We are building a new house in Adelaide. We will be installing solar on the roof of the shed which is already built. We do not have the power connected yet and don't need it to build the house as our neighbour has kindly allowed us to use their power. However since the funds to install the solar system are only accruing interest at 2% would it make more financial sense to install the solar system now rather than when we move in which could be more than a year away?
Solar. Install now or later
(13 posts) (8 voices)-
Johnnojack
MemberPosted Friday 4 Aug 2017 @ 10:13:20 am from IP # -
Morbo
Memberare you planning in relocating the PV from the shed to the house, once the house is built? Then the cost of relocating the panels will eat up the savings in electricity you made. Also, if you are not connected to the grid, you don't have a 240V reference. Plus your PV is intermittant. You cannot fed it to your neighbours house. Do you have batteries? Otherwise your panels are pretty useless.
Posted Friday 4 Aug 2017 @ 11:46:08 pm from IP # -
Johnnojack
MemberNo Morbo the panels will stay there and we would be connected to the grid. The house will only be 2.5m from the shed and the meter box is already fitted to the shed. Can fit 4kw on shed.
Posted Friday 4 Aug 2017 @ 11:49:42 pm from IP # -
Bushwalker
MemberBit of a guess.
How many kWh will be generated per day. Will the export cover the costs of the annual grid connection, and will the grid connection need to be changed to connect to the house and at what cost.
If it is dollar positive or neutral, then why not. If it is negative, then leave it till the house is built.
Posted Saturday 5 Aug 2017 @ 2:50:19 am from IP # -
It is hard to speculate on what changes might occur in the market across that timeframe which might affect the financial effectiveness of the purchase of solar panels.
One option is to disregard the financial detail and simply purchase for the sake of increasing renewable energy generation. We don't expect financial return on all things we do. My TV has no financial return. You can treat the purchase of solar panels the same way and just get satisfaction from knowing that you are accelerating our transition away from fossil fuels.
Posted Monday 7 Aug 2017 @ 7:40:01 am from IP # -
Morbo
Memberapparently VIC has higher FITs now, but still nothing happened on my power bill. So maybe eventually they will creep up. It may drag on longer than expected and your neighbour may get impatient. But if you put panels in now, how to use them, as you are not connected?
When FITs go up, your supplier should give you more, so does not mattter, if you install now or later.
For the money side of things, I gave up on that. Its more a feel good/ease my consciousness thing.Plus healthier than spending the money on booze.Posted Monday 7 Aug 2017 @ 12:33:17 pm from IP # -
Johnnojack
MemberNot new to solar panels, first installed mine in April 2006. We also have solar panels on our 3 rental properties. From what I can see new solar in SA gets 16cents FIT so a system could pay for itself even if we are using very little. Of course offsetting power use which one would have to pay 34 cents for would pay for the system quicker. It's just that investment return on cash is so low now that anything which pays for itself deserves consideration, especially something which helps the environment. Might be talking myself into it but can anyone show me some numbers.
Posted Monday 7 Aug 2017 @ 1:34:08 pm from IP # -
axess
Memberjohnnojack,
Lucky you have a very generous neighbour.We put our panels up in 2001 on an uncompleted roof in order not to lose our rebate at the time. Is it worth getting your power on early to the shed as part of your building process? I assume you will be getting the power to the shed anyway?Posted Monday 7 Aug 2017 @ 8:26:53 pm from IP # -
Morbo
Memberok, 11.3 ct per kWh introduced in VIC per 1 Julay, see when it comes trough. As there are no contracts with 25 or so c/kWh, nothing they can tear up. Your FITs will be connected to what the govts come up with. This could be anything, as we all know.
When I installed my panesl 3 years ago by mistake they gave me the 25 cent for a while. That saved me $80-100 per quarter. Now its something silly like 25 or so per quarter. In Melbourne, 1.5kW system. Weekdays its feeding in all day.
And its done in a way, even if it generates 1kW, if the oven draws 2kW its not -1kW, its worse.Posted Tuesday 8 Aug 2017 @ 12:16:08 am from IP # -
newtoo12volt
MemberIn the 10 years Ive been involved in the solar game panels have come down dramatically. We are now seeing tier 1 panels in some cases around 45 cents a watt. I cannot imagine that this is going to go too much lower than this in the short term. Batteries however have come down quite a lot in the last 6 months. 6 months ago i could not sell a battery in QLD and now we sell heaps. Keep in mind the the STC rate will fall again next year and will continue to fall until completely gone in what 14 years? So the price will be slightly more expensive next year unless the panel price falls again.
My advice is install the panels and hold off for batteries. 2 years time they will be half the price
Posted Monday 21 Aug 2017 @ 9:51:27 pm from IP # -
jdaley
MemberAnother variation is to not bother selling the excess and use it to heat water. Also can you fit extra panels when you do start installation on a veranda or similar so the house can have what you would need. I used second hand stuff, good quality and fitted a 5kw system for $8000.
I am off grid, so I did not have to concern myself with feed in tariffs etcPosted Tuesday 22 Aug 2017 @ 9:22:43 am from IP #
