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| Questions & Answers Solar Smart Program
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Q. Can I put
power back into the grid? How is the power measured?
A. Yes you
can! Most utilities will install a bi-directional meter to monitor power going
into the house (importing) and the power coming out of the solar system
(exporting). This way you are only billed for the ‘net’ amount of power you
use.
Q. What size
system will work for me?
A. This is
heavily dependent on how much power you use, how large your roof is and how
much money you want to spend. To work out how much power you use, check the
‘kWh usage’ on your bill.
Q. The
terminology is confusing?
A. Solar
power and electricity usually use 3 main terms. Kilo-Watts (kW) describes the
size of a solar array is a 1000W / 1kW system). Kilo-Watt-Hours (kWh) relates
to the total amount of energy that is used or produced. Peak-Sun-Hours (PSH) is
the average number of hours each day of ‘full’ sunlight.
Q. Are there
any Government incentives to help install a system?
A. Yes there
are! The Federal Government’s PVRP (PhotoVoltaic Rebate Program) scheme will contribute
up to $8,000 to the cost of your system. Ask your local dealer about any extra
rebates.
Q. What will
a system cost?
A. The cost
varies depending on the size system you install. System will cost between $1,500-$2,500 (after
PVRP rebate).
Q. What
about Environmental Credits (eg REC’s)?
A. Every system
will generate a certain number of REC’s (Renewable Energy Certificates). These REC’s are sold to an electricity
utility or traded on the energy market.
Q. How much
power will I save?
A. The power
you save depends on the size system you install. Eg, system will produce
approximately 5kWh of power in a day (over 1.8MWh per year).
Q. How much
money will I save?
A. The
financial savings depend on your electricity tariff. Eg, if you pay 16c/kWh a system
will save approximately $300 every year.
Q. How do I
reduce my energy usage?
A. There are
many simple ways to reduce your energy usage. As part of the program EcoSmart
will conduct a full energy and water assessment of your home. Other things you can do is swap your old
incandescent lamps for compact fluorescent lights. Don’t leave lights on if you
leave the room. Install a solar water heater instead of an electric system. Use
energy efficient appliances (eg fridge, freezer, washing machine, etc) with at least a 4 star energy rating –
check www.energyrating.gov.au if you’re on the
hunt for new high efficiency appliances.
Q. Can I
install the equipment myself?
A. No. The
system MUST be installed by a suitably qualified person. This will usually be a
BCSE accredited installer who holds an electrical contractors license.
Q. What do I
need to do to maintain the system?
A. Not much
– systems are virtually maintenance-free. There are no moving parts to break down
and all the components are very high quality. All you need to do is keep the
panels free from obstructions (eg heavy dust, salt, leaves, etc). The weather
usually does it for you!
Q. My roof
doesn’t face north. Can I still install a system?
A. Yes you
can, though you may lose some power. Up to ~15° deviation from north will not
affect the performance very much (<5% loss). At 30° deviation you will see a
drop in power of ~10%. At 90° (ie East or West) you will lose approximately 30%
of the power the panels are capable of producing.
Q. Can I
look at the power production on my computer?
A. Yes you
can. One of the optional extras that can come with a system is a data-logging
kit. This enables you to record all of
the system performance information and download it to your PC where you can
review historical data and graph the information.
Q. Is there
a portable display that I can have in the house?
A. Yes there
is. The personal display is a small, portable display screen linked to the
inverter by a wireless radio link. The display allows you to view the system
information anywhere in your house.
Q. How do
the panels mount on the roof?
A. The
panels are fixed to the roof using a specially designed and engineered solar
panel mounting structure. This framing system allows great flexible in how and
where the panels are mounted.
Q. What type
of panels and inverters do the systems use?
A. Systems
use Sharp Crystalline solar panels and Fronius IG grid inverters. These are
some
of the
highest quality units available. They come with manufacturer’s warranties of 25
years (panels) and 5 years (inverters – optional upgrade to 10 years).
Q. Are there
any structural considerations when installing a solar system?
A. No. A system
can be installed at any stage of construction, or retro-fitted to an existing home
without needing to alter the roof structure.
Q. Will the
system work in a black-out?
A.
Unfortunately no. The systems are required by electricity safety regulations to
switch off when there is a black-out. This prevents the inverter from feeding
power into the ‘dead’ grid while technicians are working on the lines. On the
plus side, as more and more homes install systems they will stabilise the grid,
helping to prevent brown-outs and black-outs caused by over-demand.
Q. Can I
connect some batteries?
A. Not
directly to the inverter. To use batteries in the system they must be installed
in a separate circuit from the ‘mains’ circuits. You will also need a separate
stand-alone inverter to change the DC battery power into 240V AC power. Battery
systems are available if you wish to install one.
For any
other questions, call our Technical Support hotline on 1300 326 669.
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