If you’re like many Australians out there, and are concerned about the environment but not too sure how you can make a real difference, then you’re not alone.

According to the 2018 Australian Department of Environment and Energy’s emissions report, combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity was deemed one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions. This really is not that surprising, as fossil fuel combustion is heavily relied on as a source of electricity across Australia and around the world.

So then why is it important for us, as consumers, to start reducing our emissions? And how can we do this without moving to an off-grid farm, 100km from the CBD where you live only off the land, and generate your power through wind and solar?

You might be interested to know that reducing your emissions doesn’t have to change your entire lifestyle, and there are easy things you can start doing today to contribute to fostering a more sustainable future.

Why is it important we reduce our emissions/carbon footprint?

Basically, our emissions affect our world, atmosphere and consequently, our health.

Fossil fuel combustion emits both CO₂ and harmful particles which not only contributes to global warming and other environmental effects, but can cause deaths as a result of air pollution. Countries such as China and India count millions of deaths from air pollution yearly, and incur billions of dollars in cost. It may seem obvious, but by reducing our emissions we can not only lower the number unhealthy particles in the atmosphere, but also lower the spread of non-communicable disease, better our water conditions and improve our air quality.

Easy ways you can reduce your carbon footprint

Although we as Australians are continually striving to reduce our carbon emissions, we can do a lot more. By incorporating these minor lifestyle changes into your everyday routines, you can do your bit for the environment and help create a more sustainable world.

1. Drive less

Apart from combustion of fuel to generate electricity, one other major contributors to emissions is transport. Most vehicles will, to a certain degree, have emissions due to fuel usage. So the next time you’re thinking of driving somewhere, try other alternatives such as walking, cycling or even carpool with your friends – especially if you’re only travelling a short distance.

2. Use energy efficient products

Using energy efficient products can significantly reduce your emissions. By switching to compact fluorescent lightbulbs or by using TVs, dishwasher, and washing machines with high energy-ratings, you can dramatically lower your electricity usage and consequently reduce your carbon footprint and emissions.

3. Reduce, reuse and recycle

Landfills and electricity used in the production of products such as plastic bags or plastic cups significantly affect carbon emissions. You can lower emissions by reducing your waste; reusing products such as reusable bags or coffee cups; and recycling or composting. Australia is currently banning plastic bags across all states and are phasing them out, so now is the perfect time to make the change.

4. Plant more trees

You can further help to lower your emission of CO₂ in the atmosphere by growing more plants or trees. This not only leads to a cleaner atmosphere (as plants utilise CO₂ to grow in a process called photosynthesis) but also creates a more sustainable and healthy environment for the future.

5. Switch to clean energy

Switching to solar energy is one of the best and easiest ways you can reduce your carbon emissions. Solar PV uses sunlight to generate electricity, reducing your reliance on the grid and reducing your carbon footprint. With various grants and government initiatives available across the nation, going solar has never been more affordable. Want to take the first step? Simply speak to one of our energy consultants today about finding the right system to suit your needs. 

Unfortunately, many consumers in Australia have found that their solar retailers have liquidated or left the country, leaving them as what’s known as a ‘Solar Orphan’. So what do you do when your solar provider is no longer around?

On December 28th, 2018 – A Current Affair did a brief story on “Solar Orphans” which started an important conversation amongst the industry and consumers alike. Various concerns have been raised including warranty issues, completion of installations and company liability – more importantly, what should consumers do if their solar company is no longer around?

Leaving consumers without a solar company has been an issue since 2011, where there was a reduction or loss of feed in tariffs around the country.

The recent closure of two larger solar providers, True Value Solar and Energy Matters, has reignited this discussion due to their sheer (former) presence in the industry. In fact, from the outside these solar companies ticked many of the boxes for what a ‘good solar company’ should be, meaning they were often a top list contender on consumers’ lists. So how can consumers be fooled into thinking these companies will be there for them in many years to come?

What led to the demise of these (and many other) solar companies?

True Value Solar were established in 2009 and as such, had a long operating history in the industry. They had a significant market position and were well advertised, which made consumers feel confident in their brand. However in 2013, True Value Solar became wholly owned by an international investment group (German owned M + W Group) – a factor consumers should strongly consider before choosing their solar company. In the end, True Value Solar sited the competitive landscape of the industry as the primary reason for their closure.

Similarly, Energy Matters were a major player in the industry for the past 10 years. They held significant market share and positive customer reviews. In 2014, a US company, Sun Edison, purchased Energy Matters and it was then purchased from another US investment group (Flex) almost two years later. As of December 14, 2018 Flex announced that they will begin to wind down their business in the Australian solar industry stating a “managed withdrawal”, whereby similar to True Value Solar’s statement; they will honour their commitments.

What happens to solar orphans now these companies are gone?

Interestingly, both True Value Solar and Energy Matters exited the industry during record installation levels, claiming their low margins were a major decider. However, when comparing the Australian solar industry on the scale of an international portfolio, the margins are significantly lower. Due to this, it’s becoming integral to ensure that the ownership of the business is solely Australian.

It’s also important that consumers consider the age of the company they’re about to engage with as anything younger than 5 years old we would deem as infant, and anything from 10 years old would be considered a mature company. Other factors to look for when choosing a solar company include CEC accreditations, Quality Assurance and customer reviews.

Final thoughts.

So what can you do if you’re a “solar orphan”? All is not lost! Sometimes the manufacturer of your panels and inverter have service partners (Solargain is a preferred service partner for most reputable manufacturers in the industry). In this case you’re only exposed for the workmanship aspect of your installation, however at least your products should be covered. You may also seek further advice from your state’s independent consumer entity. You can get in touch with the appropriate body via the ACCC website: https://www.accc.gov.au

If you require any advice or assistance please get in touch with us here: https://www.solargain.com.au/contact

A full list of all companies no longer around to support their customers can be found on our site here: https://www.solargain.com.au/solar-companies-gone-liquidation

Recent changes in regulation have caused many solar installations to undergo grid voltage issues. After a tricky period during which we have had to go back to some installations a few times to fine-tune, network operators have been very pro-active in fixing the voltage issues that were causing the problems, and the worst is now comfortably behind us.

High grid voltages make for inverter outages

When you are producing more power than you are using, your inverter needs to send some power back to the grid. In order for a solar inverter to return power to the grid, it must put out a higher voltage than the grid to force it back.

This has never been an issue because the inverter voltage could always increase if the grid voltage was high. However, since changes to AS 4777.2 became effective on 9 October 2016, inverters have been limited to a 255V output. Thus, if the grid voltage is already high, your inverter is no longer able to overcome it and, instead, shuts itself off.

Nationally, this has not been much of a problem, but in Western Australia, it has been a greater issue due to the high grid voltage in some residential areas.

Putting new settings into your inverter

Despite the confusion this situation has caused, it has allowed us to develop viable solutions and processes which are now well in place and working. Premium inverters like the Fronius and Huawei have enabled us to customise settings perfectly to suit these conditions. Our ability to amend the inverter settings is different in each state and dependent on your inverter model.

Ramping

One term you may hear is “ramping”. Ramping refers to the inverters ability to reduce its output marginally during times of high grid voltage. As mentioned, to push power back the inverter will add some voltage so whatever your incoming voltage is, if you have solar it will add up to 2% volt rise. The settings on your inverter are required by Australian standards to ensure grid quality and safety. As such when your inverter begins to approach these voltage limits it will ramp down to ensure shutdown is avoided. This will minimally affect your yield, in most instances by less the 3% over the course of a year. However not all inverters have the ability to ramp and in this instance if your inverter reaches the voltage limits it will disconnect and only reconnect when the grid has reduced to 253V.

Case Study

One case study that we can share comes from an installation in Perth. The below graph illustrates what is occurring during the day with high voltage. In this case, if power is going back to the grid (requiring a higher voltage), the production has been reduced slightly to bring the output voltage within limits.

This is excellent management from the Fronius inverter and, in many cases, impossible with other inverters. Furthermore, we were able to share this data with the network provider to illustrate what was happening and Western Power’s response has been excellent, acknowledging the issue to the customer and commencing the process of rectifying it.

Taking the matter up with your network operator

Unfortunately, not all inverters offer the same degree of control as Fronius and Huawei, so we can’t always manage this as well. That being said, most premium inverter brands do offer some form of control over these settings.

Whether your voltage issue is resolved or not, we strongly advise you to take the matter up with the network provider in order to avoid any future problems. You will need to provide evidence – such as pictures from your inverter monitoring portal – that the grid voltage exceeds 255V, which is the maximum your inverter is allowed to put out. Although we are not allowed to contact network operators on your behalf, we can help you collect the required information.

For assistance, please contact Solargain.

South Australians - Want to Save Thousands on A Solar PV Battery in Your Home?

If you’ve been thinking about installing a Solar PV Battery in your South Australian home, now is the time to act. The South Australian State Government are offering subsidies and loans to assist homeowners in paying for their home battery systems, potentially saving you thousands on a solar PV battery installation – not to mention the countless number of benefits that will come from installing a solar PV battery in your home, overtime.

Here’s everything you need to know about the South Australian Home Battery Scheme…

What Is the South Australian Home Battery Scheme?

In October 2018, the South Australian State Government announced the South Australian Home Battery Scheme, which allows thousands of SA householders to have access to over $100 million in State Government subsidies, to assist in paying for the installation of solar PV home battery systems.

The Home Battery Scheme will directly reduce electricity costs for the 40,000 households who buy a subsidised household energy storage system. The installation of the systems will reduce demand on the network (especially at peak periods), whilst lowering prices for all South Australians. According to the SA Government, the subsidy will vary according to the size of the battery, and is capped at a maximum $6,000 per household.

What Are the Benefits of Having A Battery in Your Home?

The South Australian Home Battery Scheme allows you to make the most of installing a solar PV battery in your home. When you install a battery storage device in your home, you can store the additional energy produced throughout the day and utilise it during peak times - allowing you to naturally take advantage of your installed solar PV system, and the energy you’re generating. Read more about the benefits of installing a battery storage device in your home, here.

How Do I Apply for the SA Home Battery Scheme?

Applying for the South Australian Home Battery Scheme is easy. Simply visit the dedicated website available to assist all South Australian’s throughout the application, then visit our SA Product Register page to choose the right solar PV battery for your SA home.

Find Out More

Need more information on the SA Home Battery Scheme? Our team are here to help. Simply contact us today!

Did you know Solargain’s team has 12 Customer Liaison Officers to handle all post-install enquiries. Plus three additional staff to handle all warranty claims! We pride ourselves on training our staff to handle an array of challenging questions you might have about your system after it’s been installed so that we can best support you as a new solar owner. We also use dedicated service solar electricians to ensure you get a speedy and informed resolution should any issues arise. Our service department handle enquiries about:

• Grid voltage related issues
• Battery and monitoring enquiries
• Online communication issues
• Performance and yield enquiries
• Inverter or panel faults, and support through the warranty process.
• Recommendations about consumption patterns
• Customers improvement recommendations
• Organising annual maintenance

What’s more, we actually assist a large section of the market who are “solar orphans”. That is those customers whose original company has liquidated or that they find to be unresponsive to their concerns. Solargain can assist most of these customers as we are preferred service agents for most major inverter, panel and battery manufacturers in the market. We also have a lot of great content on our website to help customers monitor their systems performance, conduct resets, set up wifi and much more. Visit our service page here

Here at Solargain, we’re one of the few leading companies who are wholly Australian owned and are actually a family business to this day! While not everyone here are related by blood, this is a photo of our Rockingham “family”, having fun helping out customers!

Are You Eligible for the Victorian Solar Power Rebate?

If you’re a homeowner in Victoria then it’s your lucky day because you could be cutting your power bills in half thanks to a new Government solar energy program said to save households up to $890 a year on energy costs.

A media release from the Minister of Energy, Environment & Climate Change announced the Solar Homes program late last month which aims to reignite a solar ‘spark’ in almost 650,000 homes across Victoria in the space of 10 years.

What is the Solar Homes Package?

The Solar Homes program, which offers households up to $2,225 off their solar power installation, is predicted to cut carbon emissions by almost four million tonnes and generate 12.5% of Victoria’s 40% target for renewable energy by 2025.

A new independent agency, Solar Victoria, aims to work with industry members, regulators and training organisations to deliver the program, which will create almost 5,500 new jobs.

Could you be eligible for the Solar Homes rebate?

Rebates are only available for the first 24,000 homes, and for solar systems installed from 19 August 2018 to 30 June 2019. 9/10 Victorians who own their own home are eligible for this rebate, however you must meet the following criteria:

• Be the owner-occupier of a home in Victoria, Australia.
• Not have solar PV on your property OR be replacing your solar PV system that was installed before 1 November 2009.
• Your home must be valued at less than $3 million dollars.
• Your combined household income must be less than $180,000.
• Not-for-profit community housing providers will also be eligible to apply for a rebate on behalf of their tenants.

Choosing the right solar energy company

Solar Victoria encourage home-owners to select their solar power company carefully, ensuring that they:

• install a Clean Energy Council (CEC) Approved Product
• use a CEC Accredited Installer such as Solargain
• provide you with a completed copy of the Solar Provider Statement certifying that they:   
   
  • hold an unrestricted Class A Electrical Licence, registered with Energy Safe Victoria
  • have had no prosecutions registered with WorkSafe Victoria in the past three years (or with an equivalent authority in another Australian jurisdiction).

Beware of solar rebate scammers!

Solar Victoria have raised concerns about scammers targeting homeowners. The solar panel systems granted under this program should only be installed by accredited solar installers using approved products to ensure the highest safety standards, which means it’s more important than ever to ensure you’re dealing with the right company.

Stay cool and save money this summer with these clever ideas for cutting your power bill.

#1: Ensure your air con is ‘working smarter, not harder’

Resist the temptation to turn your air con on full-boar, in the hope that it’ll cool the room down faster. (All that does is chew up electricity!) Instead, set your air conditioner to around 25°C with a moderate fan speed. Slow and steady wins the race when cooling your home affordably.

#2: Stop the leaks and block out the heat

Be on the lookout for places where cold air can escape from your air conditioned room, like under doorways and via open windows. Place a rolled-up towel along the bottom of the door to keep the cold air in. Make sure all your windows are fully closed and draw your curtains or blinds to dramatically reduce the amount of heat entering the room from outside.

#3: Fans are your friend

Before you reach for the air con remote, consider switching a fan on instead. Fans are much more energy efficient than air conditioners, yet they can can be highly effective at cooling you down on a hot day. By keeping your fan blades free of dust, they'll be more aerodynamic and require less power to run. Bonus points if you remember to switch the fan off as you leave the room.

#4: Look after your air con and it will look after you

In the same way that you take care of your car by servicing it regularly, your air conditioner will perform better if it is serviced regularly too. Refrigeration mechanics use high pressure cleaners to remove mould, bacteria and other build-up from your air conditioner filters. If left unserviced, your air conditioner has to work a lot harder to cool your home, chewing up extra kilowatts along the way.

#5: Make the most of long summer days

Summer means longer days as the sun sets later in the evening compared with winter. Instead of sweltering inside around the dining table, head outside for a twilight picnic. Barbequing outside means you won't be heating up the kitchen with a hot oven or stove top. Spending time outside also allows you to save electricity by turning off the television, the computer and any unused lights inside. Make the most of this quality time with your loved ones by throwing a ball around with the kids or catching up on the day's events over a cold drink.

#6: Add whimsy to your garden at night

While you're enjoying an evening outdoors, imagine the ambiance that solar powered lanterns would add to your backyard, around the pool, strung from the trees and lighting the garden path. These lighting solutions cost nothing to run as they are powered by energy from the sun captured earlier in the day.

#7: Run your pool pump as efficiently as possible

Pool pumps have come a long way when it comes to energy efficiency. Most have the option of working off a timer, enabling them to run at cheaper times of the day, when electricity prices are lower. Some also feature energy saving modes, which use much less electricity than old-school pool pumps. While they may cost more upfront than conventional pumps, they'll save you hundreds of dollars in electricity costs in the long run.

#8: Flick the switch

It takes less than a second and requires minimal effort but in our busy lives it's easy to become lazy. Stop and think about all the electrical appliances in your home that are plugged in but aren't currently in use. Even in standby mode, TVs, washing machines, clothes dryers, kettles, computers, gaming consoles and phone chargers all consume electricity. Switch them off at the wall to stop this trickle of electricity from increasing your next power bill unnecessarily.

#9: Aim for the stars

When shopping around for new appliances, don't just look for cool features and on-trend styling. Make sure you check the energy efficiency star-rating on each appliance and use this to guide your purchase decision. While a washing machine with a lower star-rating may have a cheaper price tag than one with a higher star-rating, it's likely to cost you a lot more in electricity usage over the life of the appliance.

#10: Give your refrigerator some TLC

Left to its own devices, your fridge can be one of the biggest drains on your power bill. It's switched on 24/7, 365 days of the year. Make sure it's not costing you more than absolutely necessary by giving it some love this summer. If the seals have started to perish, replace them. If the top and back of your fridge are dusty, give them a vacuum. If the freezer is all iced up, defrost it. For optimum energy efficiency, set the temperature on your fridge to around 3-5°C and your freezer to around -18°C. And finally, if you can bring yourself to turn that old beer fridge off, you could save hundreds of dollars in electricity each year.

#11: Thaw meats the safe way

Save yourself from contracting food poisoning while saving money at the same time by thawing frozen meat in the fridge instead of in the microwave. Yes, you need to plan ahead. Yes, it takes longer. But by thawing meat in the fridge overnight it will defrost more consistently, as opposed to being partially cooked on the outside and still frozen in the middle. Plus, you won't be chewing up additional power by running your microwave unnecessarily.

#12: Clean filters = less work for your appliances

We've already recommended you give your air con filters a clean this summer. The same goes for the filters on your dishwasher and washing machine. By keeping your appliances clean, they don't have to work as hard and therefore they consume less energy. While you're at it, consider switching your dishwasher and washing machine to run exclusively on cold water. Doing so will save on water heating costs. Running these appliances only when you have enough dirty dishes or dirty clothes for a full load will also save you money on your electricity bill.

#13: Dry your wet washing for free

Speaking of dirty clothes, make the most of these bright, sunny days by drying your clothes on the washing line instead of in the clothes dryer. Not only will you dramatically reduce your energy consumption, but your washing will also receive a free dose of stain-removing, bacteria-killing sunlight.

#14: Heat your water for less

In the heat of summer there's no need for your water heater to be producing scorching hot water. (Who needs a hot shower at this time of year anyway!?!) Consider installing a tempering valve which limits the water temperature to your fixtures to 50 degrees. As most people shower between 38-41 degrees, there is still plenty of hot water available for steamy hot showers.

#15: Enjoy the benefits of solar hot water

Save money on your power bills by installing a solar hot water system. Why pay for electricity to heat your water when a solar hot water system can do it for free? You can even set the timer and thermostat on your solar hot water system to heat your water at off peak times, when electricity prices are cheaper.

#16: Save money by harnessing the power of the sun

One of the most effective methods of reducing your power bill this summer is to reduce your dependence on electricity suppliers and start using solar energy to power your home. By installing solar panels on your roof, you're making an investment in your financial future, potentially saving yourself thousands of dollars over the coming years.

#17: Take control of your energy consumption with battery technology

If you're already a solar power convert, have you considered adding batteries to your system, to achieve even greater control over your energy consumption? By embracing battery technology you can can store the electricity that your solar panels produce instead of sending it to the grid. You can then use the electricity you have stored in your batteries later in the evening and during peak times when it costs more to buy power from the grid. Summer is an ideal time to add battery storage to your solar power system, when your solar panels are most productive.

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 (STCs) for every megawatt hour of renewable energy generated or displaced by an accredited solar panel.

How are STCs calculated?

The quantity of STCs your PV system entitles you to is the product of:

1. The total size of your system

Number of panels x wattage of each panel.

2. The rating of the solar zone you reside in

Australia is divided into 4 solar zones.

If you are unsure which zone you reside in, you can download the list of postcode zone ratings here.

3. The number of years remaining until the scheme is entirely phased out

So, if you install a 6.48kW system (including a 5kW inverter and 24 x 270W solar panels) in Perth in 2017, you will receive 6.48 x 1.382 x 14 = 125.37504 STCs.

You can easily simulate the number of STCs you’ll receive for your PV system using an online small generation unit calculator.

What is the value of an STC?

Like shares, STCs have a trading value, which fluctuates depending on supply and demand. Small-scale renewable energy system owners and registered agents have the option to sell STCs through the open market for an uncapped price, or through the STC clearing house at a fixed price of $40 (ex GST).

The process for trading STCs is as follows:

• All certificates must be created and registered in the REC Registry.
• The price depends on whether they are bought and sold in the open market or through the STC clearing house.
• Payment for certificates purchased in the open market is negotiated between the buyer and seller outside of the REC Registry.
• Payment for certificates purchased in the STC clearing house will be paid directly into the seller's nominated bank account.

There are various market reasons why the open market price differs from the clearing house or why the clearing house goes into surplus. Presently, there is an oversupply of STC production in comparison to the required production to reach the 2017 Renewable Energy Target. Therefore, the buyers (the electricity retailers) are able to negotiate lower prices and this is why the prices have dropped so drastically. At this point in time, no buyers will go through the clearing house when the open market price is sitting around $30.

It is important to note that STCs are sold in the STC clearing house only when there is a buyer, which means there is no guarantee on how long the STCs will take to sell. If there are more buyers than sellers, transaction of sale will happen immediately. However, if there are more sellers than buyers – as it is currently the case – or if there are no buyers at all, everyone trying to sell will enter a “first in best dressed” queue and will stay there until all STCs before theirs are purchased. The time they will be waiting is unknown.

What is the amount of the 'solar rebate'?

If you require rapid payment for your STCs, you can go through your retailer, who will offer a point-of-sale discount to have them assigned to them, or you can contact a registered agent, who can organise their creation and sale on your behalf. Most solar customers choose to exchange their STCs for an upfront discount on their PV system.

The lowest value STCs have held is $16, while their cap price is $40. Using the median price of $28 as a guide, the “rebate” you would receive for the 6.48 kW system described earlier is approximately 125 x 28 = $3500, which represents 30 to 40% of the price of a good quality system. Real-time STC market prices can be found online.

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 your household uses 10kWh of that production daily and sends the remaining 12.5kWh back to the grid, your usage will be 610kWh and your export, 762.5kWh.
• Considering you use 1100kWh of electricity bimonthly, if 610kWh are generated by your system, you only have to import 490kWh from the grid.

If you are on the A1 Home Plan

With the anytime tariff ($0.26474 per kWh), your consumption will then be $129.72. This represents $161.49 of savings in a single billing period.

The power you produce during the day is either used by your household or sent back to the grid (export). Synergy buys back your exported power at the REBS rate of 7.135 cents per kilowatt. Thus, if you export 762.5kWh, Synergy will owe you $54.40. So, on top of saving money when you use solar energy, you earn money when you feed that sun power back to the grid.

Your usage savings combined with your export earnings amount to $1295.34 of annual savings.

If you are on the SM1 Smart Home Plan

Your time-of-use (TOU) solar energy bill will show you the detail of your power usage and export:

• TOU consumption  
   

  Time of use	Usage	Unit price (inc GST)	Total
  Weekday peak	200kWh	$0.503471	$100.69
  Everyday off-peak	206kWh	$0.138697	$28.57
  Weekday shoulder	0kWh	$0.263681	$0.00
  Weekend shoulder	84kWh	$0.263681	$22.15
  $151.41

• TOU Renewable Energy Buyback Scheme  
   

  Time of use	Export	Unit price	Total
  Weekday peak	0kWh	$0.07135	$0.00
  Everyday off-peak	27.2kWh	$0.07135	$1.94
  Weekday shoulder	518.3kWh	$0.07135	$36.98
  Weekend shoulder	217kWh	$0.07135	$15.48
  $54.40

  In this example, switching to solar has saved you $168.12 and exporting your excess solar production to the grid has earned you $54.40 in just one bill. All in all, that is $1335.12 saved in a year.

  Your bill tells you when you export the most energy, but doesn’t give you the total amount of power your solar PV system has produced or the part you have used.

  However, depending on your inverter brand, you may be able to monitor your consumption. For example, if you have a Fronius inverter with a Fronius Smart Meter, you can keep track of your production and usage, and adapt your habits.

Step 2 - Load Shifting

Going solar is the first step to saving money and energy. Just by switching to solar and without doing any load shifting, you can expect to save about 25% on your power bills. However, depending on your usage, you may save a lot more.

As you know, solar panels are only efficient during the day so, if you wait to come home from work at night to start turning on your electric appliances, you’re not taking full advantage of your solar PV system. But if you move your consumption to the middle of the day, when the sun is out, you can really bring your power bill down.

Solargain has listed some examples of effective load shifting for you. Following these simple tips may save you 50% to 75% of your usual spend for the most committed.

Not only are you not paying for the power generated by your system, but you even get paid for any surplus that you export to the grid.

Step 3 - Battery Storage

All the energy that your solar power system produces during the day and that you are not using is sent back to the grid. Synergy buys that electricity from you at 7 cents a kilowatt and then sells it back to you at 26 cents a unit. Don’t you wish you could store this energy and use it when you need it?

If you are already making the most of your generated electricity and are still producing extra power, then you should think about storing that energy.

If you export too much to the grid during the day and you can’t increase your self-consumption, contact us online or call 1300 73 93 55 to discuss a battery option for your home.