To control your energy bills its important for households to install solar on their homes as the energy pricing is surging very high. The growth of solar installation is fastest in Melbourne compared to other cities in Australia. As the government is still offering lot of rebates and the technology of solar is becoming very affordable, now is the best time to get this done for a household.
In the below blog, we will discuss to understand how solar program in Victoria works, how to get best return on your investment and what is the cost. It is a complete guide for homeowners in Melbourne who are looking to install solar.
Solar Rebates and Incentives in Victoria
The government in Victoria is supporting homeowners to install solar through different solar homes programs. Below are the incentives for homeowners:
- Solar PV Rebate program which provides upto $1400 off the cost of a new solar panel
- Interest free loans of upto $1400 which can be repaid over 4 years to make it more affordable.
- Feed-in-Tarrifs (FiTs) through which a home owner can get paid for the the excess electricity a home exports back to the grid which is about 4c to 10c per Kwh which depends on the energy provider.
By using these programs the families can reduce their cost of installation by almost one-third.
Choosing the right system size
Most of the homes in Melbourne usually choose about 6.6kw (15 to 17 Panels) but it depends on many conditions:
- If any household has a very high daytime usage such as charging electric vehicle, pool pumps and resident working from home then these households benefit from larger systems.
- Roof space and the orientation of the roof is also very important. In an ideal scenario, North facing roof is the best but east and west also work well.
- With the government rebates, the upfront installation cost gets lowered but the bigger systems still require the high installation cost.
At Alltasker, we will assess your bills, usage patterns and roof layout before recommending the right size for your home.
Pros and Cons of Batteries
Solar batteries let the household to store the energy which can be used later at night. This has its own pros and cons which are discussed below:
Pros
- Self sustenance of the energy and no dependence on grid
- Low energy bills at night
- At times of blackouts, the household is protected
Cons
- Upfront cost is high which could be between 7k to 12k AUD on top of other costs
- This extra cost will make the payback period longer
Cost of installation of Solar
The cost of installation of solar could range between:
- For 6.6kw between $4K to $7k before rebates
- For 10kw between $8k to $12k before rebates
- The cost of battery is additional
All these costs can be reduced by using the government rebate programs and finance programs.
Maintenance and longevity of panels
Solar panels are low maintenance but the their maintenance is always required.
The panels need to be cleaned every 6 to 12 months and the its important to keep monitoring the inverter as well. These systems require servicing every 2 to 3 years by professionals who can check the wiring and connections as well.
The performance warranty of these panels is about 25 years whereas the warranty of the inverters is about 12 years.
Installing solar with AllTasker
AllTasker specializes in solar installations, energy efficient upgrades and home renovation in Melbourne. Our team will:
- Asses your home energy needs and provide the right solution
- Help in claiming Victorian rebates and incentives
- Install solar professionally and provide maintenance support
Hope this guide on solar installation in Melbourne is useful to you. If you are still looking for further answers, Contact AllTasker today and start saving your energy bills.
