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Take control of your solar electricity In the past, if your solar panels produced more electricity than your household used, it made good financial sense to export that excess electricity back to the grid. In return, your electricity company would pay you anywhere between 20c-50c/kWh of electricity. However, lucrative feed-in tariffs like that are now a distant memory, with power companies only paying around 5c-12c/kWh these days. Given that you’ll be paying much more than that to buy electricity back off the grid at night (between 25c-40c/kWh depending on your electricity supplier), you’re

On 20 July 2017, STC prices have dropped dramatically, affecting every company across the solar industry, small or large, as well as PV customers all over Australia. This dip has caused the price of a 5kW solar system to increase by approximately $1000. So how do STCs work and when can you expect system prices to go down again? What are STCs? The solar industry benefits from a government incentive called the ‘Renewable Energy Target’ (RET). Under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, households and businesses with solar power systems up to 100kW, receive Small-Scale Technology Certificates

Our 3-step guide to saving money on power bills: Step 1 - Going Solar Here is a simulation of your potential savings compared to the same usage without solar power. Please note that solar power systems produce 2 to 3 times more energy in summer than in winter, so your summer bills are a lot lower in the summer months. However, we have taken that into account, and the consumption data provided below are yearly averages. If you install a 5kW solar power system on your roof, which produces 22.5kWh per day, your production for the September-October billing period (61 days) will be 1372.5kWh. If

LG has recently released the NeON 2, an award-winning solar module already labelled “the panel of the future”. From high performance to low degradation, great resistance, and superior warranty cover, the new model from LG ticks every box! Whether you wish to make the switch to solar or to upgrade your current PV system, here are 3 good reasons to consider the LG NeON 2: 1. Produce more electricity and save more money With extra wire busbars, double-sided cells, and better performance in hot weather and in low-light conditions, the NeON 2 is currently the most efficient solar panel on the

With higher feed-in tariffs, more affordable solar panels, increasingly productive PV systems and valuable STCs, now is the time to make the switch to solar! 5 compelling reasons to go solar: Rising energy costs As energy costs in Australia continue to soar, solar is considered a low-cost energy option. With electricity prices across the country set to further increase from July 2017, switching to solar now only makes sense. Continuing government incentives Upfront government incentives are still available and can account for a significant percentage of the upfront cost of the system so, even

If you are shopping for solar, you may have been warned about phoenix companies which, like their namesake, are reborn from their ashes. But how much do you really know about them and, more importantly, about how to avoid them? What is a phoenix company? Although there is no legal definition of a phoenix company, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission, describes this practice as an illegal activity involving “t he intentional transfer of assets from an indebted company to a new company to avoid paying creditors, tax or employee entitlements.” In order words, phoenix companies are

Winter is coming and your power bills are about to send shivers down your spine. Why not anticipate by analysing your consumption and adjusting your usage? Read on to find out what your electricity bill is made of and how to reduce it thanks to solar energy, load shifting and battery storage. Understand your electricity bill Your Synergy bills vary according to your plan, consumption and billing period. 1. Your Synergy plan There are two main household Synergy plans: With the Home Plan A1, you pay the same rate every day: $0.26474 per kWh (inc GST). This is called “anytime tariff”. Update

Is your old hot water system due for replacement? The day has finally come for you to replace your old hot water system. All those years of wear and tear, extreme temperatures, corrosion and exposure to the elements have taken their toll. Yet, where should you start looking for a suitable replacement? What’s the most affordable and efficient approach, taking into account your existing set-up? These are questions we hear on a daily basis at Solargain. To help you choose the best replacement for your household, we’ve put together some recommendations based on the type of hot water system you

With Western Australia’s conditions well suited to solar power and over 220,000 solar power systems now installed in Western Australia, there is no denying our love for clean, green energy. However, with a change of government, you might have been wondering what the future holds for renewable energy and solar power in Western Australia since Mark McGowan and WA Labor won the recent state election. We take a look at the impact Premier McGowan’s election commitments might have on this important industry. First up is his commitment to invest in innovative technologies for the state’s jobs future

Solargain is proud to announce the renewal of its partnership with Carbon Neutral as well as its new Green Partner status. Carbon Neutral helps businesses nationally and internationally to decrease their environmental footprint by supporting them in the assessment, reduction and compensation of their greenhouse gas emissions. With over 15 years of experience in carbon management and consulting, it is the largest biodiverse reforestation offset developer in Australia. Each year, Solargain contributes to the “ Plant a Tree” program and has, since 2013, helped to establish 720 native trees and

At Solargain, we understand the devil is in the details, which is why we select the best quality materials to install and service your solar power system. Plus, we keep track of the items we use, so we can be proactive in informing our customers, should any issue arise. It’s the little things that count Coated stainless steel cable ties Our experience has shown us that stainless steel cable ties have the potential to cut into the system’s DC cables and create faults down the track. This is why we only supply polyester-coated stainless steel cable ties instead. Their smooth rounded edges

Over the past year, Choice magazine and the CSIRO have partnered up to test and review some of the most commonly sold solar panels in Australia. This is excellent for consumers, as it highlights the most popular panels and quantifies their features. Now, the results are in. After a full year of exposure to all sorts of Australian weather conditions, the JinkoSolar panel came second overall and was one of only two modules to score over 90%. It was also one of two modules to receive an “excellent” performance rating. It comfortably outperformed all other modules in its price range, with the