of system and products you select and which solar company you sign up with.

As part of our free compare-the-market service we collect live and up-to-date price information from 100s of solar installers around Australia and we publish average pricing by capital city on the Solar Price Index:

	3kW	4kW	5kW	6kW	7kW	10kW
Adelaide, SA	$3,980	$4,160	$4,880	$5,580	$6,550	$8,800
Brisbane, QLD	$3,660	$4,390	$4,710	$5,150	$6,000	$8,820
Canberra, ACT	$4,450	$4,720	$5,160	$5,730	$6,590	$8,580
Darwin, NT	$4,730	$6,780	$7,760	$9,320	$10,060	$13,060
Hobart, TAS	$4,720	$5,300	$5,880	$6,430	$7,440	$10,490
Melbourne, VIC	$4,200	$4,440	$4,970	$5,380	$6,280	$8,400
Sydney, NSW	$3,830	$4,190	$4,780	$4,990	$6,050	$8,150
Perth, WA	$3,450	$3,990	$4,360	$5,420	$6,120	$9,660
All	$4,130	$4,750	$5,310	$6,000	$6,890	$9,500

Note the average prices in the above table include:

• A full turnkey system – all products, labour, equipment hire
• The government STC rebate (more on this below)
• GST

Over time the cost of solar has decreased dramatically mainly from the reduction in equipment costs through increased manufacturing scale and improved efficiency of products.

Beware of cheap solar panels!

Inevitably once you start looking into solar you will start to come across some ‘too good to be true’ prices for solar – One Time Offer $2,500 for 6.6kW!

We recommend treating these companies with caution as usually they are making major sacrifices on customer servicing, product quality and installation procedures.

See this ABC coverage which covers some examples of what can go wrong.

They may be offering a 10-year + warranty on their installs or products but that warranty is only valuable to you if the company is still around and there is a clear Australian warranty claim process.

We receive many phone calls from orphaned customers from years ago who are trying to contact Chinese factories to claim a warranty.

Ultimately if it looks too cheap, it probably is, and a too cheap solution will cost you more in the long run than a well-priced system.

Always do your research on the solar installation company and the products they are offering. See our 5 questions you should ask your installer or email us or call us on 1300 787 273 if you need any help.

What extra solar power system costs should I prepare for?

There are a range of additional costs that could apply to residential projects. Fortunately, as part of our online quote comparison service, we ask installers to advise what they would charge for the common extras that come up.

See the below table to see if any of these common items would apply to your home:

Find out about Solar Panel Maintenance and Cleaning!

What about batteries?

The approximate cost of batteries currently stands at $1,000 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of installed capacity.

This means a typical home battery would cost around $10,000. As we’ve demonstrated in-depth, the economic case for solar batteries is not quite there yet.

We expect that batteries will become viable for homeowners in the next 2-5 years, but that depends on manufacturers significantly increasing their scale of production.

Understanding Australia’s solar rebate

Introduced in 2011, the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) was introduced to support the uptake of renewable energy in Australia.

The SRES works by issuing Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) to homes & businesses that install systems under 100 kilowatts (kW) in terms of the DC Solar Panel capacity.

The STCs are officially created once a Clean Energy Council accredited Solar Installer has commissioned the system.

The Solar Installer sells the STCs either on the market themselves or via a broker/aggregator, meaning the end customer only needs to pay the difference.

How are STCs calculated?

The STCs are based on the amount of renewable energy your system will generate before the end of 2030. You should note that STCs are calculated based on your postcode, the solar panel capacity of your system and the time left until 2030.

The length of time before 2030 changes annually on the 1^st of January, so there will be a slight difference in the rebate value if you install your system after each new year.

Roughly speaking the rebate equates to around 30-35% of the total system cost.

Solar Payback Periods

Now you have the pieces to work out your return on investment (Upfront cost of solar, the amount of electricity bill you can offset and earnings from selling solar electricity at a solar feed-in rate)

As a quick guide, we have created the below table using some conservative assumptions for a typical residential scenario with a 5kW solar PV system:

Assumptions:

• Electricity rates & feed-in tariffs are based on the middle ground of what’s available
• Assumed that 50% of Solar Energy is used by the home (self-consumption rate)
• Panels are tilted to the North at 30% pitch
• Inflation at 2.5% and a 5% discount rate

You can calculate your own circumstances with our Free Solar Payback Calculator (also see our advanced version)

Selecting good quality solar equipment

By now you’re likely a bit anxious about how to choose solar panels for your home. 

As with many purchases, there are high-quality products, cost-effective products and cheap and nasty products that will cause more problems than benefits.

Solar is a long-term investment and given it requires accredited electricians to fix issues and replace equipment, our advice is to stick with the good brands.

While there is no substitute for good old-fashioned research, we have identified three easy tests to determine if a solar panel brand is ‘good’. Firstly you can look at Bloomberg NEF’s tier 1 ranking.

This ranking highlights the most financially secure solar panel manufacturers which is an indicator of whether they are likely to be around if you need to claim a warranty.

To further assess, you can verify if the solar panel brand is highlighted as a PV Evolution Labs’ annual ‘top performer’ in their independent tests.

Finally, through some googling, you should be able to establish whether the manufacturer has an Australian office and contact number. If your installer is no longer around this will be crucial if you need to claim a warranty directly.

To see a list of brands that meet these tests – head to our Solar Panels Comparison Page. We have also independently written a review on almost all Solar Panels, Inverters and Batteries on our Product Reviews Page.

How To Select a ‘good’ solar installer

Selecting a good solar installer can be difficult.

Over the last 16 years, we have vetted over 1,000 solar installation companies to be part of our comparison service.

You can click the link below to instantly compare quotes from good solar installers.

Solar Choice’s Due Diligence Process:

Get in touch with us

Still have questions. Feel free to browse through the hundreds of useful articles on our site and blog or get in touch with us directly:

Call on Monday to Friday (9 am to 5 pm) on 1300 787 273

or

Email us anytime at sales@solarchoice.net.au

The post Solar Panels For Home – All You Need to Know About Solar Systems appeared first on Solar Choice.

Note: Solar Choice is not affiliated with Sungrow Solar Inverters and has no financial or other incentives to promote any product brand over another. 

Overview of Sungrow – Company History

Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd. was founded in China in 1997 by Cao Renxian, a professor at the Hefei University of Technology. Professor Renxian founded Sungrow after learning about the dire state of electrical availability in rural western China.

Sungrow has since grown to be one of the largest solar inverter manufacturers globally. Sungrow has manufactured over 100GW in 60 countries giving them a worldwide market share of 15%. This has contributed to the company’s valuation of $1.5 billion.

Sungrow entered the Australian market in 2012 and has stated that they have captured around 15% of the inverter market. Sungrow specialises in research and development, taking pride in being an innovation leader within the solar industry. This commitment has resulted in more than 1,600 patent applications as of June 2019.

What is a Solar Inverter?

A solar system’s inverter is the point at which the DC electricity produced by solar panels is turned into grid-compatible AC electricity. There are four types of solar inverters, these being string inverters, hybrid inverters, microinverters, and power optimisers.

String inverters have traditionally been the standard in the solar industry. They send the power produced by solar panels to a central inverter that changes it from DC electricity to the usable AC electricity that powers homes.

Hybrid Inverters have the same characteristics as a string inverters with the additional feature of a charge controller, which is used to manage a battery system. Charge controllers can also be bought as an additional unit, but hybrid inverters provide the option of an all-in-one device.

What is PV Evolution Labs Top Performer?

PV Evolution Labs (PVEL) with support from DNV GL has been independently testing Solar Panel reliability since 2014, and for the first time in 2019 has tested solar inverters. It is a voluntary test that manufacturers have to pay to be a part of.  Solar panel testing is considered internationally as an excellent indication of solar panel quality. It’s expected that the inverter testing will have the same recognition. To read the full PVEL scorecard click here.

Sungrow Inverter Efficiency

An important aspect of getting the most value out of a solar inverter is choosing an appropriately sized inverter to optimise the solar panel system efficiency. To read about the importance of inverter sizing and system efficiency click here.

Residential inverter efficiency standards are generally 95 to 98 percent. Sungrow’s CEC Approved inverter models range in max efficiency from 97.7% to 98.6%, with the majority of the models over 98%. This places Sungrow Inverters towards the top of the residential inverter market based on efficiency.

Sungrow Inverter Costs

The majority of Sungrow inverters are manufactured in China, which means that they will generally be cheaper than European-manufactured competitors.

Indicative retail price excluding installation

Keep in mind that inverter costs generally only run between 10-20% of your total system, so often it is worth investing in a high-quality inverter given this will have a large impact on the efficiency and performance of your Solar Power project.

Sungrow Inverters – Point of Difference

The Sungrow CEC-approved Inverter range differs from other inverter manufacturers as they offer different types and configurations in the typical power range. Sungrow manufactures both string and hybrid residential inverters, with the following string inverter models coming with Multi-MPPT; SG5KTL-MT, SG10KTL-MT, SG10KTL-M, & SG12KTL-M. All of the CEC-approved Sungrow Inverter ranges are Transformerless Inverters, which contributes to their high efficiency.

Inverter Monitoring

Sungrow provides users with the ability to remotely monitor inverter performance, as all inverter models come with WIFI capabilities. Users can monitor performance from their phone through the app iSolarCloud, which is available on both iPhone and android.

Sungrow Inverter Warranty

In Australia, the majority of CEC-approved Sungrow inverters come with a standard 5 year manufacturer’s warranty. Most current residential Sungrow inverters come with a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty while some of their older models came with a 5-year warranty. The warranty period commences on the date the inverter is installed, or 6 months after the date of production, whichever occurs first.

Our advice to customers is that a warranty is only worth something if the company providing it is still around and there is an accessible route to claiming it if your Solar Installer is no longer around. Sungrow is well established in Australia with an office in North Sydney, NSW.

Read more about Sungrow’s Inverter Warranty here.

A Full Range of Sungrow Inverters Available in Australia 

There are 39 of Sungrow Inverters (under the name of Sungrow Power Supply Co Ltd) approved by the Clean Energy Council for the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, which is Australia’s home solar rebate program. The majority of the listed inverters are available in Australia.

Sungrow offers string, central, and turnkey inverters to accommodate various solar projects. Their string inverters, ranging from 2kW to 352kW, are well-suited for residential and commercial installations. Sungrow’s central and turnkey inverter series target larger commercial and utility-scale solar projects. This review will primarily focus on Sungrow’s string inverters, which are commonly found in Australian solar markets.

RS Series – Residential Single Phase Inverters 

Sungrow offer single phase inverters with output capacity of 2kW to the recently added 10kW. For the commonly used 5kW inverter size, Sungrow offer the SG5.0RS and the SG5.0RS-ADA. Seemingly similar in most characteristics the SG5.0RS-ADA is almost twice the size and weight.

The extra size seems to be invested in the inclusion of an additional maximum power point tracker (MPPT) allowing solar designers to includes solar panels on a 3rd orientation on the roof.

Both inverters have low voltage requirement to start up meaning they will turn on slightly earlier in the morning than other inverters on the market and stay running slightly later in the evening. The inverters have a maximum efficiency rating of up to 97.9% which puts them ahead of the European residential inverter options on the market.

RT Series – Residential Three Phase Inverters

Sungrow’s RT series is their main 3-phase solution catering to residential solar systems and small businesses with an output capacity ranging from 5kW to 20kW.

The inverters reach an impressive maximum efficiency of up to 98.5% for their 20kW inverter. 

Unlike the RS series, the RT series does not include a built-in screen or even LEDs on the inverter body so customers will have to rely solely on the monitoring app to check performance. 

One limitation for users with more complicated solar panel layouts on the roof, is that the inverters only come with 2 MPPTs. Many other 3 phase inverter options have 3 or 4 MPPTs at similar inverter capacities.

SH Series – Hybrid Solar Inverters

All of Sungrow’s residential single phase and three phase inverters come in a hybrid option. A hybrid inverter has the ability to convert power from AC/DC as well as regulate solar power so that it can charge a battery. This option is designed for customers adding a battery, or hoping to keep their options open to add a battery in the future.

Sungrow manufacture their own battery solution which can be seamlessly connected with their hybrid inverters.

The amount of solar panels connected to these inverters can be significantly oversized to ensure the battery is fully utilised. For example the 5kW option (SH5.0RS) allows owners to connect up to 12kW of solar panel capacity.

For their 5kW inverter there is roughly a $1,000 premium to add in the hybrid functionality from their regular 5kW inverter.

CX Series (Commercial Solar Inverters)

One place where Sungrows excels for value and quality is in their commercial solar inverter range.

The Sungrow CX series, coming in 30kW, 50kW and 110kW sizes, is very popular amongst commercial solar installers due to their versatility, performance and attractive price point. 

These inverters range from 3 MPPTs and a max efficiency of 98.6% on the 30kW model to 9 MPPTs and 98.7% max efficiency on their 110kW model.

These inverters still lack a decent display screen on the physical device and are supported by an online web portal and app. 

Sungrow Inverter Comparison

Example of a Sungrow Commercial Solar Project 

Sungrow’s 1500V Central Inverter Model SG3125HV-MV were installed at Kristal Solar Park, located in Lommel, Belgium. The 100MW solar park has nine different plots covering 227 Acres and is the largest in the Benelux region. The solar park has been grid-connected since Q4 2019 and is expected to generate 85 GWh annually.

The three-level topology design of the Sungrow SG3125HV-MV contributes to the inverter’s maximum efficiency of 99% and Europe efficiency of 98.7%, guaranteeing premium yields for the solar park. Due to the 20-foot container design, the Sungrow SG3125HV-MV has low transportation and installation costs.

Read more product reviews from Solar Choice

The post Sungrow Solar Inverters – Independent Review appeared first on Solar Choice.

About 30% of the homes in the Gold Coast, Queensland area have solar panels on their roofs. There are many good reasons why so many Gold Coast homes have gone solar, including an abundance of sunshine, low solar PV system prices, and substantial federal government solar incentives. Many businesses and organisations have also followed suit – see the above photo of the 30kW solar panel installation on the Gold Coast Central Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Solar power on the Gold Coast: Is it worth it?

The Gold Coast receives an average of around 4.2 hours of full sun per day, making it one of Australia’s sunnier cities, as well as one of the best places in the country to install solar PV.

What does 4.2 hours of peak sun translate into in terms of solar energy production in kilowatt-hours (kWh)? It depends on the size of your solar system and its efficiency. Some examples can be found below (assuming an overall system efficiency of 85%):

Which solar system size is right for you?

These days, with all the state-sponsored solar feed-in tariffs, closed to new applicants, the answer depends mainly on the amount of energy that you use during daylight hours and how you use it. Unless you are planning on installing battery storage as well, new solar systems should be sized to meet your daytime electricity needs. Any excess solar will essentially be ‘wasted’ – currently, Queensland retailers offer only up to 8-12c/kWh for your extra solar energy, significantly lower than standard retail electricity rates.

Attractive rebates exist for Solar Systems under 100kW

The federal government offers what are effectively up-front discounts on solar PV system installation costs under the small-scale portion of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET). This ‘discount’ is usually applied directly to the price of your system by your installer. The amount of the incentive depends on your location – sunnier locales receive a bigger discount. The Gold Coast is technically in the second sunniest ‘zone’ under the scheme, the same one as Brisbane. As an example see the below system sizes and estimates of the rebate they would receive as of June 2024:

* Estimates taken from Greenbank on 19 June 2024 – it is a live market so prices are always changing

How much do Solar Panels cost on the Gold Coast?

This translates into lower solar system installation prices. Currently, Australia has some of the lowest solar PV installation costs in the world. Prices for the Gold Coast are not far off from solar prices for Brisbane. Solar Choice published pricing data for each capital city around Australia every month – the below graph depicts the history of solar prices in Brisbane and surrounding areas.

What about Queensland’s solar feed-in tariff?

Like most other states, the new feed-in tariff rates in Queensland are minimal and vary by the electricity retailer. As of June 2024, the average feed-in tariff falls between 5-12c depending on the retailer. The low system prices discussed above, however, mean that solar is still a worthwhile investment – as long as the households make sure that their system is appropriately sized to their needs (also discussed above).

We wrote an article on the topic of solar in Queensland after the FiT some time ago: What are the economics of solar power in the Sunshine State under the new rate?

Let Solar Choice help you find the best deal on solar in Gold Coast

Solar Choice, as Australia’s free Solar Energy Brokering and advice service, connects solar PV customers with installers who service their area. We provide comprehensive quote comparisons of solar power installations throughout the country – including on the Gold Coast. With a bird’s eye view of the solar power market, Solar Choice is uniquely poised to identify the best deals on offer and facilitate our customers to find the solar system that best suits their needs and budget.

Calculate indicative solar power system ROI & payback periods for the Gold Coast, Queensland

The post Solar Power Gold Coast: All you need to know! appeared first on Solar Choice.

Like the rest of Australia, solar power system prices in Hobart have been on a downwards trajectory for several years now, making solar panels an option to consider for anyone living in Tasmania’s capital. This article is an overview of what you need to consider when when shopping for a solar system in Tasmania, including pricing, incentives and system sizing.

Benefits of solar panels Hobart: Generate your own electricity

Having a solar panel system on your roof delivers energy bill savings in two ways:

• Solar self-consumption – using the solar energy directly within your home (and thereby avoiding having to purchase it from your mains); and
• Solar feed-in tariffs – credits that are applied to your energy bill for ‘excess’ solar energy that you send into the grid.

With grid electricity prices (the purchase price of electricity) at about 26 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), Tasmanian households maximise their solar benefits through self-consumption. With a current feed-in rate of 9c/kWh, on the other hand, sending energy into the grid for bill credits is mainly a secondary benefit to having solar.

How much energy will a solar system produce in Hobart?

The average Tasmanian rooftop receives an annual average of about 3.8-4.4 hours of peak sun per day (according to the Bureau of Meteorology and PVWatts, respectively), although this number will be higher in the summer and lower in the winter. You can think of ‘sun hours’ as the units of raw fuel for solar panels – the more sun hours in a particular location, the more energy a solar panel will be able to generate.

The typical unit for counting solar system energy yields is kilowatt-hours (kWh) – the same unit that you’ll see on your electricity bill.

Below we’ve listed a few popular solar system sizes and the amount of energy that they would produce in Hobart provided they are unshaded, face north, are tilted at a 30 degree angle and with an overall system efficiency of 75% (to be conservative):

• 3kW solar system – 8.6-10kWh
• 4kW solar system – 11.5-13.2kWh
• 5kW solar system – 14.4-16.5kWh
• 7kW solar system – 20-23kWh
• 10kW solar system – 28.7-33kWh

So what size solar system do I need for my home?

The size of system that you end up deciding on will depend on your budget and goals. In practice, if you live in a ‘typical’ Australian household consuming 15-25kWh of energy per day, a 5-6kW solar system should go a decent way towards saving you money on your electricity bill. The only reason you may want to consider a larger system is if you’re consuming significantly more than 25kWh/day.

You can play with the numbers yourself using our Simple Solar System Payback Estimator tool.

How much does a solar system cost in Hobart?

Solar Choice regularly publishes articles with indicative pricing for PV systems in Australia’s capital cities (including Hobart) in our monthly Solar PV Price Index.

To give you a rough idea of how prices have changed in the last few years, the chart below tracks the downward trajectory of solar installation prices (in dollar-per-watt format) between August 2012 and 2022. Typically costs of solar have tracked slightly higher in Tasmania reflecting additional freight costs of equipment from manufacturing locations.

How to get the most out of a solar system in Hobart

Choosing the right solar system size for a home or business requires first establishing your budget and goals, plus the government incentives available to them. Different homes use different amounts of electricity, and at different times of day. Tasmanian households & businesses should aim to consume as much of the solar electricity that their systems produce as possible to ensure they get the most value as possible. Excess electricity, which is automatically exported to the grid when not consumed by appliances inside the building it services, will earn their owners credits on their bill to the tune of about 8c/kWh, whereas consuming the solar power directly will save them 26c+/kWh on their power bills in the form of avoided electricity purchase.

Basically, it is a question of ‘offset value’ vs ‘export value’, and the offset value of solar power is much more than the export value. This means that solar system owners should try to consume power as much as possible during the daytime, and systems should be sized to meet daytime demand (unless you also install a battery storage system).

Check out Solar Choice’s Solar & Battery Storage System Sizing & Payback Estimator

(…or check out our solar-only system sizing tool.)

Government incentives for solar in Hobart & Tasmania

Hobart residents who install a solar panel system will receive what is effectively an up-front discount from the federal government through the Renewable Energy Target scheme (RET). You do not need to take any action to claim this incentive – it is passed through to you by the company that sells you your system, and should be incorporated into the final sticker price that they put forward to you.

For reference, in Hobart and Tasmania this discount works out to be roughly $2,300 to $2,900 for a 5kW solar system.

The TEELS program – Interest-free loans up to $10,000 for households and up to $40,000 for business

The Tasmanian state government, in conjunction with local network company Aurora, offer interest-free financing on a range of ‘eligible products’, including solar PV systems. The Tasmanian Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme (TEELS) is a fantastic program that improves the accessibility of solar for residents of Hobart as well as the rest of the state.

Is solar power worth it in Tasmania?

As the table below illustrates, solar can carry its own weight as an investment and a means of saving money on energy bills. While the outcomes (unsurprisingly) are not as attractive as sunnier cities like Brisbane and Sydney, solar most certainly makes sense for the right homes with the right sets of circumstances.

Keep in mind that the results in the table are based on average Hobart solar system prices – lower prices will yield even better results. Furthermore, we use generally conservative figures for the example below – including an efficiency rate of 75% and ‘high’ and ‘low’ solar-self consumption scenarios for each system size.

You can play with the numbers yourself using Solar Choice’s Solar System Payback & ROI Estimator tool, which will allow you to adjust variables such as system size and self-consumption ratio.

*(Assuming 75% system efficiency, retail electricity @ 26c/kWh, solar feed-in rate @ 7c/kWh)

Finding the best solar deals in Tasmania

Solar Choice provides free advice and quote comparisons for customers across Australia. Our goal is to help customers to find the best deals on offer anywhere in the country – including Hobart, Launceston and the rest of Tasmania.

© 2022 Solar Choice Pty Ltd 

The post Solar Panels Hobart, Tasmania: Compare prices & installers appeared first on Solar Choice.

Interested in solar power for your Melbourne-based business? See our article on Commercial Solar Power in Melbourne.

How much power do solar panels produce in Melbourne?

Australia is home to some of the best solar energy resources in the world. Although Melbourne, Victoria is a bit further south than Brisbane or Sydney, there’s still enough sunshine to make panels a worthwhile investment.

According to PVWatts, a typical Melbourne home’s roof receives about 4.8 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of raw sunshine per square meter per day, while the Bureau of Meteorology website averages work out to about 4.18kWh. Essentially, this sunlight is the ‘fuel’ for the system. If a solar PV system could be 100% efficient (which is not physically possible), a 1 kilowatt (kW) solar system in Melbourne would produce between 4.18kWh – 4.8kWh of energy per day, and a 2kW system would produce between 8.36kWh – 9.6kWh per day.

In real life, however, there are efficiency losses that must be taken into account between the time the sun hits your panels and when it exits the system’s inverter. The table below shows rough daily energy output figures for a range of popular solar system sizes if installed on a north-facing roof in the Melbourne area, assuming an efficiency loss of about 25% (to be conservative).

* Output calculated using PVsyst software

How solar energy saves you money

When you are grid-connected with no solar system, you have to purchase all of your electricity from an energy retailer. Typically, you will pay at least 21c for every kilowatt-hour that you use.

Having solar panels will allow you to save money by reducing your need to purchase energy from the grid – every unit of solar energy that you ‘self-consume’ in your home is a unit that you do not need to pay for. You can also earn credits for selling your energy into the grid (current state minimum set at 6.7c per kWh), but you’ll save far more money by focusing on maximising your solar self-consumption.

There are two ways to ensure you’re using as much of your solar energy as possible:

1. Make sure your system is the right size for your home, and
2. Know your electricity consumption pattern and behave accordingly.

What rebates exist for solar panels and batteries in Victoria

Federal STC Upfront Rebate

For those looking for solar rebates, the federal government’s Renewable Energy Target contains a mechanism that reduces the up-front cost of solar installations under 100kW in capacity. The actual value of the incentive depends on a number of factors such as location and system size, but usually works out to be about 30% of the total installation cost.

For example, a commonly selected 6.6kW solar panel system would create 70 certificates (using the Clean Energy Regulator’s calculator) at a current price of $36.9 per certificate which would lead to a rebate of $2,583.

Solar Victoria Rebate

Solar Victoria is the body the state government has set up manage the delivery of the Victorian Government’s Solar Home Program – which offers an additional rebate to the federal program to eligible solar panels Melbourne customers. Importantly this is in addition to the federal STC rebate mentioned above – you don’t have to choose between them.

If eligible, your rebate could be as high as $1,400 for solar panels and $3,500 for solar batteries. There are also interest-free loans available for eligible Victorians. To access this rebate you will need to assistance of a CEC Approved Solar Retailer – you can instantly view quotes via our online comparison in the link below.

How much do solar panels cost in Melbourne?

Thanks in great part to the STC rebate and the Victorian State scheme, Melbourne is home to some of the lowest PV system installation prices in the world – one of the reasons that there is such a large amount of rooftop solar installed across the state. Solar Choice has been tracking price trends in Australia’s capital cities since 2012 in our monthly Solar PV Price Index. The below tables show that the cost of solar in Melbourne is very close to the national average.

Based on our data from July 2023, the average cost of a common 6.6kW solar panel system in Melbourne is $6,030 including the STC rebate and GST but excluding the state rebate. So if you are eligible for the Solar Victoria rebate of $1,400 your costs could be even lower!

As you can see from the below graph the cost of solar panels in Melbourne and across Australia has fallen significantly over the last decade as the efficiency of production scale of solar equipment has rapidly increased.

Are solar panels worth it in Melbourne?

According to our analysis, Victorians who are eligible for the Solar Victoria rebate have the best case for solar anywhere in Australia, including those in the sunny northern parts. As you can see in the table below for typical use cases, solar panels Melbourne customers can save up to $2,200 on their annual energy costs with a payback between 3-5 years.

The prices in the below table are average costs, however, you can view a full range of quotes on our free-to-use online comparison portal. Keep in mind, however, that while lower prices don’t always necessarily mean lower quality, they should be approached with a healthy degree of caution; a solar panel system should continue to produce power for up to 25 years (with inverter replacements every 7-13 years). Any system downtime (due to component failure, for example) will result in extended payback periods – not to mention the costs that may be incurred for repairs/replacements not covered under product warranty.

The self-consumption ratio of 40% assumes that there is a reasonable amount of energy use during the daytime. If you are out of the house every day and only use energy in the morning and evening (and are unable to move your power loads like dishwashers and washing machines to the middle of the day) you may experience lower financial returns that what’s picture below.

Assumptions/limitations of this analysis

• Assumes energy price of 30c / kWh which is towards the middle of what is offered in Melbourne
• Assumes a solar feed in tariff of 5c / kWh which is the current state minimum
• Average costs come from the Solar Choice Price Index for June 2024
• Your self-consumption rate will vary depending on how you use power in your home. At higher rate, means less power is exported to the grid and improves your financial return

Use our calculator to work out the return for your own specific details in Melbourne

What about solar battery storage in Melbourne?

In general, the return on investment for solar batteries in Australia is lower than solar panels. This is mainly due to the fact that the cost of batteries hasn’t (yet) gone through the dramatic fall in price that we have seen solar panels take over the last ten years.

At Solar Choice we are following these prices very closely and we regularly perform an assessment of the financial return of batteries in our ‘Are solar batteries worth it?‘ article. The short answer is, despite the state government rebate of $3,500, for most people the financial payback alone will not merit the high cost required to install a battery.

See the below 3 use cases we have examined closely to assess the payback period for an optimally sized solar and battery system. Note each use case has a different energy usage load profile which affects their savings.

To see all of our assumptions and the methodology of this analysis see our full article.

Why then are so many Victorians installing batteries alongside their solar panels? For many people the opportunity to access a $3,500 rebate is too good to pass up, whilst for others there are some non-financial reasons that motivate the installation of a battery. After recent bushfire seasons energy security has risen to the top of everyone’s minds and the only way to keep the lights on in your house without installing a generator is to have a solar and battery system.

Also important to mention that the transition away from coal power in Australia won’t be possible without much more battery capacity. While it’s not going to be the responsibility of solar panels Melbourne customers to supply this capacity, every little bit helps!

FAQs

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At a Glance: Stiebel Eltron Solar Choice Heat Pump Score Card

• Efficiency:
  • The Coefficient of Performance (COP) for WWK 222 is 3.9 and for WWK 302 is 3.6 for Zone 2 climate zone which includes Alice Springs. Performance may be worse for customers in NSW or Victoria which are Zone 3 or Zone 4 under AS/NZS 4234. These values are difficult to compare to other brands as there as not all brands follow testing conditions set out in AS/NZS 4234. For this COP rating we gave them 2 points, indicative of good but not top-tier efficiency.
• Warranty Offer:
  • Stiebel Eltron offers a tiered warranty structure with a 5-year coverage for the condenser and tank, a 2-year warranty for the sealed refrigeration system, and a 1-year warranty on the T&P relief valve. This warranty covers both the parts and associated labour. We score this warranty 3 points out of 5.
• Customer Reviews:
  • With an average online customer review score of 3.4 stars, the feedback indicates general satisfaction but also room for improvement. This gives us a score around 2 points, reflecting mixed customer experiences.
• Functionality:
  • The Stiebel Eltron hot water system includes a smart element in the ‘H’ models for rapid hot water recovery. They do not have the other key functionality we look for including Wifi application, quiet option under 45dBA, stainless steel tank or environmentally friendly refrigerant. This scores 1 points, reflected a relatively basic hot water solution.

$$$ Stiebel Eltron lands in the middle range price-wise. Their products aren’t the most affordable on the market, but they also aren’t the most expensive. Expect a range of $3,500 to $4,500 for their models.

Uncover essential details in the comprehensive sections below; find out what you need to know before you buy.

Stiebel Company Background

Stiebel Eltron was founded in Germany in 1924, and are a global manufacturer and distributor of hot water and air conditioning solutions. In 2022, the company exceeded 1 billion Euros in turnover for the first time, indicating they are one of the most financially stable companies in the heat pump industry.

Steibel Eltron’s manufacturing facility for their heat pumps is located in Slovakia. Their heat pump products are distributed into several markets around the world, including Europe which has clearer standards for testing and publishing product information.

A licensee first brought Stiebel Eltron products to the Australian market in 1995 and established Stiebel Eltron Australia in Melbourne. In 2012, Stiebel Eltron acquired the licensee and their local products are now sold entirely by the German parent company who have over 100 years of experience. The company now has showrooms and local support in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. 

Product Range Overview

Stiebel Eltron’s heat pump line-up in Australia features two primary models, the WWK 222/222H and WWK 302/302H. These units are tailored to meet different household sizes and hot water demands, with design features and capacities that cater specifically to the unique needs of various users. The addition of a smart element in the H variants enhances hot water recovery capabilities, making them suitable for periods of high usage.

• WWK 222/222H: This model is suitable for smaller to medium-sized households, boasting a 220-litre water storage capacity. The WWK 222H variant includes a smart element designed to activate during periods of high hot water demand. This feature ensures that households have access to a continuous supply of hot water, even when usage peaks.
• WWK 302/302H: Aimed at larger households, the WWK 302 model features a larger 302-litre tank, accommodating the greater water needs typical of more extensive domestic settings. The 302H version, like its 222H counterpart, is equipped with a smart heating element. This addition proves especially valuable during times of peak water usage, providing efficient hot water recovery and ensuring that larger households can enjoy an uninterrupted hot water supply.

Key Features of Stiebel Eltron Heat Pumps

• Made in Europe: Stiebel Eltron has 6 manufacturing facilities in Europe and their heat pumps are made by their factory in Slovakia. They are one of the few true manufacturers in the heat pump space with most brands offering solutions that are manufactured by a third party in China.
• Active Defrost: These heat pumps have an active defrost feature and are designed to function well at temperatures between -5 and +42°C. At cold temperatures the active defrost cycle will enable the heat pump to operate efficiently, rather than relying on an accompanying inefficient electric element.
• Noise Level: The heat pumps are operating at an average sound pressure level of 45 dB (A).
• Solar PV System Integration: Offering the capability to connect with your solar system. A cable connects the Stiebel Eltron heat pump to your solar inverter which can then tell your heat pump to turn on when there is surplus solar power. Customers would utilise this to heat their water beyond the set temperature of 61°C to the max temperature of 65°C which provides the home with additional hot water and may reduce grid energy usage at other times.
• 40% Additional Tank Insulation: Stiebel Eltron claim that their tanks have 40% additional insulation than other tanks which reduces the rate at which water cools. There are no clear standards on this and most manufacturers do not disclose much information regarding their insulation so we have been unable to verify this claim.

How Much Does Stiebel Eltron Heat Pump Cost?

*Prices are indicative only and exclude freight, installation and any rebates that might apply.

The main difference between the standard and H models (WWK 222/302 versus WWK 222H/302H) lies in the smart element. In H models, this element is activated when a significant amount of hot water is used, assisting the heat pump in heating the top 80 litres of water in the tank. This feature is intended to support efficient hot water recovery for households with substantial hot water usage.

Stiebel Eltron Heat Pump Warranty Information

Stiebel Eltron provides a tiered warranty structure that guarantees coverage for different system components:

• Condenser and tank: A 5-year warranty is offered for the essential parts that are necessary for the heat pump to function and be efficient.
• Sealed Refrigeration System: This comes with a 2-year warranty that covers the compressor, evaporator, valves, and related pipework. This section of the warranty focuses on the parts that are in charge of the refrigeration cycle, which allows the heat pump to draw heat from the surrounding air.
• Temperature & Pressure (T&P) Relief Valve: A 1-year guarantee is also included for this safety function, which releases pressure if the tank’s pressure goes too high.
• All Other Electrical Components: These are covered for 1 year, ensuring that any manufacturing defects outside of the major mechanical components are addressed. Particularly if you’ve had any issues directly after installation.

It mentions on thier website that the warranty includes the labour associated with repairing or replacing products, although this is not specifically mentioned on their warranty document.

See more the full warranty information here

Stiebel Eltron Heat Pumps Pros and Cons

Pros

• Quality German brand with owned manufacturing facilities in Europe
• Strong warranty backed by local Australian support staff
• Active defrost enabling efficient operation in colder climates

Cons

• Use R134a refrigerant which has a Global Warming Potential of 1,430
• Priced towards the higher end of the market

Verdict: Is the Stiebel Eltron Heat Pump Worth It?

Stiebel Eltron heat pumps offer a balance of quality, efficiency, and innovative features suitable for varied Australian climates. Their pricing and warranty are competitive, though not the cheapest or most comprehensive on the market. Stiebel Eltron are one of the few true manufacturers in the heat pump world with their manufacturing facilities located in Europe and the Australian market supported by a local support team.

While these heat pumps are robust and backed by a stable company with extensive experience, potential buyers should consider whether the mid-range price justifies the features and efficiency offered compared to other models on the market that may offer higher efficiency or more advanced features for a similar price.

Technical Specifications

This table provides a clear overview of how each model compares across the range:

See the Stiebel Eltron data-sheet here for more information. 

The post Stiebel Eltron Hot Water Heat Pumps: Independent Review appeared first on Solar Choice.

State and Territory governments across Australia have adopted different approaches to what is normally referred to as a solar feed-in tariff, sometimes known as a solar bonus scheme or solar buy-back scheme.

Solar feed-in tariffs are a payment for the clean energy that your solar panels feed back into the grid. There have been many changes to feed-in tariff legislation in all states and territories over the past few years. (For an overview of the current incentives offered see our summary table below.)

Although the premium tariffs are no longer in place, low solar PV system prices mean that they are no longer as important as they once were for solar to make financial sense. Increasing electricity costs are now the main reason to invest in a solar PV system, as it offers home owners a means of taking control of their energy bills (read more about ‘solar self-consumption‘).

Available Feed-In Tariff schemes

The solar feed-in tariff schemes that are currently available in Australia are ‘net’ schemes. A net feed-in tariff rewards you for each unit of solar power that you have exported to the electrical grid, in excess of what you manage to use yourself.

In addition to varying rates, each network has its own rules for connecting solar systems, with limits on certain system sizes. You can see an overview of these limits in our article about system size limits by electricity network, which contains a state-by-state table.

The following table summarises the current status of solar feed-in tariffs across the states and territories of Australia – it is relevant for households thinking about going solar today. For information on historic rates, please see this article.

Current solar feed-in schemes by state

FAQs

How does the solar feed-in tariff work?

The current solar feed-in tariff system works by providing payments to solar system owners for selling power back to the grid. For example, if a solar system owner produces 10 kWh from their solar panels and only uses 5 kWh in their home, then 5 kWh can be sold back to the grid for a solar feed in tariff.

How is the solar feed-in tariff calculated?

The calculations for solar feed-in tariffs differ from state to state. For example, while the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal releases a guideline for solar tariffs in NSW, exact calculations and payments are up to individual retailers. Though the same is true elsewhere, the Victorian government sets minimum solar feed-in tariffs in VIC that are subject to regular change.

Is the solar feed-in tariff taxable?

That will depend on the nature of the solar PV system adoption. While there is no specific legislation around the taxation of solar feed-in tariffs, if you can reasonably demonstrate that you do not intend to make a profit from your system, it is possible to avoid having your tariff receipts fall under the category of taxable income. That is the case for most households whose solar systems are generally designed to lower their power bills. Because this is not a blanket rule and legislation is still behind, it is best to speak to your accountant or contact the ATO directly to monitor any changes and seek an answer for your specific use case.

What is a good solar feed-in tariff?

Solar feed-in tariffs vary from state to state, so it’s important to examine their key differences to find the best one in your area.

A good rule of thumb is to avoid tariffs that seem too good to be true. Some retailers often heavily advertise high solar feed-in tariffs, hoping to draw in customers, only to charge high electricity purchase rates. It’s best to shop around and focus on specific energy rates.

Ultimately, the most important factor in deciding on the best feed-in tariff is location. Depending on your state, you’ll have access to various retailers that offer different deals. For example, the best solar feed-in tariffs in SA will differ greatly from the best solar feed-in tariffs in QLD. Browse our blog to find updated lists on the best solar feed-in tariffs comparisons by state.

Why have solar feed-in tariffs dropped over time?

Initially the government subsidised very high feed in rates to help kickstart the industry. Once the solar market took off, most of those ‘premium’ feed-in tariff offers were removed.

Since then the rates of feed in tariffs have been primarily set by electricity retailers. As the cost of power on the wholesale market in the middle of the day has been getting cheaper with millions of solar systems now installed across Australia, the price that electricity retailers are willing to offer customers has also declined.. However, solar panel adoption is still very much worth it, especially considering the affordable prices we compare. Contact us to learn more.

Are solar feed-in tariffs ending?

No. Though solar feed-in tariffs have indeed declined over the years, they’re still very available from most retailers. In the past, a premium feed-in tariff system was in place to account for the high cost of solar PV systems – this system has now been phased out. The remaining solar feed in tariff offers are determined by the electricity retailers and the wholesale costs of power in Australia.

Further reading of best solar feed-in tariff by state:

Best feed-in tariffs NSW

Best feed-in tariffs VIC

Best feed-in tariffs QLD

Best feed-in tariffs SA

The post Compare Solar Feed-in Tariffs – State by State appeared first on Solar Choice.

Solar feed-in tariffs are arrangements where a solar system owner is paid for the solar energy that they send into the grid. At one point in time, feed-in tariffs were mandatory in every state in Australia, and the rates they offered were quite generous.

Much has changed, however, since we first published this article in 2009. State-mandated feed-in tariff incentives are no longer available to new solar customers in almost all of Australia’s states and territories. Instead, rates are largely voluntary for electricity retailers in most states; they usually fall in the range of 6-15¢/kWh – generally lower than price of retail electricity purchased from the grid. (Those who signed up for these before the deadlines for the various feed-in tariffs may continue to receive the set rates for the duration of the term of their incentives.)

Because feed-in tariffs are voluntary in many states, solar system owners must shop around to find a retailer that offers them a favourable rate.

Why feed-in tariffs aren’t the only factor you should consider

Everyone wants to get the greatest possible value out of their solar installation; feed-in tariff rates are only one piece of the puzzle.

Until a couple of years ago, feed-in tariff incentives were virtually the main determinant in the economic viability of going solar in Australia. Since then, however, solar PV system prices have fallen considerably, meaning that an investment in a solar PV system is still worthwhile, but how to best use a system has changed.

When feed-in tariffs were higher than the cost of grid electricity, it made sense for homes & businesses to try to export as much power as possible, as this would maximise savings.

The shift to solar self-consumption

These days, the opposite is true: in order to maximise investment in a solar system, the system’s owner would see the most benefit from endeavouring to consume as much of the electricity that they generate as possible (‘solar self-consumption‘). This is because direct consumption of any solar power generated means less electricity that needs to be purchased from the grid (at rates between 20-30¢/kWh, depending on the retailer and region), whereas exporting the power will earn system owners credits on their power bill to the tune of only 6-10¢/kWh.

What is clear is that the bias for ‘self-consumption’ virtually defines the business case for going solar in Australia today. The aim of this article is to help solar shoppers to keep themselves informed about what their excess solar power is worth so that they can ensure that they are getting the most out of their system.

Beware of high solar feed-in tariff ‘bait’

A higher solar feed-in tariff rate from your electricity retailer does not necessarily mean a better overall deal – make sure that you consider each retail electricity plan as a whole. You can try our Solar-friendly Retail Plan Comparison Tool to get a more complete picture.

Solar feed-in tariff rates by state

NSW – VIC – QLD – SA – WA – ACT – NT – TAS

New South Wales

At the moment, there is no mandatory minimum feed-in tariff rate in NSW. Instead, individual electricity retailers assign a value to exported solar power as they see fit. Some retailers offer more than others, and some retailers offer nothing.

Victoria

The Victorian government introduced a new minimum feed-in tariff from 1 July 2017. The rate is subject to regular reviews and will fluctuate annually. The rates in the table below reflect the current feed-in tariffs on offer in the state.

(N.b. The Victorian government has recently introduced a ‘time varying feed-in tariff‘ whose rates are not reflected below.)

Queensland

At the moment, there is no mandatory minimum feed-in tariff rate for southeastern Queensland (Energex network). Instead, individual electricity retailers assign a value to exported solar power as they see fit. Some retailers offer more than others, and some retailers offer nothing.

If you are a resident of regional Queensland (Ergon network), however, there is a mandatory minimum that you will receive for exported solar power (check the QCA’s website for current rates).

South Australia

At the moment there is no minimum solar feed-in rate in South Australia. Instead, electricity retailers set their own feed-in rates voluntarily – so solar homes need to shop around to find the best possible deal.

Read more about feed-in tariffs in SA

Western Australia

At the moment, the mandatory minimum feed-in tariff rate for the southwestern region of Western Australia is set by government-owned network company Synergy. The rates have been updated recently to reflect the growing penetration of solar into the grid. As of 1st July 2023, the solar feed-in tariff in WA for Synergy customers is as follows:

• Solar power exported into the grid between 3 pm to 9 pm earns 10 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh);
• Solar power exported into the grid between 9 pm and 3 pm earns 2.25 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh)

This time of export stipulation would favour solar panels installed on the west-facing aspect of the roof to maximise evening solar power generation and battery storage which could be used to shift exports to later in the day.

If you are a resident of the regional Horizon Power network, the mandatory minimum that you will receive for exported solar power will depend on where you are. Horizon offers between 3¢/kWh and 10¢/kWh for exported solar power depending on the town and whether local solar capacity quotas have been reached already. A full list of the rates can be found here. Also note that in some areas export control devices may be required for solar system owners.

Compare retail electricity plans with WattEver

Compare Electricity Plans

ACT

At the moment, there is no mandatory minimum feed-in tariff rate in the ACT. Instead, individual electricity retailers assign a value to exported solar power as they see fit.

Northern Territory

Feed-in tariff rates in the Northern Territory will depend on your electricity retailer but are not listed in a comparator site. A list of retailers operating in the region can be found here.

Tasmania

Tasmania is technically an open market for retail electricity, but there is little competition in the state so far. Current regulated rates can be found on the Tasmanian Energy Regulator’s website.

Read about solar feed-in tariffs in your state:

NSW – VIC – QLD – SA – WA – ACT – NT – TAS

Frequently asked questions about solar feed-in tariffs

Further reading of best solar feed-in tariff by state:

Best feed-in tariffs NSW

Best feed-in tariffs VIC

Best feed-in tariffs QLD

Best feed-in tariffs SA

The post Which electricity retailer offers the best solar feed-in tariff? appeared first on Solar Choice.

In this article, we’ll provide you with information on the best solar feed in tariff rates in SA. We’ll also give you what you need to know to make an educated decision in choosing an electricity retailer.

If you’re looking for the best solar feed-in tariff in SA , scroll below to view a table which displays this information on a regular basis. We also recommend you consider other information beyond just the amount you’ll receive from the tariff, so you’ll be able to make a more

Is there a minimum solar feed-in tariff in South Australia?

There is currently no minimum solar feed-in tariff rate in South Australia at the moment. It’s up to electricity retailers to voluntarily set their own rates, so consumers need to shop around for the best deal.

Best Solar Feed-In Rates in South Australia

The below table shows the lowest and highest FiT rates for each electricity retailer in South Australia.

*Please note that we periodically update these tables. Please email us at sales@solarchoice.net.au if anything is out of date.

What retailer has the best solar feed-in tariff in South Australia?

At the time of updating (June 2024), Energy Australia has the best solar feed-in tariff in SA, whereby the maximum a customer can get is 12 cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh). The next best solar feed-in tariff are AGL and Origin Energy who offers 10c per kWh.

Should I only think about solar feed-in tariffs when choosing a provider?

It’s understandable that residential owners put a lot of weight in the provider who provides the highest solar feed-in tariff amount. However, we recommend that you adopt a holistic approach here. 

There can be cases where the provider draws you in with a high FiT but you still end up with a higher spend as they couple it with higher electricity rates and daily supply charges. Which is why we recommend you consider other reasons beyond just the feed-in tariff when it comes to making a more informed, balanced decision.

This may include non-financial reasons such as going for a more ethical or environmentally friendly retailer. Or a provider that is committed to maintaining high customer service standards by keeping an Australian based staff, as opposed to outsourcing overseas which has become common.

Every household will have to weigh their respective factors on a case by case basis. For those that have large solar systems, they can export plenty of excess clean electricity back into the grid, so a high solar FiT may be an important factor. Conversely, for someone that has a small solar system, they may want to put more weighting towards lower rates or supply charges due to the fact they’ll receive less potential charges on their bill.

History of feed-in tariffs in SA

There used to be a minimum guaranteed feed-in tariff at a generous 44c/kWh, which was in place up until 30 September 2011. This was at the time a big motivational driver for consumers to switch to solar. 

Then in 2012, ESCOSA released a draft determination for a transitional solar feed-in tariff of 23c/kWh for SA residents who applied between 27 January 2012 and 30 June 2012.

Previous applications who were lucky enough to receive the premium feed-in tariff before 30 September 2011 were initially on 44c/kWh before this change was put into effect. Those lucky solar system owners had this premium rate locked in until 2028.

However, those who didn’t have access to SAs premium feed-in tariff rate would at least receive 6.8c/kWh which was mandated by ESCOSA. Solar Choice recommended that they shop around for the best rate, plan and retailer as now there was competition based incentives for doing so.

In actuality the transitional rate was rather complicated looking back at it. It was set at a significantly reduced rate of 16c/kWh plus an additional set contribution required from electricity retailers who accepted solar customers (i.e. approximately 16c/kWh government rebate plus 6-8c/kWh estimated electricity retailer contribution). This transitionary period was for those who signed up during the two years from 1 October, 2011.

Then towards the end of 2016, ESCOSA decided to eliminate the minimum feed-in tariff for SA.  SA effectively followed NSW and South-East Queenslands decision in removing minimum rates and hence left it up to market competition in determining what rates consumers would receive. The effect of this on consumers was now it was their responsibility to shop around and find the best rate, plan and company they preferred.

The implication of this change was deemed to be relatively small however.

Despite the low feed-in rate, households still continued to switch to solar in droves because of the fact that solar affordability has increased a lot over the last 10 years. Further compounding this is that grid electricity prices are high in South Australia (due to high cost of wholesale electricity)

What are the network limits in SA?

In hindsight you could argue that the original architects of the current solar grid system weren’t forward thinking in terms of the ability of solar PV owners to be able to sell excess energy back into the grid.

Hence, the reason why there are network limits on the ability to feed electricity back into the grid as it was originally designed to be unidirectional in nature. Perhaps in the future with advances in grid technology, South Australians will be able to enjoy a higher upper limit on their ability to export back to retailers.

Conclusion:

Going solar is a great way to save money on your power bills. The payback period has decreased considerably in recent years to an average of 3 -5 years for most residential homeowners. In other words, going solar is still worth it.  We recommend you to consider your specific situation when choosing a retailer, so you can make a balanced decision.

The post Best SA Solar Feed-In Tariffs appeared first on Solar Choice.

We’ll go through what you need to know about how to assess what provider provides the best solar feed in tariff-in Queensland.

To look for the best solar feed-in tariff rates in QLD, view the table below which gets updated every two weeks. We recommend you read the other considerations we mention in this article so you can come out with a more informed decision that goes beyond a financial one only.

Does Queensland have a minimum solar feed-in tariff?

There currently isn’t a mandatory minimum feed-in tariff that electricity retailers have to abide by in South East Queensland (Energex network).  Instead it’s been left to each retailer to assign their own respective rates for exported solar power they buy from a solar system owner.

We recommend in this case that you shop around for a plan that provides a high FiT, as electricity retailers will try their best to earn your hard earned dollars by offering a competitive FiT. 

For residents of regional Queensland (Ergon network), there is a mandatory minimum you’ll receive for your solar power exports. Check the QCA’s website for the current rates.

Find the best Solar Electricity Plan in your area now

What retailer has the best solar feed-in tariff in QLD?

At the time of updating (June 2024), Energy Australia currently has the highest solar feed-in tariff offer in QLD, whereby the maximum a customer can get is 12 cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh). Globird Energy comes in second at 11c/kWh.

Each of those plans is subject to eligibility criteria and specific terms and conditions which you can read on their websites.

Best Solar Feed-In Rates in Queensland

The below table shows a minimum and maximum solar feed-in tariff that each provider gives. Please note that this information changes on a regular basis and this table is updated to reflect this.

*Please note that we periodically update these tables. Please email us at sales@solarchoice.net.au if anything is out of date.

Should I only consider solar feed-in tariffs when choosing an electricity provider?

Although choosing an energy provider solely on having the highest solar feed-in tariff sounds like a tempting path to go down, be careful of putting your blinkers on and ignoring other important factors. 

We recommend that you also consider other factors namely usage rates and daily supply charges.  You may find in your assessment that a company may offer a high feed-in tariff but their usage rates as measured as cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh) is relatively higher then another competitor that gives you a lower tariff amount.

You may also be in a situation where you’ve got a small solar system that doesn’t produce much excess electricity to export back to the grid. In that case, you may want to consider going with a provider that has lower usage and daily supply charges because your capacity to make money from exports is limited by your solar system design. 

If however, your solar system has the ability to export a lot of excess clean electricity, then it may make sense to go for the higher solar FiT which would help with minimising your regular electricity bills payback calculations.

You can enter you bill details into Solar Choice’s electricity plan comparison tool to find a good solar electricity plan and switch online:

Find the best Solar Electricity Plan in your area now

How do I find out what my Solar Feed in Tariff is?

You can find your current solar feed-in tariff by locating it on page 2 of your energy bill – look for a ‘c/kWh’ rate. If you can’t find it, another good place to look is at the bottom of the retailer’s homepage.  

It’s also legislated that all retailers provide their customers with a fact sheet document that shows clearly important information for each plan including rates, charges and fees etc. Check your emails for something from your electricity retailer.

What are the solar system network limits in Queensland?

The Distributed Network Service Providers (DNSPs) own the electrical infrastructure in Queensland. Based on protecting the network from issues like voltage rises that occur when solar is installed they apply certain limits on what solar systems can be installed. This can also include a limit on how much power can be exported back to the grid from a solar system.

The grid was originally designed to only work unidirectionally, with electricity only going from the large coal power stations to the end-consumer. Now we are looking at multi-directional energy distribution with over 2 million home rooftop solar systems.

Hopefully in the future the grid will get smarter and the infrastructure and supporting tools will allow for better bidirectional electricity back and forth – meaning less limits for home solar systems.

History of feed-in tariffs in QLD

For the early adopters who got solar over 10 years ago, there was a generous premium given in Queensland for the solar feed-in tariff at 44c/kWh. Then from 10 July 2012, it was announced by the state government it was to be drastically reduced to 8c/kWh.

There were a range of reactions to this big change. The solar panel industry was embraced for a sudden rush of customers wanting to submit their application before the deadline.

This change, driven by Queensland premier Campbell Newman, who under the Liberal government implemented a different direction from the previous Labour government’s clean energy policies.

The cut was much bigger than that taken by other states. Whilst other states like Victoria and South Australia adopted a gradual reduction (who’s solar feed-in tariff was reduced to 25c/kWh and 23c/kWh respectively), Queensland’s cut represented reduction of over 75% overnight.

Following the reduction in feed in tariffs, the contentious issue of undervalued solar power was discussed. The Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES) stated in response that utilities should pay the same rate for solar that customers pay for grid electricity.

The Clean Energy Council had also warned that up to 4500 solar jobs could be shed over a period of a year in the fallout of the reduction.

It’s important to note that the context of this drop was centered around the misconception that solar schemes were a main driver for the rising price of electricity. It was clearly pointed out by RenewEconomy in an article that green schemes reduce the demand for electricity from the grid. It was argued that wholesale electricity prices had been pushed down to around half of what they were within a five year period.

Despite the change in feed in tariffs, the economics behind installing solar on your home still made sense. The main motivation which for some homeowners had focused on exporting solar at a premium price shifted to a focus on self-consuming the solar power that was generated. However, the soaring costs of retail electricity in Queensland as well as the affordability of solar with a reasonable payback period (now around 3-5 years) is now the main motivation for going solar along with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2014 the solar feed-in tariffs in regional Queensland were reduced to between 6.3c/kWh and 9.7c/kWh for exporting energy back to the grid.  This was initiated by the Queensland Competition Authority who had decided to set a minimum feed-in tariff for regional Queensland because of a lack of competition amongst retail electricity providers.

Conclusion:

Getting the most out of your investment in solar will come down to choosing an electricity retailer that provides a solar feed-in tariff that suits you. It’s important to choose a balance between choosing a retailer that provides a high enough tariff, along with reasonable usage rates and supply charges. Hopefully after reading this article, you’ll come away with making a more informed decision.

The post Best QLD Solar Feed-In Tariffs appeared first on Solar Choice.

Feed-in tariffs are still one of the main drivers for going solar. Although the amount received by the consumer for exporting their excess clean energy back to the grid has decreased a lot since the early days, it still enables solar power system owners to generate a credit towards their bill for surplus energy.

For those who are shopping around for the best solar feed-in tariff rates in VIC, we’ve provided for you a table below which gets updated regularly. We’ve also given other information we recommend you consider so you can make a well thought out decision.

Time of use or Flat Rates?

You may be thinking at this point what the better option to take in Victoria is – a single rate or time varying rate? We go into an analysis about the time varying rate along with a modified solar payback calculator tool to help you make an informed decision.

Just be aware that currently electricity retailers in Victoria aren’t legally required to offer the time varying rates at this stage. Some may only decide to provide the single rate only instead.

Going forward, it will be interesting to see how retailers go about providing the solar feed-in Tariffs and time varying rates in the future. With the ongoing changes to rates, we’ll keep an eye on this development at Solar Choice.

Best Solar Feed-In Rates in Victoria

The below table shows the minimum and maximum FiT rates per electricity retailer. Note that it doesn’t show the time varying feed-in tariff.

*Please note that we periodically update these tables. Please email us at sales@solarchoice.net.au if anything is out of date.

What solar system size limits exist in Victoria?

Originally the Australian electricity grid was designed with unidirectional power flow in mind, i.e. one way flow of electricity along a series of networks starting from the generator to the household owner.

Currently with over 2 million home solar systems across Australian rooftops, network operators are reporting issues with congestion and voltage rise across the grid. The main way they limit this issue is through the implementation of size limits for solar inverter capacities and export limits for exported solar energy. 

In Victoria there are 4 Distributed Network Service Providers (DNSPs) and each have different restrictions on what can be installed. See our guide below.

Caveat to these rules per network: The information in the table above serves as a general guideline to get you started. Just be aware that the actual implementation will differ depending on your area and specific network. We recommend that you discuss your options with your solar installer who should be an expert in getting solar systems approved by your local network.

Is the limit strict or is there a way to get around it? 

In some cases your network may allow you to install a larger system then their standard rules, but you may have to meet certain requirements. This could involve having export limitations or paying an additional cost for upgrades to the physical network in your area.

Does the limit apply to solar inverter capacity exclusively? Or does it also include battery inverter capacity?

 It’s important to note the distinction here. Some networks don’t count battery inverter capacity towards their stated maximum size limits because of the fact that battery systems with their own dedicated inverters generally don’t automatically export surplus solar electricity to the grid. This is in contrast to modern, grid-connected solar systems which do.

Will you need to install additional technology on your solar system which has an ‘export limit’?  What about ‘solar smoothing’? 

Export limiters prevent your system exporting solar into the grid over a specific threshold, such as the 3kW limit for a 5kW system. Using this type of technology it might be possible to exceed the above limits and install a larger solar power system.

Some networks will also require what is known as a ‘solar smoothing’ device. This is a small battery bank that stops any sudden drops in your solar system energy output due to clouds passing overhead. In particular, these devices help make the solar output on ‘thin’, spindly grids in regional areas more manageable.

What retailer has the best solar feed-in tariff in VIC?

At the time of updating (June 2024), Energy Australia has the best solar feed-in tariff in VIC, whereby the maximum a customer can get is 12 cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh). They are followed by ENGIE in second place with an offer of 11 c/kWh.

Is there a minimum feed-in tariff in VIC?

Luckily there is a minimum feed-in tariff for solar customers that is mandated by the Victorian government.

In Victoria, electricity retailers with more than 5,000 customers are mandated to offer a minimum solar feed-in tariff rate to their customers. This is divided into what is known as a ‘single rate’ (Flat Fit rate) and a ‘time varying rate’.

As of the 1st of January 2024, consumers in Victoria have the option to choose one of these rates:

Option 1:

Option 2:

History of solar feed-in tariffs in Victoria

The Premium Solar Feed-in Tariff was introduced on 1st of November 2009 in Victoria offering residentials a rate of 60 c/kWh for exported solar energy. This program closed to new applicants on the 29th of  December 2011. Participants of this scheme will receive the premium rate until 2024.

After December 2011, Victorians were offered a Standard Feed-in Tariff which offered a ‘one for one’ rate based on the customers electricity rate, or a Transitional Feed-in Tariff of 25 c/kWh. These premium rates were scheduled to end in 2016 and also closed for new applicants at the end of 2012.

Since then the Victorian Essential Services Commission has dictated a minimum feed-in tariff each financial year to the industry which is designed to reflect the wholesale market plus a premium to reflect a green benefit. 

You can see the history of the minimum feed in tariffs in Victoria in the below table:

In 2017, the Victorian Essential Services Commission proposed a variable feed-in tariff be introduced along with the above mentioned flat rates. In 2018 this went as high as 29c/kWh during peak times. 

The logic behind the variable FiT rate was the fact that electricity is worth more on the grid in the latter part of the day, i.e. between 3pm – 9pm. So an incentive was created to nudge solar system owners to design systems or shift electricity demand to export a higher amount of electricity back into the grid later in the day.

This new variable FiT rate opened discussion for potentially higher adoption for battery system owners to ‘play the game’ of selling their stored energy during peak periods in order to capitalise on the financial incentives.

Conclusion:

Fortunately for residents of Victoria, there is a minimum feed-in tariff they receive. Although going forward, the revised solar feed-in rates for 2023/2024 will see a noticeable drop. 

As always solar feed-in rates are only part of the puzzle when assessing an electricity plan and when determining whether investing in solar power is a good idea. Hopefully this helps you get started.

The post Best VIC Solar Feed-In Tariffs appeared first on Solar Choice.

There have been many changes to this legislation in New South Wales over the last few years.  When solar panels were new 10 years ago, the feed-in tariff that residential households received for exporting to the grid was a lot higher than it is today, which gave the industry a good kickstart.

Since then, the amount received for solar exports has dropped considerably. This has led some people to question whether solar is worth it in Australia. (Spoiler alert: We come to the conclusion that going solar still makes sense with enough value to be created simply by reducing the amount of energy you buy from retailers)

Many solar consumers are also motivated to take action on climate change and reduce their carbon footprint. 

In most of the scenarios we have looked at recently, we have observed the payback period to be anywhere between 3 – 5 years for an appropriately sized residential solar system (without a battery). Of course, this depends on the brand and model of solar panels and whether there are any extra costs for your installation.

If you’re looking for the best solar feed-in tariff rates in NSW, we’ve provided you with a table that lists the rates of the major electricity retailers in the state. We’ve also provided you with other considerations we recommend you take into account in your decision-making process.

Be careful of retailers offering a high solar feed-in tariff as a drawcard

Don’t fall for the trap of jumping for a retailer solely on having the highest feed-in tariff rate. 

In most cases, the plans with the highest feed-in rates also have high electricity purchase rates. It is important to get an overall picture of the net spend on each electricity plan to make an informed decision.

Solar feed-in tariff rates in NSW:

*Please note that we periodically update these tables. Please email us at sales@solarchoice.net.au if anything is out of date.

Why you should consider other factors apart from just feed-in tariffs

As mentioned above, because the amount received from solar feed-in tariffs has decreased considerably in the last 10 years, consumers should consider other factors in their decision making process.

Beyond financial factors, there may be other factors you may consider such as providing good customer service. There’s nothing more frustrating to Australian consumers than talking to someone in an outsourced customer support team. 

For others, choosing a retailer that is more environmentally friendly even if it comes with a higher price tag.

Although the premium tariffs are no longer in place, low solar PV system prices mean that they are no longer as important as they once were for solar to make financial sense. Increasing electricity costs also provide an incentive to invest in a solar PV system, as it offers homeowners a means of taking control of their energy bills (read more about ‘solar self-consumption‘).

The trend towards solar self-consumption

There is now a trend of one’s motivation towards solar self-consumption, which focuses on designing an appropriately sized system for your energy bill and shifting as much of your power usage as possible to ‘solar power hours’.

A typical household buys energy at 20-30 c/kWh and is offered a feed-in tariff of 5-10 c/kWh. It’s a logical conclusion that offsetting the amount of energy you buy from your electricity retailer is more valuable than selling it back to them. This also supports the concept of a solar battery to store excess energy to reuse at night times. 

So it’s clear that the justification for going solar in NSW today is for ‘self-consumption’. Hopefully, you’ll be informed about how much you can get for your excess solar power from the major electricity retailers so you can make an educated decision about what one to choose.

Is there a minimum feed-in tariff in NSW?

At the moment, there is no mandatory minimum feed-in tariff rate in NSW. Instead, individual electricity retailers assign a value to exported solar power as they see fit. It is a competitive market so electricity retailers do have an incentive to offer a reasonable feed-in tariff to win customers with solar panels installed.

According to Energy NSW, the benchmark rate is 4.6 to 5.5 cents per kWh for 2023/2024 in NSW.

What retailer has the best solar feed-in tariff in NSW?

At the time of writing (June 2024), ENGIE, Energy Australia, Globird Energy, Red Energy, ActewAGL currently have the highest solar feed-in tariff offer in NSW, whereby the maximum a customer can get is 12 cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh). Origin Energy, and AGL come in second with 10 c/kWh.

Each of those plans is subject to eligibility criteria and specific terms and conditions which you can read on their websites.

What are the solar system network limits in NSW?

The Distributed Network Service Providers (DNSPs) are the companies that own the electricity infrastructure (poles & wires). In NSW there are three companies that own different regions across the state (see table below). 

These companies have limits that dictate what size solar systems you are able to install and how much electricity you are able to export back into the grid. 

The electricity grid was originally designed in Australia which was designed with the view of electricity being transferred unidirectionally from coal-fired power plants across the network to homes. Now with over 2 million home solar systems in Australia generating their own electricity, the grid is tackling issues such as rising voltages from exported solar energy. 

The solar system size limits and export limits are their current way of controlling those issues. Hopefully, in the future smarter grids and technology will enable these limits to be relaxed.

History of feed-in tariffs in NSW

Currently, there is no legislated minimum feed-in tariff in NSW, so electricity retailers are free to offer what they like – although it is a competitive market.

Commencing on the 1st of January 2010, the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme offered a generous gross feed in tariff of 60c per kWh for 7 years until December 2016. However back then the upfront cost of solar was also almost 5 times what it is today, so the scheme was designed to help kickstart the industry. 

This rate was significantly reduced to 20c per kWh overnight on the 27th of October 2010 when a bill was passed through NSW parliament resulting in a day of chaos for the solar industry.

Eventually the premium feed-in tariff scheme was closed to new applications from midnight 28 April 2011 by the NSW Government.

The scheme finally ended on 31 December 2016 as initially scheduled and all legislated payments ceased.

Now under the open market conditions, retailers compete for solar customers’ electricity plans partly on the feed-in tariffs they offer. The wholesale electricity price in the middle of the day has dropped over recent years as the millions of solar systems produce excess power which has applied some downward pressure on feed-in tariff rates. 

This is now an important consideration for solar buyers as the goal is not simply to put as many panels on the roof to generate as much electricity as possible. In most cases the best ROI can be reached by matching the size of the solar system to the daytime energy needs of the house, to ensure that you are focusing on self-consuming solar power and not relying on a feed-in tariff.

Many customers are now installing a battery with their solar system or retrofitting a battery to their existing Solar PV system. Here are a few case studies from Sydney to consider.

Conclusion

We hope you’ve come away more informed about how to choose an electricity retailer that meets your needs. As mentioned, remember not to jump on a provider solely to give you the highest feed-in tariff amount. 

Consider other factors such as payback period and usage or supply rates in your decision-making process. It’s also a good idea to consider non-financial concerns such as customer service.

The post Best NSW Solar Feed-In Tariffs appeared first on Solar Choice.

Overview of Chelion – Company History

Chelion was established by Yang Pang, Zhan Gao, and Longhui Wu in September 2021 in Shanghai. The company is a new entrant to the renewables manufacturing market and is currently focused on battery storage solutions and EV chargers for residential, commercial and utility scale applications. 

The company has rapidly established overseas establishing offices in Europe, USA, Japan and Australia. With headquarters in Shanghai, Chelion has also set up an R&D center in Xi’an and operates its test facility in Suzhou, China.

At All Energy Australia 2023, Australia’s largest annual new energy exhibition, Chelion had won the bid and signed a contract for the Port Hedland Airport project in Australia. This project involves providing large-scale energy storage solutions and equipment, and it is scheduled for delivery in the first half of 2024. 

Chelion Battery Options and Models

The iHome series is Chelion’s flagship model for residential users and the products have received approval from the Clean Energy Council (CEC). The products are listed on the approved battery list under the name of “Shanghai Chelion Renewable Technology Co Ltd.” This accreditation signifies compliance with Australian standards and regulations, providing assurance to consumers seeking reliable renewable energy solutions.

iHome Low Voltage

The iHome Low Voltage battery solution (iHome-B6.5-L01) is a DC connected battery. This means it can be connected to a solar system via a compatible hybrid inverter. Chelion sell their own branded single-phase hybrid inverter that can be used to accommodate their battery.

The battery has a capacity of 6.5kWh with a depth of discharge of 94.5%. For an end user this means it has a usable capacity of 6.1kWh. The battery has an environmental protection rating of IP55 which means the battery can be installed outdoors if required.

The battery uses the popular lithium iron phosphate chemistry which is noted for its low fire risk. This battery possesses an automatic module recognition capability which enables customers to easily expand their battery capacity over time. 

iHome High Voltage – All In One

Chelion’s High Voltage battery (iHome-B5-HD02) is an all-in-one battery solution. This means the battery and a hybrid solar inverter are built in together meaning the solution can be easily deployed in new installations or retrofitted to existing solar systems.

The battery features similar chemistry and performance characteristics as their low voltage model however the battery models come in increments of 5kWh usable capacity. In total 8 of these battery modules can be connected together to reach 40kWh of usable capacity which is more than enough for most residential applications.

The battery also can operate off-grid and can be controlled remotely which means they could be included in an Virtual Power Plant. 

Australian Warranty Terms for Chelion Batteries

Chelion offers a 10-year warranty and also guarantees a minimum usable capacity at the end of the warranty period. This is good to see as not all battery manufacturer guarantee a maximum degradation rate.

Chelion warrants that the product retains at least 70% of its usable capacity at the earlier of: 

1. The expiration of the warranty period
2. Reaching the specified throughput

For the iHome B6.5-L01, this throughput is 21.82 MWh, while for the iHome B5-HD02 the throughput is 14.26 MWh.

Chelion has capped the reimbursement of electrician’s inspection costs at $150. This will likely mean that customers have some expenses out of pocket particularly in rural locations.

Given that Chelion does have an Australian office in Brisbane where customers seeking technical support or warranty issues can contact them direclty. Here are the contact details:

L13/144 Edward Street, Brisbane City, QLD 4000

TEL: 1300 208 962

E-mail: support@chelion.com.au

For the full Chelion warranty information, please click here.

Pros and Cons of Chelion Battery

Pros:

• Technical specifications of Chelion’s batteries measure up well against competition
• Have local office in Queensland Australia

Cons:

• In comparative terms, there is a short track record for the reliability and longevity of Chelion’s products being established in 2021.
• Small market share compared to other battery brands

So, Should I Buy a Chelion Battery?

Chelion’s residential battery solution meets all the local required expectations and has been approved by the Clean Energy Council. It is great to see that Chelion have already established a local office in Brisbane to support the Australian market.

The main risk associated with Chelion batteries is that they do not have the trading history or battery solutions in market for long enough to demonstrate the reliability of their products and service.

Case Study Project of Chelion

Project Name: Port Hedland Airport Australia

Location: Port Hedland, WA

System Size: 600 kW / 2.8 MWh

Commencement Date: 2024 (under construction)

The post Chelion Battery: An Independent Review by Solar Choice appeared first on Solar Choice.

Company Overview

Alchemy Charge is an Australian company based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. In 2024 they released two models of their SmartPoint Level 1 charging devices to fill a hole they saw in the EVSE market, bringing a chargeback mechanism to standard power points aimed at Strata and Commercial applications. 

While Alchemy Charge is a new company and product, its developers have been involved in the construction industry in Sydney since 2011 with businesses focused on remedial building works. They are widely known in the strata property sector, which likely led them to developing the SmartPoint charger which is an effective solution for strata building applications.

Alchemy Charge customers can expect support from an established business with its head office and factory in Sydney. 

What We Like About the Alchemy Charge SmartPoint

The Alchemy Charge SmartPoint has been designed to fill a very specific hole in the EV charging hardware market. By marrying a chargeback mechanism with a standard outdoor 10amp powerpoint, the SmartPoint solves the problem of recouping electricity costs in situations where multiple vehicles will be charging from a common power source such as an apartment building carpark, public parking lot, or short term accommodation. 

It’s simple, cheap, and easy to install, and is far below the cost of a level 2 charger with a chargeback mechanism which should appeal to Alchemy Charge’s target market. 

Key Features

Ease of Use

The SmartPoint QR code makes starting and ending charging sessions as simple as signing in to a restaurant during COVID. The app makes for a seamless user experience but users don’t need the app to use the charger as the QR code will do the trick. 

Managed Queuing for Multiple-device Networks

In buildings with multiple SmartPoints such as Strata complexes or car parks, SmartPoint ensures the electrical system is not overloaded by prioritising charging based on demand and availability. For instance, if a complex can support charging 10 vehicles simultaneously without exceeding its power capacity but there are 15 vehicles needing a charge, SmartPoint will manage the queue, ensuring the first 10 are charged efficiently and then automatically switch to the remaining 5, maintaining system integrity and fairness.

Simple to Install

Installing a Smartpoint is as simple as installing a standard powerpoint. Any electrician can do it and it can even replace an existing powerpoint.

How Much Does the Alchemy Charge SmartPoint Cost?

The Alchemy Charge SmartPoint costs $299.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Cheap – it’s the cheapest charger which allows a host to recoup electricity costs
• Easy for an electrician to install
• Great warranty
• Simple and easy to use for hosts and users
• Designed and assembled in Australia

Cons

• Slow charging speed – around 10-15km range per hour
• No dynamic load management functionality
• 10c/kWh commission means it’s best suited to commercial uses

SmartPoint App

The Alchemy Charge app is simple and efficient, providing a map of publicly available SmartPoint chargers and allowing users to start and stop their charging sessions with ease. 

While the app does the job well, users can simply use the QR code next to a SmartPoint chargers to control their charging session without needing to download the app, which will be music to the ears of EV drivers who already have a handful of different fast charging apps on their phones. 

Installation

Installation of the Alchemy Charge SmartPoint is quick and simple. The device can be installed by any electrician in the same way they would install a standard powerpoint, and it can even replace an existing powerpoint. The cost of the installation is determined by the complexity of the installation location and the hourly rates of your electrician, and will likely be cheaper than any level 2 charger installation. 

Warranty and Service

The Alchemy Charge Smartpoint stands out among other faster chargers on the market for its generous warranty. The SmartPoint warranty covers the entire period that each device stays on their network – that is the lifetime of the device if you remain a SmartPoint customer. The company claims their product is maintenance-free, and given the device is built on the trusty Shneider Electric Industrial 10amp switched socket, we are inclined to believe them. 

Should I Buy an Alchemy Charge SmartPoint?

The SmartPoint is designed for strata buildings, commercial sites, and short term accommodation such as Airbnb’s. It’s a great solution for those applications with it’s simple platform for charging users and reimbursing host. It is particularly useful if there is a limited electrical supply to the site, and if the EV owners will be spending a long time in one place such as overnight accommodation or a full work day. 

You should not buy the SmartPoint for your own home if you are the only person who will be charging an EV there, and it’s not suitable for those who need higher charging speeds.

Further Reading

Looking for EV chargers for your apartment building? Check out our Comprehensive guide to EV charging for apartments.

For more in-depth information you can consult Solar Choice’s Complete EV Home Charger Guide or check our Full list of EV Charger Reviews

The post Alchemy Charge SmartPoint: An Independent Review by Solar Choice appeared first on Solar Choice.

At a Glance: Quantum Energy Heat Pump Solar Choice Heat Pumps Score Card

$$$ Price: Quantum heat pumps are in the mid-range of heat pump prices, with models costing between $3,300 to $4,100.

• Efficiency: The Coefficient of Performance (COP) ranges between 4.3 and 4.5 at ambient temperature 20°C for the different models, however they do not disclose what the inlet water temperature and target temperature was for the test. This makes it difficult to compare against other brands so we estimate their COP is likely between 3.8 and 4.5 with an inlet temperature of 15°C and target temp of 60°C. Score: 3 points

• Warranty: Quantum’s warranty includes 5 years for the tank and 2 years for electrical and refrigeration components, including labour. This warranty period is shorter than some competitors who offer longer warranties on both parts and labour, which could be a consideration for those looking for long-term reliability and reduced repair costs. Score: 2 points.

• Customer Reviews: Quantum Energy heat pumps have an average customer review score of 2.5 out of 5, based on 57 reviews. Common issues reported by users include frequent compressor failures and issues with customer service. These factors suggest that while the initial cost is competitive, the potential for higher maintenance costs and customer service challenges may impact overall satisfaction. Score: 1 point

• Functionality: The heat pumps operate in a wide range of temperatures (-15°C to +40°C), offer stainless steel tank options and use environmentally friendly R290 refrigerant. However, they are loud compared to others on the market at 48dB and lack many key features like a heating element, LCD screen and Wi-Fi App control. Score: 2 points

Please note that the Solar Choice score card reflects our opinions only. Customers are encouraged to do their own research.

Uncover essential details in the comprehensive guide below and find out what you need to know before you buy.

Company Background

Quantum Energy Technologies Pty Limited was created in 2001, and trades as Quantum Eco Hot Water. Through the years Quantum have developed various hot water solutions and the company now focuses on their heat pump hot water solutions for residential and commercial applications.

The company is Australian owned and operated and has an physical address at 22 Rosebery Ave, Rosebery NSW 2018.  

Quantum Energy Heat Pump Model and Ranges

Quantum offers a range of heat pump hot water systems tailored to different household sizes and commercial applications. The primary models include:

• Quantum 150L Heat Pump (Model 150-08AC6-290): With a storage size of 150L and a rated delivery of 130L, this model offers a heating output of 3.61kW and a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 4.3. Suitable for small households of up to 3 people.
• Quantum 200L Heat Pump (Model 200-08AC6-290): Featuring a 200L storage capacity and 175L rated delivery, it shares the same heating output and COP as the 150L model. Ideal for small to medium households of up to 4 people.
• Quantum 270L Heat Pump (Model 270-08AC6-290): This model provides a 270L storage size and 250L rated delivery, with a slightly higher heating output of 3.81kW and a COP of 4.53. Designed for average households of up to 5 people.
• Quantum 340L Heat Pump (Model 340-08AC6-290): The largest in the range, offering 340L storage and 315L rated delivery, with the same heating output and COP as the 270L model. Best suited for larger households of up to 7 people.

What’s the Cost of Quantum Energy Heat Pumps?

Quantum Energy heat pumps fall into the mid-range category, priced between $3,300 and $4,100. 

This price range is an estimate of retail cost of the heat pump and excludes installation, freight and any rebates that might apply in your circumstances.

Quantum Energy Heat Pump – Review of Features

Energy Efficiency

Quantum heat pumps offer a solid energy efficiency range between 15°C and 20°C, with a COP varying from approximately 3.5 to 4.5. While some models on the market have higher COP values, these numbers are still competitive and ensure efficient energy use, which can lead to substantial savings on your energy bills.

Environmentally friendly Refrigerant Type

Quantum uses R290 refrigerant, which is known for its lower environmental impact compared to traditional refrigerants. This choice underscores Quantum’s commitment to sustainability and adherence to environmental regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Operating Temperature Range

One of the standout features of Quantum heat pumps is that hey proport to operate effectively in a wide range of temperatures, from -15°C to +40°C. This could make them a good choice for various climates, ensuring consistent performance whether you live in a colder region or a warmer one.

Loud Noise Level

The operating sound levels for Quantum heat pumps range between 48dB and 50dB. While these levels are within acceptable limits for household appliances, they are slightly higher than some other models on the market. If you plan to install the unit near living areas, this is something to keep in mind.

No Booster Heating Element

Quantum heat pumps operate at ambient temperatures as low as -15°C without the need for a booster heating element. However the lack of a traditional element will mean that there’s no back up if there are any issues experienced with the heat pump and could be an issue during high demand periods. 

No LCD Screen or Wifi Controller

Unlike many other heat pumps available in the Australian market, Quantum have not incorporated a LCD Screen or Wifi Controller to enable users to control the settings. It is all managed through a ‘digital controller’. Minimal information is supplied on this in their documentation and it is likely that a plumber or technician would need to assist in changing the settings.

Quantum Heat Pump Warranty Details Review

When considering the Quantum heat pumps, the warranty is a significant factor. Quantum provides a 5-year warranty for the tank and a 2-year warranty for both electrical and refrigeration components. These time periods are inclusive of parts and labour. In general this is similar to the warranty offers of heat pumps priced in the mid to low range.

There is some limited information on the warranty within the terms and conditions in the footer of their website.

Pros and Cons of Quantum Heat Pumps

Pros:

• Wide Operating Temperature Range: Suitable for varied climates, maintaining efficiency from -15°C to +40°C.
• Environmental Benefits: Use of R290 refrigerant with lower environmental impact.
• Stainless Steel Tank and Sizing: Quantum heat pumps come in stainless steel tanks with vitreous enamal lining and offer a number of tank sizes ranging up to 340L.

Cons:

• Lack of Features: Missing key functionalities like heating element, LCD screen and Wi-Fi App control.
• Noise Levels: Slightly higher operating noise levels compared to some other models in the market.
• Customer Reviews: At the time of writing the public customer reviews for Quantum Heat Pump feature a low score of 2.5 out of 5.

Looking into heat pump hot water systems? Our comprehensive guide makes it easy, covering potential rebates, the real costs of hot water heat pumps, and the truth about ‘free’ upgrades. Learn about energy savings and understand the benefits and drawbacks with clear expert advice. Check out our Heat Pump Hot Water Systems Buyers Guide for an in-depth understanding of heat pumps and you can also see the best heat pumps in Australia compared so you can make an informed purchase decision.

Quantum Energy Domestic Heat Pump Models

See Quantum Energy Technical Specification Details in more depth here:

150L Solar Heat Pump Specifications

200L Solar Heat Pump Specifications

270L Solar Heat Pump Specifications

340L Solar Heat Pump Specifications

The post Quantum Energy Heat Pumps: Independent Review appeared first on Solar Choice.

How do you benefit from solar power in Canberra?

Getting an optimal solar power system anywhere in Australia – including Canberra – means first understanding how a system benefits a home or business. Solar panels only produce electricity during sunlight hours, and how much electricity is generated depends on the intensity and duration of the sunshine.

ACT residents can benefit from solar in two ways:

1. Solar self-consumption, where you use solar energy directly (and avoid having to pay your retailer for electricity), and
2. Solar feed-in credits, where you receive a credit on your bill for ‘excess’ solar energy that you send into the grid. The combination of these two benefits helps to make solar a great investment for the ACT.

Note that the feed-in tariff rate that you receive depends on who sells you electricity (your retailer) and the plan that you’re on with that retailer. You can compare feed-in tariffs and switch electricity plans using the government’s EnergyMadeEasy.gov.au comparator website, or our own electricity plan comparison tool.

How much energy will Canberra solar panels produce?

The average Canberran rooftop receives an annual average of about 4.8 hours of sun per day based on data from the Bureau of Meteorology. This number fluctuates seasonally (higher in summer and lower in winter). Estimated daily generation figures for different size systems based on 4.8 sun hours are detailed below (minus a 25% efficiency loss). Note that ‘kilowatt-hours’ (kWh) is the same unit that you’ll see on your electricity bill; the average Australian home uses between 15-25kWh of energy per day.

Assumptions:

• Solar panels are free of shading and orientated to the North at 30 degrees
• The solar power system’s efficiency is 75% (conservative estimate)

How much do solar panels cost in Canberra?

Solar Choice regularly publishes articles with indicative pricing for PV systems in Australia’s capital cities (including Canberra) in our Solar Choice Price Index.

Based on the price index data from September 2022, we can see that in Canberra a typical 6kw solar system would cost $6,120 on average after deducting the STC rebate and including GST.

The table below shows how solar system price trends for Australia over the last decade. The prices are in dollar-per-watt ($/W) format and segmented by capital city (including Canberra).

Choosing the right solar system size

Because solar is affordable these days, sizing up a system for your home is not an exact science.  The most popular residential system size in Australia has risen to 6.6kW system; the larger the system, the less you’ll pay per watt of capacity ($/W) for comparable equipment. This size system could work with a household consuming the typical 15-25kWh/day – increasing the system size up and down will slightly adjust the return on investment which we discuss below.

To simplify the shopping process, our online comparison portal provides a good way to get started. You can easily browse through different system sizes and costs, along with different qualities and types of solar equipment – click compare now on the right to get started. You can also check out our Simple Solar System Sizing Estimator to explore different scenarios.

Federal and state government incentives for solar panels Canberra

Federal rebate for solar (STCs)

Significant up-front incentives are available from the federal government. Technically speaking, this discount comes in the form of ‘small-scale technology certificates’ (STCs), which utility companies and other liable entities are obligated to purchase under Australia’s national Renewable Energy Target. This discount is applied directly to the purchase price of your system – there is no need to claim it, as it is passed through to you by the company that sells you the system; all you have to do is compare prices.

As an example, the STC benefit associated with the scheme for a 5kW solar system in Canberra is approximately $2,287 based on pricing from Green-bank.

ACT Battery Rebate Program

(Updated July 2023) The Next Gen Energy Storage program has reached its target of 5,000 batteries in Canberra homes and businesses – and is no longer accepting rebate applications.

All pre-approved applications will be honoured, with all remaining batteries to be installed by 31 March 2023.

The ACT Government will work with battery installers on any outstanding applications and installations to ensure an appropriate transition following this date.

Is solar power worth it in Canberra?

Residents of the ACT are fortunate enough to benefit from some of the lowest grid electricity prices in the whole of Australia, with the most competitive rates coming in at around 19c/kWh according to the government site Energy Made Easy. While this means that typical (pre-solar) household electricity bills in the ACT tend to be less than those in QLD or NSW, it also means that the return on investment for a solar system is slightly lower than in other states.

The table below examines 3 popular system sizes (5kW, 6.6kW and 10kW) with varying energy usage profiles to estimate the return on investment for common scenarios. A big input to the calculation is the “self-consumption rate” which estimates how much of your generated solar power will be used in the household rather than being sold back to the grid. As the feed-in tariff rates are low and reducing, it always presents a better payback period if you can use as much solar power as possible.

Note that we’ve used average solar system prices, but there is a full range of options available on Solar Choice’s comparison portal if you are ready to get quotes for solar.

Assumptions/Limitations of this analysis

• Assumes energy price of 29c / kWh which is towards the cheaper end of what is possible in different areas of Canberra
• Assumes a solar feed-in tariff of 7c / kWh
• Average costs come from the Solar Choice Price Index for June 2024
• Your self-consumption rate will vary depending on how you use power in your home. A higher rate, means less power is exported to the grid and improves your financial return

Use our calculator to work out the return for your own specific details in Canberra

What about solar battery storage in Canberra?

The ACT is no longer offering the Next Gen battery scheme and is no longer accepting rebate applications.

Solar Choice has been regularly assessing the financial return of batteries for many years in our ‘Are solar batteries worth it?‘ article. We looked at three different use cases and matching solar panel and battery solutions to arrive at the results below. You will notice that the return for batteries isn’t quite at the same level as solar panels and now the rebate has finished for ACT.

For a full explanation of our methodology and assumptions – see the full article.

Many solar panels Canberra customers are installing solar panels first to lower power bills and keeping their options open to add a battery once prices come down (we expect they will over the next few years).

Increasingly Australians are making the decision to add a battery to their solar panel solution due to the non-financial benefits like having power during a blackout and running the house almost entirely off renewable energy.

FAQs

© 2019 Solar Choice Pty Ltd 

The post Solar Panels Canberra, ACT: Compare costs & installers appeared first on Solar Choice.

Getting started can be the tricky part as there are now over 5,000 solar installers across Australia with an abundance of different solar packages containing different sizes, brands and warranty periods.

We’ve assessed thousands of commercial buildings for solar and here are some of the most important considerations.

Do you own the building?

If you are both the business and building owner then this is a great start as you become in control of your roof area. If the building is leased/rented then we advise that you speak to your landlord first and tell them that you would like to investigate solar for your business.

If you have sufficient length left on your lease then solar can pay back in spades before your lease is up. Ideally you’ll have at least 3 years left, otherwise we recommend you seek some contributed from you landlord to support the project.

What are your energy costs and energy usage patterns?

A good solar company will want to model the output of different system sizes against your energy usage to determine the optimal system size.

Its a good idea to get a recent history of your power bills including from summer and winter to establish any seasonality in your business operations. It is also crucial to understand the typical business hours and what sort of equipment is driving your energy usage. For office spaces this typically relates mainly to when you are running the air conditioning.

If you have a smart meter installed, you can also request 12 months of interval data from your electricity retailer. This basically provides a meter reading every 15 or 30 minutes for the last year which makes life easy for a solar designer and makes estimates extremely accurate.

How much does solar cost for small businesses?

Have a look at the below table to see the latest average small business solar pricing in your state from the Solar Choice Commercial Price Index:

	10kW	30kW	50kW	70kW	100kW
Adelaide, SA	$9,750	$30,480	$53,420	$75,750	$93,580
Brisbane, QLD	$10,180	$28,330	$47,580	$68,410	$87,390
Canberra, ACT	$10,050	$30,910	$50,590	$67,670	$92,670
Hobart, TAS	$12,540	$27,490	$47,100	$65,330	$78,100
Melbourne, VIC	$9,890	$25,870	$47,150	$62,620	$84,100
Sydney, NSW	$10,520	$26,840	$48,390	$63,480	$83,370
Perth, WA	$11,920	$30,790	$59,130	$72,630	$96,010
All	$10,690	$28,670	$50,480	$67,980	$87,890

Whilst having money in the bank is great not all small businesses are cash-flourished! Luckily there are several ways in which a small business can invest in a solar array which include loans, Power Purchase Agreements (PPA’s) and Operating Lease’s. Please see here for a detailed rundown.

If you have a fixed budget then the solar system capacity can be scaled up or down to meet your requirements

How to find the optimal system size for small business?

Some businesses may be limited by roof space available, some may have just enough whilst others may have an abundance of space with only a relatively small power bill. Whichever category you fall under sizing is important.

Electricity retailers will generally either give you nothing or pay a relatively low Feed in Tariff rate, this means that if you have a larger solar system than what your consumption pattern is the excess power goes back to the grid. As a result you need to design a solar system to meet the daytime needs of the business whilst limiting exported energy.

One of Solar Choice’s engineers can recommend an optimal system size for you for free – click the link below:

Request a free solar business case and compare leading commercial installers

Get Started Now

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What solar rebates can small businesses get?

The Federal Government rebate comes in the form of Small-scale technology certificates (STC’s) and is applicable to all small businesses looking to invest in a solar array for the first time.

Generally as a rule of thumb the rebate equates to around a third off the cost of a solar install price. If you would like to know the current value of each certificate as well as complete a calculation on how much rebate you would be entitle to, please see Green Bank for assistance.

What solar products should are best?

There are a broad array of good and bad solar panels and inverter which form the main parts of a solar system. Solar Choice has independently reviewed all brands that are available on the Australian market.

You can read through our written reviews or check out video reviews from most brands on our youtube channel.

Please note that these days the vast majority of solar panels a produced in China.

See our complete buyers guide to selecting a good Solar Panel brand.

What is the ROI for solar for small businesses?

In recent years we’ve seen solar panel prices drop even further and electricity prices rise. This is considered the perfect storm for a solar business case and we’re now typically seeing the payback period for solar somewhere between 1 – 3 years.

For larger system sizes, the return on investment can extend a bit as large commercial and industrial businesses typically have access to better electricity rates. For a further look into this for your state please read our detailed article here.

Solar Choice offers a free service to anlayse the potential of solar for Small Businesses anywhere in Australia.

The post Solar Power for Small Businesses (what you need to know) appeared first on Solar Choice.

At a Glance: Thermann Heat Pumps Solar Choice Heat Pumps Score Card

$$$$$ Price: Thermann split system heat pumps are in the highest cost range $4,800-$5,600. Their Hybrid Heat Pump systems are priced in the mid-range, with models costing around $3,500 for their 220L all-in-one option..

• Efficiency: Thermann discloses a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 3.9 and up to 5.08 depending on which system you are looking at. It is difficult to compare these figures as they have not disclosed the testing conditions at which they were measured . Despite 5.08 being an impressive score we have scored this 3 points as they haven’t disclosed enough information to verify this is comparable.

• Warranty: Thermann provides a long warranty for their split Heat Pumps with 10 years on the tank, 6 years on the heat pump, and 2 years for other parts and labour. The warranty is shorter for their all-in-one system with 5 years on the tank and 2 years for parts and labour. For Victorians who receive the Solar Victoria rebate, the heat pump will have a special 5-year warranty on all components.  Score: 4 points.

• Customer Reviews: From a comparatively small number of customer reviews, the Thermann heat pumps have an aggregate rating of 3 out of 5 at the time of writing this review. We hope that this figure improves over time, particularly with their premium split system heat pump. Score: 2 points.

• Functionality: The Thermann Hybrid Heat Pump scores 3 out of 5 points for functionality. It includes a manual booster heating element, and their split system operates at a noise level of 37dB and uses an environmentally friendly CO2 refrigerant. However, it lacks LCD and WiFi app control and an option for a stainless steel tank. It should be noted that all-in-one heat pump is louder at 45dB and uses a R134a refrigerant which can be harmful to the environment. Score: 3 points.

[Note] It should be noted that we have focused on Thermann’s premium split system in the scoring above. The Thermann Hybrid Heat Pump which is an all-in-one system would have scored lower.

Remember, the scoring reflects Solar Choice’s opinion only, and we encourage buyers to do their own research. 

Company Background

Thermann have been a well-known name in the hot water industry since their inception in 2012. They produce electric and gas hot water solutions for the residential and commercial industry.

The company is Australian-owned and operated. They sell their products through a distribution agreement with Reece Plumbing Supplies. Thermann’s products are built through third party manufacturing agreements. The split heat pumps are manufactured in Australian and Japan and the all-in-one heat pumps are made in China.

Thermann have a listed google address at 57 Balmain St in Cremorne NSW. Their products are sold in Reece stores all across Australia. 

Thermann Heat Pump Model and Ranges

Thermann offers two main types of heat pump systems: Hybrid Heat Pump and Split Heat Pump. These systems are designed to provide energy-efficient hot water solutions for various household sizes and needs.

A hybrid heat pump, integrates both heat pump technology and traditional electric heating elements. The primary heating is achieved through the heat pump, which extracts heat from the ambient air and transfers it to the water efficiently. The system includes a manual booster element, an electric heater that can be activated during high demand periods to ensure a continuous supply of hot water. 

Hybrid Heat Pump

Models and Capacities:

• Thermann Hybrid 220L (Model: THPH220): Suitable for households of 3-5 people
• Thermann Hybrid 300L (Model: THPH300): Suitable for households of 4-6 people

Key Features:

• Operating Range: Functions efficiently in temperatures from -5°C to 42°C.
• Energy Efficiency: Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 3.90 (220L) and 3.58 (300L), indicating a potentially lower efficiency than some of their peers, but insufficient information is released to compare this figure.
• Manual Booster Element: Includes a manual booster element for times of high hot water demand.
• Maintenance-Free Anode: Uses an impressed current anode, eliminating the need for regular anode replacements.

The Thermann Hybrid Heat Pump is an all-in-one system meaning the heat pump is built in above the water tank in a tall cylindrical solution. This option from Thermann is a mid-range quality solution and misses some of the functionality and performance characteristics of the split system offered by Thermann.

It is good to see their all-in-one solution comes with a large 300 litre option. This is bigger than many of the other all-in-one solutions on the market and can cater to larger households of potentially up to 6 people.

Thermann Split Heat Pump

Models and Capacities:

• Thermann Split 160L (Model: THPS160): Suitable for households of 2-4 people
• Thermann Split 250L (Model: THPS250): Suitable for households of 3-5 people
• Thermann Split 315L (Model: THPS315): Suitable for households of 4-6 people
• Thermann Split 400L (Model: THPS400): Suitable for households of 5-9 people

Key Features:

• Energy Efficiency: The advertised Seasonal Coefficient of Performance (COP) is 5.0 which would be an impressive score, but they do not release sufficient information on the testing conditions to properly compare this figure.
• Quiet Operation: Rated noise level of 37dB, one of the quieter options available when compared to other brands.
• Flexible Installation: The heat pump unit can be installed up to 5 metres vertically or 15 metres horizontally from the storage tank.
• Natural Refrigerant: The Thermann split system is one of the few solutions on the market using a R744 (CO2) refrigerant, which has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1. This refrigerant has the lowest GWP available.
• High Pressure Tolerance: Designed to operate at pressures up to 850 kPa.
• Durability: The tank comes with a 10-year warranty, while the heat pump unit has a 6-year warranty, which is comparatively very long.

The Thermann Split Heat Pump system is the company’s premium heat pump on the market. With a noise level of 37dB, it matches the quietest options on the market and is one of the best options for consumers who need to place their system near an entertaining space or window they like to keep open. 

The heat pump unit is built in Japan and features some of the more impressive technical functionality that is available. 

What’s the Cost of Thermann Hot Water System Heat Pumps?

(Excluded, Installation, Freight, Rebates)

Hybrid Heat Pump Price

The cost of the Thermann Hybrid Heat Pump ranges from $3,500 to $5,000, depending on the water tank size required and the specific offer available from the distributor. This price does not include installation or freight costs. Additionally, any applicable rebates are not factored into this price and may vary based on your location and eligibility.

Split System Heat Pump Price

The cost of a Thermann Split System Heat Pump is priced between $4,500 and $5,500, depending on the model size and distributor offers. Similar to the Hybrid system, this price excludes installation and freight charges, as well as any potential rebates that may apply based on your circumstances.

Thermann Heat Pump Warranty Details Review

Hybrid Heat Pump Warranty

The Thermann Hybrid Heat Pump is covered by Stiebel Eltron for residential use. The Hybrid system’s 2-year warranty for the sealed refrigeration system is on the lower end of the spectrum, where some competitors offer up to 5 years. The 5-year tank warranty is typical, fitting within the common 5 to 10-year range in the market. The 1-year warranty on the T&P relief valve and 2 years for parts of the sealed refrigeration system are standard.

See the Thermann Hybrid warranty terms in more detail here

Split System Heat Pump Warranty

The Thermann Split Heat Pump is covered by Reece for residential use. The 6-year warranty for the heat pump unit of the Split system is competitive, matching or exceeding the 2 to 5-year warranties typically offered by other brands. The 10-year tank warranty is also above average, providing reassurance of durability, compared to the more common 5 to 10-year range. The 2-year parts and labour warranty aligns with standard industry practices, ensuring coverage for initial operational issues.

See the Thermann Split System warranty terms in more detail here

Special warranty for Solar Victoria customers

As of 1st of July 2023, Thermann are offering a full 5 year warranty on all components for customers that receive a rebate through Solar Victoria’s solar homes program. Talk to a qualified heat pump installer to confirm if you will be eligible for this rebate.

Pros & Cons of Thermann Heat Pumps

Pros:

• Quiet Operation: The Thermann split system is one of the few options on the market with a noise rating under 40dBA. Their Hybrid Heat Pump however is rated at 45dBA which is more typical of the market. 
• Operation in Cold Climates: The Thermann split system can operate to -10°C making it a good option in colder climates like in southern Victoria and Tasmania. The Hybrid Heat Pump is only operational to -5°C.
• Tank Size Options: Both the Hybrid and Split System come with larger tank sizes that can cater to bigger households with larger hot water requirements. Many brands don’t have a tank bigger than 270 litres while Thermann’s options extend all the way to 400 litres.

Cons:

• Refrigerant on Hybrid Model: The Thermann Hybrid (all-in-one) Heat Pump uses R134a is not considered environmentally friendly due to its high Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1,430. The Thermann split systems use R744 (CO2) refrigerant, which has a GWP of just 1 and is much less harmful to the environment.
• Limited Functionality: Both the hybrid and split systems, lacks features such as LCD screens, WiFi app control, and stainless steel tank options, which are available in some other brands. This limits the control and durability options for users.
• Customer Reviews: From a comparatively small number of customer reviews, the Thermann heat pumps have an aggregate rating of 3 out of 5 at the time of writing this review. We hope that this figure improves over time, particularly with their premium split system heat pump. 

Verdict: Thermann Hot Water Heat Pumps

Thermann are a well established, Australian-owned brand in the hot water space. The fact the their products are distributed by long-standing plumbing supplier Reece Australia adds good authority to their products. 

When specifically looking at Thermann’s heat pumps it is important to differentiate between their Split Systems which are positioned as a premium product and their Hybrid (all-in-one) Systems which are a cost-effective solution.

The Thermann Split Systems come with a higher price tag of between $4,500 and $5,500 and have all the bells and whistles that you would expect from a top of the line heat pump that’s manufactured in Japan. The only notable missing feature is an LCD screen or Wifi connected app to control the unit, which may be important for some customers. This solution will, however represent a great fit for customers looking for a top quality hot water solution they can set and forget.

The all-in-one Thermann Hybrid Heat Pump is designed to compete with the mid-range quality options on the market. The warranty is shorter, the noise rating is louder and the refrigerant used is more harmful to the environment. At present their are cheaper all-in-one heat pumps that come with more features and better warranties – see our best heat pumps guide.

Looking into heat pump hot water systems? Our comprehensive guide makes it easy, covering potential rebates, the real costs of hot water heat pumps, and the truth about ‘free’ upgrades. Learn about energy savings and understand the benefits and drawbacks with clear expert advice. Check out our Heat Pump Hot Water Systems Buyers Guide for an in-depth understanding of heat pumps.

Thermann Hot Water Heat Pump Technical Specifications

See Thermann Hyrbid Heat Pump Technical Specification Details in more depth here.

See Thermann Split System Heat Pump Technical Specification Details in more depth here.

The post Thermann Heat Pumps: Independent Review appeared first on Solar Choice.

Solar Choice regularly updates this article to provide a scientific view of “Are we there yet?”. Since our first analysis back in February 2017, we have modified our solar & battery calculators, assumptions and methodology to reflect the changes in the solar battery storage market.

The article explores solar batteries for residential homes, examining if they’re worth the investment through scientific analysis and real-life examples. It breaks down how these batteries function, advantages such as lower energy bills, reliability during blackouts, battery prices, and available government rebates.

In short, the answer is the current price of batteries provides a low return on investment. Often, the time it takes to recoup your investment exceeds the batteries’ warranties. For many homeowners, solar batteries don’t yet offer compelling financial value unless you highly value black-out protection during power outages and the positive impact on the environment. Keep reading to find out what you need to know below.

For those technically minded – see our more detailed analysis with 24 case examples here.

What is a solar battery & how do they work?

Before we begin our solar battery cost analysis, let’s recap on how a solar battery works. Solar panels generate power during the day when the sun is shining. This power is used first to supply energy to any needs of the home and surplus energy is then typically exported back into the grid. Some energy retailers offer a solar ‘feed-in tariff’ to buy energy back from the customer.

As an alternative to exported energy back into the grid, the surplus power can be used to charge a battery. The home battery storage system can then be discharged in the evening to reduce the amount of power the homeowner needs to buy from the grid.

Solar power batteries store energy in DC. They can be connected via DC cables to a hybrid solar inverter. Some come with their own inverter built in (e.g. the Tesla Powerwall 3) and can therefore simply be connected to the main switchboard like any other AC appliance. Read more on AC and DC connections for solar battery storage.

How do you benefit from a solar battery?

There are several ways in which a homeowner can benefit from connecting a solar battery to their solar panel system.

Saving on energy bills by reducing the amount of power you buy from the grid

The obvious one is the financial benefit of reducing the amount of power that you need to buy off the grid.

A typical residential solar system without a battery will cover about 30%-50% of household power consumption. With a solar battery, this can be increased to 80%, 90% or potentially even 100% of household power consumption.

When calculating your benefits, bear in mind that to charge a battery you have to forgo some solar feed-in tariff revenue. For example, if you charge a 10kWh battery during the day, that’s a 10kWh less feed-in tariff that you will see on your bill.

There will still be a benefit as you always pay a much higher rate to buy power than the rate that retailers are willing to buy it back from you.

Keep the lights on during a blackout

Blackouts can be highly frustrating and in some cases a risk to health. Different areas of the electrical network are more prone to receiving blackouts than others.

Most solar batteries on the market are now capable of keeping the lights on during a power outage. With some battery models, additional hardware is required to enable the battery to continue providing power during a blackout.

With the energy market closing due to soaring energy prices in mid-2022, for some Australians, we see a desire to increase their independence from the power network. Solar and batteries effectively take the majority of requirements and costs into your own hands.

Reduce your carbon footprint

Although we’ve made huge progress on the rollout of renewable energy infrastructure in Australia, the majority of the power generated on the grid is still from carbon-intensive, fossil fuel sources.

Installing solar panels is a great start to reducing your carbon footprint, but adding a solar battery will often more than double the reduction in your carbon footprint.

Solar Battery Virtual Power Plant (VPP)

In recent years we’ve seen the emergence of many different Virtual Power Plant schemes in Australia.

For participating homeowners, their solar battery may be discharged or charged by the VPP operator at times when they can make money on the wholesale or ancillary markets.

In exchange for this usage (which is often only a couple of times a year), the VPP operator will offer a benefit to the homeowner which might take the form of one of the below:

1. Bonus feed-in tariff (very high rate for power that is used)
2. Annual fixed fee for participating
3. A discount on the installation of the battery

How much do solar batteries cost?

Solar Choice has been tracking the average price of solar batteries in Australia across our database of over 200 solar installers in our Solar Battery Price Index since 2017. Residential solar batteries usually cost between $1,000 to $1,300 per kWh of capacity installed depending on brand, size and location.

The below table shows our current price index which excludes all of the state-based rebates:

* Battery only price is applicable if you are installing solar and batteries at the same time or have an existing solar system with a hybrid solar inverter

** This price is for retrofitting batteries to a solar system that has not allowed for a battery integration in the future which requires an additional inverter/charger to be installed along with the battery

State rebates for solar batteries

While there is no federal rebate for solar batteries like the STC rebate for solar panels, some of state governments have introduced rebate programs aimed at accelerating the uptake of residential batteries.

NSW

NSW have announced a battery rebate which will become available in November 2024. This will offer between $1,600 to $2,400 for eligible homes depending on the size of the battery. Read more here.

Victoria

Solar Victoria offers a interest-free battery loan of up to $8,800. Eligibility criteria includes a means test, houses with at least 5kW of solar installed and for owner occupiers only.

ACT

In the ACT you can get an interest-free loan up to $15,000 to cover the cost of solar and battery systems. The eligibility criteria are quite broad and support the uptake of a range of climate-friendly products.

Queensland

Queensland’s battery booster program with rebates of $3,000 – $4,000 closed for new applications in May 2024. There has been no indication at this stage that there will be future rounds.