Can you go off the grid with a 10kW solar system plus battery storage?

May 16, 2017
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We previously wrote an article about the feasibility of an Australian home going off-grid with a 3kW solar system – quite a small system size for such an ambitious endeavour. In this article, we’ll look at the case for going off-grid with a 10kW solar system – the unofficial upper limit for residential solar system […]

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10kW solar power systems: Price, power output, and returns

May 16, 2017
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10kW solar systems are a great investment for Australian homes with high levels of electricity consumption or businesses with relatively small electricity needs. This article takes a look at 10kW solar system pricing, energy production and returns in Australia. Recommend on Facebook Share on Linkedin Tweet about it Print for later Tell a friend

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Avoiding the boom and bust for a sustainable energy storage market

May 15, 2017
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By studying the successes and challenges experienced by overseas projects and markets, and using them to inform better policy and decision-making, Australia’s energy market transformation could be the best-practice example that other countries seek to emulate, according to Mark Leslie, Asia Market Leader at AES Energy Storage. AES Energy Storage has been deploying utility-scale energy […]

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3kW vs 5kW solar system: Which is a better investment?

May 15, 2017
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One of the first decisions a household considering solar will need to make is the capacity (in kilowatts, kW) of the system to be installed. Two of the most popular residential solar PV system sizes in Australia are 3kW and 5kW. Which system size is the better investment – and why? You’ll save the most […]

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Queensland solar panels: Compare installers and system prices

May 12, 2017
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Solar panels remain a popular investment option in Queensland thanks to low solar PV system prices and ample sunshine.  Today, both homes and businesses alike consider going solar as a way to save on energy bills. Instantly compare solar & battery system prices 3 reasons to go solar in Queensland There are essentially 3 reasons for the current level […]

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How home cooling affects your solar PV setup

May 11, 2017
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Home cooling and solar PV are inextricably linked in two ways: Time of day: our need for cooling is strongest when temperatures peak during the daytime – the time when solar electricity production is also at its strongest. Time of year: summer is the time of year when our solar panels produce the most electricity. […]

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Residential Solar PV Price Index – May 2017

May 11, 2017
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Average solar system installation prices for May 2017 hover at the same level as April‘s – $1.57 per watt ($1.57/W). 5kW solar systems continue to offer the best value for money at an average of $1.25/W – or about $7,100 installed. Average solar PV system prices for May 2017 Prices in the table below include both the […]

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Commercial Solar PV Price Index for May 2017

May 11, 2017
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Average commercial solar system prices remain unchanged for the second month in a row, coming in at $1.23/W, according to pricing from the Solar Choice commercial installer network database. Average 10kW system prices sit at $1.32/W, 30kW system prices at $1.21/W, 50kW system prices at $1.23/W and 100kW solar system prices at $1.15/W. Commercial solar […]

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RET very much in reach with record $7.5bn renewables spend

May 9, 2017
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Australia is experiencing its biggest ever investment spree in large-scale renewable energy, according to two new sets of data, putting the 2020 renewable energy target well within reach. The Clean Energy Council confirmed on Wednesday that new figures put the value of large scale wind and solar projects, and one solitary biomass plant, beginning construction […]

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Solar-plus-storage: How much battery capacity do you need?

May 8, 2017
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Lots of Solar Choice customers ask about battery storage for solar power, but not many have a clear idea of how much battery capacity they need. This article takes a look at the factors that come into play when considering how to choose the right amount of battery capacity for your solar-plus-storage system. How much energy independence […]

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NSW solar feed-in tariff to increase: Three things to keep in mind

May 4, 2017
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In a bit of good news for NSW solar PV system owners, state regulatory body IPART has released a draft report recommending that the benchmark solar feed-in tariff rate be increased to 11.6 – 14.6c per kWh (c/kWh). This is significant increase over current rates of roughly 6-8c/kWh, and is sure to greatly brighten the […]

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Solar panel tilt and orientation in Australia

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What angle and orientation are best for solar panels in Australia? Solar panels are installed differently based on their geographic locations throughout the world. The premise behind this is simple; the sun is in a different place in the sky, and solar panels should face it as squarely as is reasonably possible throughout the day. […]

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Solar Power in NSW: What are the benefits?

May 1, 2017
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Solar power is still a great investment in NSW even in the absence a feed-in tariff incentive in the state. The fact that solar PV system prices have been declining combined with the fact that retail electricity rates have risen significantly in recent years means that solar panels can now serve as a cost-effective, rooftop […]

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Sizing residential solar & battery systems: A quick guide

April 26, 2017
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What size solar panel array do you need for your home? And if you’re considering battery storage, what size battery bank would be most appropriate? This article includes tables that provide an at-a-glance guide, as well as links to more comprehensive calculators. Solar system sizing table (no batteries) If you’re considering solar panels for your […]

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Dropping solar and wind costs means renewable exports could replace gas and coal

April 26, 2017
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The Australian Renewable Energy Agency set to announce that hydrogen projects will become one of its new investment priorities in the coming year, just as the country is being urged to maintain its status as a major energy exporter. The government is being told that “green fuel” exports – powered by wind and solar – […]

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Deutsche Bank predicts continued growth for global solar market

April 24, 2017
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Global investment group Deutsche Bank has predicted continued growth for the global solar market, bumping up its 2017 estimate for total demand to 82GW, from a previous forecast of 74GW. In its latest quarterly report, published at the end of last week, Deutsche named further reductions in the costs of PV technology, as well as […]

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“Mobile solar” plants to challenge diesel for use in mines, construction sites

April 20, 2017
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Australian developed “mobile solar” technology will be tested at the 1MW scale in New South Wales, after winning a new grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. The modular, mobile solar power solution was developed by the Australian arm of UK-based builder Laing O’Rourke, initially as a way to cut diesel fuel costs at the […]

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Find the best solar power deals in Perth, WA

April 19, 2017
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Perth, WA is one of the best places in the country to install a solar power system. Like most of Australia, in Perth retail electricity rates are rising, and solar installation prices have fallen significantly over the past few years, thanks in part to the financial subsidies available through the federal government. How much does a […]

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Microinverters: Are they right for your solar system?

April 18, 2017
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As the name suggests, microinverters are small inverters for use in solar PV systems, usually installed at a ratio of one per solar panel. By contrast, most solar PV systems in Australia have a single, centralised inverter called a string inverter. What are the advantages of having a solar PV system that uses microinverters instead of […]

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Alternative monitoring solution for Enecsys owners who are left in the dark

April 18, 2017
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With the end of microinverter manufacturer Enecsys in early 2015, so ended the company’s online monitoring platform, leaving Enecsys system owners without any way to monitor their system’s output data. Two years on, there is now an alternative monitoring solution that gives Enecsys owners an overview of the performance of their solar panels: EnecsysOutput.com EnecsysOutput is an online […]

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Coalition governments holding back renewable energy

April 18, 2017
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New South Wales might be Australia’s only mainland state or territory with a Coalition government and energy minister, but that hasn’t stopped it from having high renewables and emissions reduction ambitions of its own. Its Climate Change Fund Strategic Plan – unveiled as part of the NSW 2050 zero emissions target last October – openly […]

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Commercial Solar PV Price Index for April 2017

April 11, 2017
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Average commercial solar system prices increased slightly between March and April, according to data from the Solar Choice installer network. The rise – up to $1.23/W from $1.21/W – follows several months of steady decreases. Commercial solar system prices (10kW-100kW) All prices in the tables below include incentives available through the federal Renewable Energy Target […]

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Solar power in Sydney, NSW: Compare prices & installers

April 11, 2017
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Sydney is a great place for solar power, and roughly 10-15% of Sydney area homes have solar panels installed on their roofs. This article is 5-point guide to everything you need to know if you’re considering solar power for your Sydney home – including how Solar Choice can help you compare quotes. 5 good reasons to go solar […]

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Residential Solar PV Price Index – April 2017

April 10, 2017
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Average residential solar system prices for April 2017 have crept to a fresh low of $1.57 per watt ($1.57/W) – slightly lower than March‘s average of $1.58/W but in keeping with the (very) gradual decline that we’ve been witnessing since the beginning of 2017. Average prices for 3kW, 4kW and 5kW solar systems also hit […]

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Victoria beats South Australia tender with 100+ proposals

April 7, 2017

Victoria’s battery storage tender has attracted some 110 proposals, outstripping even the extraordinary response to the rival tender in South Australia. Officials confirmed the tender numbers last week, with more than two-thirds of the proposals being considered “credible”. The call for expressions of interest was for a 20MW/80MWh battery storage array to be built in western […]

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How much can you really save with ‘selective export’ of solar & battery energy?

April 7, 2017
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Now that solar feed-in tariff rates are so low across the country, there’s little reason for a solar system owner to send their energy back into the grid, as they will almost always save more money by ‘self-consuming‘ their solar energy. This is one of the reasons that the popularity of battery storage systems has grown so […]

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Why the right solar trackers make bankable sense in Australia

April 5, 2017
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Australian developers, financiers and EPCs are increasingly choosing solar trackers over fixed-tilt racking for their large-scale projects because of the trackers’ superior energy yield (20-30% more than fixed tilt) as well as cost of ownership and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) advantages. Horizontal single-axis trackers (SATs) in particular have become the technology of choice. Funding […]

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Solar Analytics to launch “game changing” energy management system

April 3, 2017
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NSW energy technology company Solar Analytics is set to roll out a new and improved suite of smart home software and hardware aimed at helping consumers maxmise energy efficiency and slash bills. The company said on Thursday that it was in the final stages of pilot trials for new software services and is establishing key […]

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‘No more energy bills’ with solar? Buyer beware

April 3, 2017
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Rooftop solar panels are a fantastic investment in Australia, but be realistic in your expectations “Eliminate your energy bills!” is a phrase – sometimes used in solar sales pitches – that Australian consumers should greet with a healthy degree of scepticism. If someone is making a promise that sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly […]

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Victoria’s Hazelwood shuts down for good

April 1, 2017
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Victoria’s Hazelwood brown coal power station shut down the last of its 8 units at 4pm on Wednesday, the latest and the most powerful symbol of the vast and rapid change in our energy system. Just one day after Hazelwood closed, a new $1 billion solar PV and battery storage plant was being unveiled for […]

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Commercial Solar PV Price Index for March 2017

March 31, 2017
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Average commercial solar system prices continue to decrease for the third month in a row, this month hitting a new all-time low of $1.21 per watt. Commercial solar system prices (10kW-100kW) All prices in the tables below include incentives available through the federal Renewable Energy Target as well as GST, but do not incorporate meter installation […]

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