Busting the myths around getting solar power
- Written by The Times
With reports that electricity prices could soar by at least 35 per cent in 2023, Australians are needing to look into alternatives when it comes to their energy sources. This has led to a rapid rise in the popularity of solar power, but there is still hesitation and misinformation surrounding it.
Liam Navon from Australian solar company Smart Energy says, “Solar power is the energy of the future. With the increasing costs of living, many Australians are turning to solar to help ease expenses. At Smart Energy we’ve seen strong growth in solar panel installations this year, and are now averaging about 1,000 consultations a week.”
If you’ve been considering solar but aren’t yet convinced, Liam has busted the top myths on solar energy below.
I don’t have the money right now
The biggest barrier between individuals and solar is the idea that it’s too expensive. However, there are several government rebates available to encourage solar power installations. For example, the Victorian Government is making solar more affordable than ever with a 50 per cent solar rebate, while the NSW Government is providing a rebate for 30 per cent of the total cost of solar panels, which can see customers saving up to $5,500 on the installation.
However, because everyone’s financial circumstances are different, a variety of solar companies have payment plans available on top of the government rebates. For example, Smart Energy’s Smart Savings Plan allows customers the option of using savings from their solar PV installations to pay for itself. It gives people who wouldn’t necessarily be in the position to purchase solar outright the chance to start saving on their electricity bills immediately.
I don’t use enough energy
There is a common misconception that solar is only beneficial for those that use large amounts of energy. This is simply not true, no matter how much or how little energy you use at home, solar power is worth the investment. “Switching to solar is one of the easiest ways to avoid costly power bills,” says Liam. “Luckily in Australia we get sunshine all year around so you can take advantage of your solar system no matter the season.”
Compared to other countries, Australian households get around 3,000 kWh of sunlight per year. Depending on the size of your solar system, you’ll save around $1,200 - $2,000 according to the electricity usage and other variables on your location.
It takes too long to pay itself off
Did you know, excess energy that your solar panels generate will be fed back into the grid and sold back to the electricity company for a premium price? The payment for the electricity fed into the supply grid from a renewable energy source, such as solar panels is called a feed-in tariff. Some energy companies pay up to 10 cents for every unused kilowatt of energy generated. So, if you’re paying $300 on electricity every quarter, you can save over $1,300 a year in electricity bills.
I live in an apartment that I rent
According to 2021 Census Data, 2.4 million Australians were renting. This is a huge amount of properties falling behind in the transition to renewable energies. If you are a renter, there are a few ways you can approach solar panel installation.
* Ask your landlord to install solar panels, proposing that the landlord receives the feed-in tariff to pay off the installation fee. In some states, there is a government rebate to help offset the cost of installing solar in the rental property.
* Connect to a community solar garden.
* Install a portable solar panel that you can take with you to future rental properties.
My roof isn’t north-facing and there’s not enough shade
No matter which way your roof is facing, solar panels are always a worthwhile investment. Solar technology has come a long way since it has been developed. Utilising multiple installation locations can optimise and enhance your solar energy generation.
There is also the option of panel optimisation in the form of power optimisers or micro inverters. This allows each panel to function independently of one another, which means if one panel is in the shade, the other panel will still be able to generate energy.
It’s too much of a hassle to get it installed and I don’t have enough time
This is where you would weigh up the long term benefits against the short term benefits of having solar panels installed. The few hours spent looking for a solar panel installer, getting a quote and having them installed can save you many thousands of dollars in the long term, especially during an energy crisis like Australia is experiencing at the moment.
Renewable energies are the future, and it is clear that Australia is moving forward with solar technologies at an increasingly fast rate. Don’t get left behind as every dollar you spend on electricity is a dollar too much.
