Residents of Devonport, Tasmania who are looking to install a solar panel system will find themselves faced with a number of questions as well as a range of options to choose from. This article addresses of all the most important questions for that Devonport residents might have when shopping around for a solar system, and also goes over some of the options available. Make sure that you know your options to ensure that you get the best deal on solar panels in Devonport!
Attention Tasmania customers:
Deadline for applications for Tasmania’s solar feed-in tariff is 30 August 2013
How much power will my solar panels produce in Devonport?
The first thing that anyone thinking about installing a solar PV system in Devonport should understand is how much a system can potentially save them on their power bills, which in turn depends primarily on how much power it the panels will produce. Solar panel output depends on a number of factors, but climate, latitude, solar system orientation, and solar panel tilt angle are among the most important.
An installer or one of Solar Choice’s brokering team members will be able to tell you more about what might come into play, but as a rule of thumb, a system in Devonport can be expected to generate around 3.5 units (also called kilowatt-hours or kWh) of electricity per day per kilowatt (kW) of installed capacity, averaged throughout the year. Since this 3.5kWh figure is averaged, it means that systems will produce more electricity in the summer when the days are longer in less in the winter when they are shorter. Some examples are listed below.
1.5kW solar system: 5.25kWh/day
2kW solar system: 7kWh/day
3kW solar system: 10.15kWh/day
4kW solar system: 14kWh/day
5kW solar system: 17.5kWh/day
How much is a kWh worth to you? Electricity consumption vs production in your home
Once you have some idea of what a solar system will produce in terms of power for the average Devonport home or business, the next thing to consider is how much power you actually use. A typical 3-person household in Australia consumes about 20kWh of electricity per day, but you can learn your own consumption habits by looking at a recent power bill, which should have historic consumption figures from previous bills as well.
Keep in mind that unless you have a battery storage for solar power installed (which most homes and businesses do not), the electricity that your solar system produces has only 2 possible destinations: your electrical appliances, or the electricity grid via your meter. This means that using your solar power means running electronic devices while the sun in shining. By default, the power will go first to appliances, with any excess being ‘exported’ to the grid.
Tasmania’s 1-for-1 solar buyback program through Aurora Energy
Fortunately, at the moment it is not essential for Tasmanians to use all their solar power while it is being generated, thanks to the feed-in tariff offered by Aurora (deadline for applications is 30 August 2013). Under this arrangement, any excess solar energy exported to the grid will earn system owners signed up for the scheme a premium of 28c/kWh (the same as what homes pay for their electricity purchased from the grid), which means that whether you consume the solar energy yourself (thereby avoiding charges on your bill) or export it (and get credits on your bill), you will save 28c for each kWh that your system generates.
Once this ‘1-for-1’ scheme is closed, Devonport solar system owners will instead be paid 8c/kWh for the power that they export. This means that there is still great potential for power bill savings, but mainly for those homes and businesses that can ensure can use the power power that their system produces during the daytime.
Up-front discounts on system installations via the federal government
Solar systems installed in Devonport (and the the rest of Australia) will receive an up-front discount from the federal government via the country’s Renewable Energy Target. This ‘rebate’ is available in the form of ‘small-scale technology certificates’ (STCs), which are created whenever an accredited solar PV system up to 100kW in capacity is commissioned. In Devonport and the rest of Tasmania, STCs effectively cut about 55-65c per watt from the cost of having a system installed (read more about solar system prices in Australia). Most installers in the Solar Choice network will disclose this discount in their pricing info when you request a Solar Quote Comparison.
Finding the best solar deals in Devonport, Tasmania
Ready to start shopping? Solar Choice, as Australia’s free Solar Energy Brokering and advice service, assists solar shoppers in identifying their options throughout Australia-including Devonport, Tasmania. Request a Solar Quote Comparison today by filling out the form to the right of this page, or call us on 1300 78 72 73.
© 2012 Solar Choice Pty Ltd
(Top image via Wikipedia.)
Dear Sir/Madam,
Could you please provide me with a quote and a couple of installers for a 5kw and a 10kw system in Devonport Tasmania.
Thank you
Calin
Hi Calin,
Thanks for commenting. I see that you have already filled out our form and are in our register. One of our brokers will be in touch with you soon. Good luck with your solar situation!