Solar - Can I Make It Pay?

Scorpex on 29/10/2020 - 10:21
Last edited 29/10/2020 - 11:39

I'm all for renewable energy sources. I have a large, north facing roof area ideal for solar panels, in Adelaide. However, my daily power consumption appears low at 4-5 kWh, compared with the 8.9 kWh benchmark for single person households in SA. While the ethical answer may be yes, I'm not sure that I can justify a solar system on a financial basis. Can the community convince me otherwise?

Edit: For better or worse, I am with Amaysim Energy for electricity. I lucked into their free mobile deal for energy customers, and also use it for home internet, so it is probably worth $500-1000/year to stay with them.

Home & Garden

Comments

  • Fergy1987 on 29/10/2020 - 10:31
    -7

    if you've got 30 years to wait - Yes

    I find the problem now is the energy companies offer you such a pathetic rebate that you get your power bill and they knock off 10 bucks for all the solar you have sent back to the grid.

    • norrisrules on 31/10/2020 - 11:46

      And if you understood the price of electricity, you would realise that you are still actually being OVER paid for that solar electricity. FIT should be <5c

  • Seraphin7 on 29/10/2020 - 10:47

    My understanding is that "you can't make money" out of it any more. Originally, the feed in tariffs were very generous and there was money to be made, but they've now dropped to a point where you simply can't get an ROI on the upfront capital.

    I understand there are some specific use cases that can make solar attractive (such as pool heating where you need a lot of power, but don't necessarily need it at specific times), but otherwise its an environmental, not a financial choice.

    • Quantumcat on 29/10/2020 - 11:45
      +4

      Also originally, a system would cost 10X what a system the same size today would cost. So the ROI is still the same.

    • 0FoxGiven on 29/10/2020 - 12:29
      +5

      iDisagree.

      I had a PV system installed last year (VIC). I haven't had to pay a single electricity bill since then, currently ~$600 in credit. My house is all electric, no gas so I even save on gas supply charges.

      By my math, my system will be paid off in another 1.5 years. So even if FiT is reduced to zero in the next 2 years, I would still come out on top.

      If you can afford to go solar, do it as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the less viable it becomes. But as of now, it is still worthwhile in my opinion.

      • onetwothreefour on 29/10/2020 - 13:15

        How much were your quarterly power bills before solar?

        • 0FoxGiven on 29/10/2020 - 13:30

          Around $300 per quarter.

          • whooah1979 on 29/10/2020 - 16:40
            +1

            @0FoxGiven: Your energy consumption is very low.

            • 0FoxGiven on 29/10/2020 - 18:02
              +1

              @whooah1979: Ok. Are you trying to make an argument that it's worthwhile for me because my usage is low? Because usually the argument is solar is NOT worthwhile for low consumption households.

              So if it works well for me, it would work even better for those with higher consumption.

          • ESEMCE on 30/10/2020 - 07:46
            -1

            @0FoxGiven: So you'd save around $1200/year.
            a $5000 5kW system would pay itself off in 5-6 years assuming Feed In Tariff remains around 16c and you time-shift some of your load to the daylight hours. ie run Washing Machine and Dishwasher on timers to start when your solar is producing "free" energy.

            • 0FoxGiven on 30/10/2020 - 08:46

              @ESEMCE: I guess you missed the part where I said I currently have over $600 credit on my bill. And there are other minor things I didn't mention like the fact that I bought a Dryer, a larger fridge and I run my ducted AC system much more often after installing the PV system.

              So nope, my system pays itself off in 2.5years.

          • TheOtherLeft on 30/10/2020 - 08:35

            @0FoxGiven: That's $300 24hrs/day. Solar only works during the day. When I did my sums, I worked out my daytime electricity usage is only 40% of my overall usage. As I use AGL which has hourly monitoring it's easy to get an accurate picture. I also have gas for hot water and cooking so solar would take nearly 12yrs to pay off when I was quoted for premium panels (LG), inverter and optimisers.

            • whooah1979 on 30/10/2020 - 13:32

              @TheOtherLeft: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/494550

              their Solar feed in tariff is basic at 12 cents. I export about 45-55kW on sunny days. I use about 7-9kW on average but expect it to go up to 20kW in Summer.
              9.3Kw panel system

            • conan2000 on 01/11/2020 - 21:17

              @TheOtherLeft: If you go solar you should adjust your usage to make use of solar rather than continue to use power as you usually do. I.e. I used to set my washing machine/dishwasher to run overnight. I now generally use them only during daylight hours. So where as previously our usage may have been 40% during daylight, we have increased it to make use of solar.

      • LFO on 30/10/2020 - 21:05

        By my math, my system will be paid off in another 1.5 years.

        I understand and respect your maths but the premise is that you will continue using electricity that, because of solar, you are not charged.
        But you did pay for solar that money that otherwise would have gone to Energex.

        It is not free. It will not be free. You have paid in advance.

        Eventually you will not pay for more.

        But perhaps you will NOT need to use electricity anymore (employer/company pays, start working for Energex, travel, death or whatever).

        • 0FoxGiven on 30/10/2020 - 21:37

          I honestly didn't understand any of that. Energex? Will not need to use electricity anymore?
          I'm in Victoria, I paid for my PV system upfront and not through a subscription or interest freee scheme.

          I paid X amount for my PV system and in my first year of use I have saved more than 1/3X the cost of my system. It's as simple as that.

  • davlap on 29/10/2020 - 10:56
    +3

    In just under 2 years, our solar (5kw) has generated $2000 plus in credit
    This has paid all gas and electric bills (including service charge)
    I just took out $300 of the remaining $450 credit

    We don't get the super tariffs given to early users, just the standard deal currently on offer.

    Low users like yourself, about 5kwh / day usage, only gas hot water
    Daily average 25 kw/h generated

    Our system was already installed. Panels and inverters are probably more efficient now

    You can now get bigger capacity 6KW plus, but I understand you can only connect 5KW to the grid as a standard user. Maybe has advantages, haven't looked into it

    We are in QLD, so maybe more sun than you ?
    We are with Red Energy

    QLD give a pretty big rebate for installing new systems, maybe SA has similar

    • netjock on 29/10/2020 - 11:18

      We are in QLD, so maybe more sun than you ?

      That is true.

      Also depends on your feed in and they might differ by state.

      I've got a 10kw 10.2c feed in (Victoria). If I was to use no electricity will generate net $100 per month.

      Quick calc:

      OP gets 6Kw panels, 5Kw inverter purely exporting will get $50 per month, $600 per year. $600 divided by up front cost. Probably 4 - 6 years depending on rebates.

  • Hithere on 29/10/2020 - 11:36
    -1

    I'm fortunate to be on the PFIT which is locked in until 1 November 2024 and I have made my outlay back but when the system eventually dies I won't replace it as the current FIT won't give me a ROI in an acceptable time frame.

    However install solar if you want to help the environment and receive a warm fuzzy feeling every time you look at your electricity bill.

    • Gekov on 30/10/2020 - 13:47
      -3

      "However install solar if you want to help the environment and receive a warm fuzzy feeling every time you look at your electricity bill."

      No way will installing solar "help the environment" … but at least you can have a "warm fuzzy feeling" as you congratulate yourself for "saving the planet".

      FYI: Human CO2 emissions make up about 3% of total emissions with Mother Nature emitting 97% from ocean outgassing & rotting vegetation.

      Anyway, atmospheric CO2 levels at 400ppm are near starvation levels. In the past, levels have come perilously close to a mass extinction level of 150ppm when all plant life dies (and humanity with it).

      An ideal level appears to be about 1,000ppm to foster plant growth.
      400ppm is a good start.

      NEW SCIENTIST The great greening: The coming of our new lush Earth
      From the Arctic to the deserts, plants are thriving in our changing climate.
      THANK YOU, CO2!
      https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22029380-900-the-grea…
      http://ow.ly/H0AU7

      CSIRO: Deserts ‘greening’ from rising CO2 https://csiropedia.csiro.au/deserts-greening-from-rising-co2…

      • scupper on 30/10/2020 - 23:03

        You're not supposed to count the 97% because that's the "balanced" part (i.e. it moves at geological time scale).

        • Gekov on 31/10/2020 - 14:37

          "You're not supposed to count the 97% because that's the "balanced" part"

          ROTFLMAO
          Hey mum - I've found another one who claims Mother Nature can distinguish between CO2 from fossil fuel burning and "natural " CO2, and has stationed a genie to pick out half of the fossil fuel CO2 to fix it into the atmosphere.

          Sorry to burst your bubble but there is only ONE ocean of atmospheric CO2 with every atom indistinguishable from any other atom, aside from isotopic differences.

          LeftieWarmunists claim that human CO2 sticks in the atmosphere for thousands of years.
          Human CO2 does not stick in the atmosphere. It flows out of the atmosphere as natural CO2 flows out of the atmosphere. Physics says human and natural CO2 will behave the same because their CO2 molecules are the same. But if natural CO2 sticks in the atmosphere for thousands of years then the CO2 level would be over a million ppm. Since that has not happened, no CO2 sticks in the atmosphere for thousands of years. Apparently, there’s a video by a young girl on the NOAA website that says human CO2 has a “different composition” to natural CO2 and that is why human CO2 stays in the atmosphere longer. That video is junk science. The NOAA director should be fired for allowing such garbage on a government website
          https://edberry.com/climate-miracle/?__s=nngxi4cbulmbuyxn8cp…

        • Gekov on 31/10/2020 - 14:45

          FYI: "If the atmosphere was a 100-story building, our annual anthropogenic CO2
          contribution today would be equivalent to the linoleum on the first floor," D'Aleo

          "The question scientists should now be asking is not how much it will warm over the next 50 to 100 years, but why has it warmed so little during the major carbon dioxide build-up?" Patrick J. Michaels, Environmental Scientist , University of Virginia

          • scupper on 01/11/2020 - 02:15
            +2

            @Gekov: Sorry, I don't know of the video that you refer to and will not try to defend it. However, I think you are believing articles that are made by people who have a particular agenda to disprove the science on climate change. For example, your reference Patrick Michaels: "Michaels said on CNN that 40 percent of his funding came from the oil industry.", "A 2005 article published by the Seattle Times reported that Michaels had received more than $165,000 in fuel-industry funding, including money from the coal industry to publish his own climate journal." Ed Berry:"the only empirical evidence he offers is based on data published by other scientists that Berry completely misinterprets and misrepresents, demonstrating that he doesn’t even understand what the data are about. As a result, the conclusions he draws from his analysis are demonstrably incorrect." — Jerry Elwood

            Here's something about the carbon cycle and why carbon sinks make it look like our CO2 emissions don't affect climate that much.
            https://skepticalscience.com/human-co2-smaller-than-natural-…
            and the video linked to it from the University of Queensland
            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ9hPl9dl98&feature=emb_logo

            As said in the article you linked to about CO2 being good for plants. Here's more: "A greener planet sounds wonderful, and in some ways it could be. But with climate change, nothing is ever simple – and more plant growth is not always good. Among other things, it will accelerate global warming." and linked to that:

            "However, while experiments on natural ecosystems have also found initial elevations in the rate of plant growth, these have tended to level off within a few years. In most cases this has been found to be the result of some other limiting factor, such as the availability of nitrogen or water.

            The regional climate changes that higher CO2 will bring, and their effect on these limiting factors on plant growth, such as water, also have to be taken into account. These indirect effects are likely to have a much larger impact than CO2 fertilisation.

            For instance, while higher temperatures will boost plant growth in cooler regions, in the tropics they may actually impede growth. A two-decade study of rainforest plots in Panama and Malaysia recently concluded that local temperature rises of more than 1ºC have reduced tree growth by 50 per cent" …

            "In the oceans, increased CO2 is causing acidification of water. Recent research has shown that the expected doubling of CO2 concentrations could inhibit the development of some calcium-shelled organisms, including phytoplankton, which are at the base of a large and complex marine ecosystem [see Ocean acidification: the other CO2 problem]. That may also result in significant loss of biodiversity, possibly including important food species."

            So, no, climate change is no joke and the longer we delay on mitigating it, the harder its impact on us, and if you really believe in science, you should become aware of the blinders that have been placed on you by your choice of resources and look deeper and broader to see if you're being misled.

      • lgacb08 on 31/10/2020 - 23:15

        mate, you're a very clever climate denial, that article from new scientist did say more CO2 means greener planet but you don't have to read through the rest of the article to see the warning about the impact of that change, your ideal 1000ppm level may be ideal for the plant but what about the rest?

        • Gekov on 01/11/2020 - 19:39

          ""Michaels said on CNN that 40 percent of his funding came from the oil industry.""
          … Typical LeftieWarmunist response … attack the messenger rather than address the message.

          "In the oceans, increased CO2 is causing acidification of water."
          … More GARBAGE … Climate “scientists” withheld 80yrs of MEASURED data showing NO OCEAN ACIDIFICATION and instead pushed MODELLED data!
          http://joannenova.com.au/2015/01/oceans-not-acidifying-scien…

          "and more plant growth is not always good. Among other things, it will accelerate global warming"
          ….. HUH? How does extra plant growth "accelerate global warming"???

          " land and ocean cannot absorb all of the extra CO2. About 40% of this additional CO2 is absorbed. The rest remains in the atmosphere"
          ROTFLMAO … Seriously? Mother Nature cannot absorb an extra 3% of CO2 emissions??? And the fairy tale that there's a genie picking out 60% of fossil fuel emissions and fixing it in the atmosphere is pure GARBAGE! Mother Nature sees an ocean of CO2 and CANNOT DISTINGUISH manmade CO2 from natural CO2!
          The fact that the planet has GREENED from the higher level of atmospheric CO2 {from natural sources such as ocean outgassing, rotting vegetation} indicates that Mother Nature can absorb far more than LeftieWarmunists claim. WE ARE IN A PERIOD OF CO2 STARVATION!

          "So, no, climate change is no joke"…
          CORRECT! It's a political agenda with the ultimate aim being an unelected communist global governement.
          Be afraid … be very afraid … a COVID inspired communist global government, MODELLED ON COMMUNIST CHINA, coming to you courtesy of Davos WEF very soon …
          THE DAVOS GREAT RESET OF CAPITALISM – Climate change scam to be used as excuse for unelected greenie global government with communist China as their model!
          LeftieWarmster WhackJobs plan to use the COVID crisis as the basis for the GREAT RESET, intending to pressure world governments into an unelected communist global government with most of us in abject serfdom. Watch the horror video.
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeykREAlYSg&feature=youtu.be

          • scupper on 02/11/2020 - 01:05

            @Gekov: "WhackJobs"
            The tone and zeal and a few other things… in your replies guarantees that there won't be any more interesting discussions between us.

  • Nugs on 29/10/2020 - 11:43
    +3

    online calculator
    https://www.solarquotes.com.au/solar-calculator/?msclkid=323…
    .

  • od810 on 29/10/2020 - 11:55

    Your consumption is very low, solar won't help you much. Don't bank on FIT either because likely it will go down. When you have decent consumption, solar help greatly. I have solar installed for almost 2 years now. With all the rebate from Vic gov, my out of pocket is ~2600 (then i spend over 1K on optimisers because i'm a bit obsess with solar), each year solar saved me about $1000 $1200 either from FIT or consumption. I think it's close to pay itself off.

    In the end, it all comes down to how much you spend for your solar, if you get it for relatively cheap price then your pay off period is very fast even with the diminishing FIT. For my case, 20 months my system generate 11.5MWh, up till July this year i had 12c FIT, from there to now i get 10.2c, so just purely based on FIT i would get ~1300.

  • Ughhh on 29/10/2020 - 11:59

    What's your rates and FIT rate?
    Amaysim is no longer doing Energy, you'll be transfers to AGL.

    • Scorpex on 29/10/2020 - 12:13

      Just found out about the Amaysim Energy change!! It's on their website but here has been no notification to this customer! The kWh rate after discount with Amaysim is 35.75 c, AGL is 31.93 c when I checked earlier this year. AGL feed in tariff in SA is 12.4 c/kWh

      • donkcat on 01/11/2020 - 07:48
        +1

        Lets do some numbers.
        Lets assume you are able to self consume about 40% of your consumption. So lets say you can average 2kw a day from solar
        730kwh*31.93c =$233 savings

        Now in Adelaide a north facing 6.6kw system would average 28kwh a day generation assuming no shading.
        So you are going to export 26kwh a day after your 2kwh self consumption

        26365=9490 kwh
        9490        12.4c =$1177 export.
        $1177+$233= $1410 savings via solar

        Im not sure on system prices in SA to know the payback time. As a low consumption high export user you really rely on high export prices to pay off your investment, that is no guarantee prices will remain that high.

  • Euphemistic on 29/10/2020 - 12:02
    -2

    you don’t use a lot, you could potentially go off grid with low usage like that. Get rid of your service charges too.

  • Bargain80 on 29/10/2020 - 12:35

    It still pays off.
    But with the current low FIT and your location in SA , probably will take more than 4 years to pay off.

    You use calculator found online or create your own in excel.
    Use your past 12 months electricity usage as a guidance.

    • Scorpex on 29/10/2020 - 12:38

      The calculator to find true rates after discounts is my own in Excel. The feed in tariff is from AGL's current SA rate from their website.

  • dirtybigbjelke on 29/10/2020 - 12:42

    It depends on what your daytime usage is like and if you can shift any of your current grid energy consumption to daytime Solar self consumption. With WFH due to Covid I saved $245-00 on my last quarterly bill due to self consumption. Also we shifted our dishwasher use to daytime and if you had an electric HWS you can also shift that to daytime.

    Due to the huge amount of Solar in SA you probably won't get any FIT and also will be required to configure your system so it can be Remote disconnected. The Whirlpool Energy is a good place to get abreast of the requirements in SA

  • ESEMCE on 29/10/2020 - 12:52

    How much is your power bill each year?
    On the right feed-in tariff, you'd cover it easily with a 5kW system.

    System cost divided by currect annual Power bill = the payback time (if you want to get fancy, add an extra year to cover the Interest on borrowing the money)

  • mr-incredulous on 29/10/2020 - 12:56
    +2

    I'm in Adelaide and got a solar battery system installed a couple months ago. 5 kW inverter and 13 kWh batteries for $6000 (just before rebate reduction).

    I get really good data from the inverter which I used to generate some interesting plots. I calculate two other scenarios: solar only (net battery power in/out gets added to net grid power in/out) or no solar (grid power in = power consumption). Our daily consumption is 10 kWh on average.

    With solar battery average daily net benefit is $5.72 (with solar only it would be $4.65). That's $2000 per year or 3 years to pay off initial cost. Keep in mind I'm ignoring supply charge ($0.76 per day with or without solar) and also seasonal variation. So let's say for a $6000 investment it pays for itself in 3 to 4 years and after that $2000 benefit per year. There's no bank with a term deposit that can beat that.

  • avoidfullprice on 29/10/2020 - 20:12

    I'm jealous you don't need AC or heater where you live. I get most of my solar benefits from keeping my house warm/cool. Oh also from using the oven to cook and bake, and saving a trip to the local pub for meals.

  • Ryanek on 29/10/2020 - 20:41

    I'm averaging $13 in credit every week on a 6.6kw system.

  • l005e on 30/10/2020 - 07:57

    I get 3c feed in with reamped qld 😢

    • norrisrules on 31/10/2020 - 11:49

      Mind if i ask what postcode?

      • l005e on 31/10/2020 - 11:58

        4218

  • Waltervp on 30/10/2020 - 08:40

    With your electricity consumption that means an average 6.6kW solar system will generate enough feed in to cover your consumption. Even if you don't directly use the electricity generated .

    Your annual electricity consumption is 2000kwhrs if you use say 6kwh every night. Your 6.5kw solar will generate at least about 9000kwhrs in the year depending on location. So if your feed in tariff is even only a quarter of your regular electricity supply you pay nothing for you power each year. Plus you will increase house value and show the government and the community that you care about our environment, willing to invest in it and that we should all do our bit to make this a better world.

    Even if solar is not our ultimate answer, right now it is a great statement to make which will save you money. I don't even look at it that way, i look at it as pre paying my electricity and i may even save a lot of money later.

  • saltypete on 30/10/2020 - 08:58
    +1

    In Adelaide and have now had a solar battery set up for 3 years. Our in home use averages at 8.58 kWh/ d. We got a generous rebate for the battery and the panels (about 1/3 off) Currently over $300 in credit coming out of the winter quarter, so for us it is working out pretty well with the system being cost neutral in the next few years and power free, or even a small payback after that - even including the (bl@@dy, thieving service charges…).
    You need to really consider what is best for your situation. With low usage, your payback may not make it worth it. Whatever you do, avoid the super low cost systems around at the moment. I am also a bit wary of co-funded models etc. If it doesn’t work for you now, batteries etc are reducing in price, so if you do some research and understand the system, something cost effective might come along in a few years.

    I found Solar quotes to be a wealth of no bs information and their calculators are very good. I got 3 quotes from them, but went with another provider that worked better for us.
    Good luck!

  • trankillity on 30/10/2020 - 09:45
    +1

    With low consumption, you will basically "break even" with your energy bill. The large majority of cost associated with energy is actually the supply of energy to the premises. This is usually around $1 a day, just to be connected to the grid. So you would need to be "earning" at least $1 a day (plus whatever your usage is, generally around 50c-$1.5 depending on cooking/cooling) to break even. I have a very modest 15 panel setup, and my bill calculated via a custom spreadsheet I made and projected energy generation is looking to be around $90 a quarter for 2 people down from around $400 a quarter.

    So you are technically not "making" money until the system has paid for itself (as others have mentioned, usually 3-6 years). After that point, you're saving money. And with your low usage, you're not actually saving a hell of a lot. Battery systems would be a good investment if they weren't so expensive right now, especially if you had any intention of getting an electric vehicle in the future.

    I decided to get solar from a conscience perspective. Both for the environment, and for guilt-free air conditioning during the hotter months (I'm in QLD, so that's basically half the year).

  • mqi on 30/10/2020 - 10:03
    +1

    I recently installed solar (2 weeks running). Paid $4900 for 8.88kW system. I have north facing roof for 6kW and remaining on west roof.
    I have a 40kL pool and run the pump 4-5 hours a day. My base load is around 10kWh a day.
    My Sept bill was around $200. My Oct bill is around $70 after feed in tariff has been deducted.
    At a rough calculation (because consumption and product varies month to month), on average I should save $1200 per year.
    Ofcourse I can also be much more carefree during summer when I turn on air con. I use the oven more these days to roast big cuts of meat for dinner/lunch to make the most of my solar.

    Anyway, there are so many variables when it comes to calculating ROI that I came to the conclusion that worst case it was a 5 year payback. Best case around 3 years payback.
    Provided nothing broke down or problems arose.
    5 year payback is basically 20% per year. Better than my mortgage offset account.
    Inverter has 10 year warranty and panels have 12. So assuming it craps out on 10th year then I would've made back my 4900 original layout and reaped about $6000 in savings.
    So $6000 in 10 years works out to be $600 per year on $4900 investment is about 12% p.a. rate of return.
    And that's worst case scenario.

    • StingyBritches on 30/10/2020 - 11:15

      mqi, assuming you don't mind sharing this info:
      What FIT are you on, and which State?

      • mqi on 30/10/2020 - 13:32

        10.5c from Energy Aust , NSW

    • conan2000 on 30/10/2020 - 11:17

      Yeah, that's the best way to look at it. I calculated that ROI on mine is likely about 16%. But we had way higher usage than OP. Our base load is about 14kWh per day, so putting up a 6.93kW system will wipe out most of our bill year round. Given we've been WFH most of this year, our usage has jumped to about 20-24kW per day, so good chance the ROI has increased significantly as most of that usage is during daylight hours.

  • OzHunterNSW on 30/10/2020 - 10:04
    -1

    NO…. don't bother. You are way under the average usage, anyway. If you outlay 5+ grand on panels, it would take years to recoup. That money would be much better to be used now to enrich your life… NOW.

    My gas bills are typically $50 per quarter … can you believe that.

    It is the electricity that is about $150 per quarter that gets me.

    This is way way below the national average… so just watch what you use, and save the 5+ grand.

  • mqi on 30/10/2020 - 10:04

    If you're into crypto, maybe you can setup a crypto mining rig and use the power from solar to mine crypto and it should payback much faster. I don't know much about it but I saw some guy doing it on a mass scale.

    • whooah1979 on 30/10/2020 - 10:36

      Mining six hours a day isn't very productive.

    • conan2000 on 30/10/2020 - 11:08
      +1

      There is still opportunity cost of mining crypto using solar. I.e. Instead of the 26c per kWh you pay for power, you would instead lose 12c per kWh Feed-in-tariff. Chances are you will lose money even at 12c per kWh unless you strike it lucky and mine something that goes up in price significantly.

      A bunch of people at work used to do it with Bitcoin in the early days and made some decent money, no way you would any more. One guy still tries it, and changes up currencies frequently, it's definitely not worth his while.

  • mrmachine on 30/10/2020 - 13:12
    +1

    We had a 1.25kW system and LPG hot water, and we used to pay about $130 per month in electricity and $70 per month for gas.

    About 12 months ago we upgraded to 7.25kW (added 6kW inverter) for about $8k and replaced the LPG hot water with a heat pump for about $4k. So $12k total cost.

    We got a 12 month FIT of 21c from Origin, and have an export limit of 5kW.

    We now use the dryer all the time (we used to always hang clothes on the line), and don't worry about turning on the AC when it's hot or cold.

    During the day with clear skies during Spring, Summer and Autumn, all our household usage is 100% free as we can be generating ~7kW, using ~2kW and still exporting the maximum 5kW (so no foregone FIT).

    We've not paid a single electricity bill in 12 months (saving us $2,400) and Origin has paid us $1,000. So $3,400 ROI in the first year.

    After the 12 months was up I switched to Click Energy who were offering 16c. Origin called me up and asked why I was leaving. I told them my 21c FIT deal was ending and Click Energy had the next best rate. They instantly gave me another 12 months at 21c.

    The FIT won't last forever, and is trending down. But it's still absolutely worth it. The whole system will be 56% paid off in 2 years, and probably 100% paid off in 5 years, during which time we've had the benefit of using the dryer and AC.

    We average (per day) about 13kWh consumption, 34kWh generation, ~26kWh exported, and ~5kWh imported.

    After it has paid for itself, even if the FIT drops to ~5.2c (26kWh exported / 5kWh imported) we will pay net zero over 12 months and will therefore still be $2,400 better off per year. if the FIT drops to zero we will pay about $564 (assuming $0.31 per kWh for imports) over 12 months and still be $1,836 better off per year.

    • mrmachine on 30/10/2020 - 13:36

      Oh, and the heat pump HWS typically runs for about 2 hours per day. Even if we paid full import rates for that usage, it would cost about $225 per year down from $810 for LPG. But actually that usage is usually 100% free, as it runs during the middle of the day where we are usually generating more than the 5kW export limit.

  • StingyBritches on 05/11/2020 - 11:14

    Our average daily usage kWh based on figures from 2017 to now is ~26-28kWh.

    We only have an older 1.5kW system on the old (generous) FIT. We have nighttime T31 to power our HWS. but the T31 is still bloody expensive. We get approx. $100 back on FIT.

    I'm looking to upgrade to at least a 5kW system (and lose the generous FIT) and potentially a solar HWS.

    Question: do most of you have solar HWS as well? If so, has that also made a significant difference?

    • avoidfullprice on 09/11/2020 - 22:36

      My experience with solar hot water - water is not warm enough in winter. I'd rather get electric instant HWS

    • trankillity on 23/11/2020 - 09:38

      You can move your HWS to the same circuit as the solar, just keep in mind that controlled load tariffs are cheaper - so you'll be paying the standard electricity rate for your HWS if you move it to your normal tariff circuit. I believe you can make them semi smart and only heat when there's excess being sent to the grid, but on cloudy days you'll either be stuck with cold water, or needing to use full rate power to heat your water.

  • Thinkscape on 22/11/2020 - 18:17

    Honestly, the easiest way to get a good ROI is to switch appliances to electric (if you haven't yet), and get an EV (new starting at around $50k).

    Depending on how much your family drives it will be hundreds or thousands of dollars in petrol and maintenance savings (EVs don't have much maintenance, Teslas don't even have regular maintenance cycles, just washer fluid and tire rotation, look at breaks every 100k km etc.).

    • whooah1979 on 22/11/2020 - 20:05

      How do people charge at night?

      • trankillity on 23/11/2020 - 09:39

        This is the consideration most people don't think of. You either need a massive house battery to store the generated energy, or need to work from home to charge during the day.

  • Isla Brown on 31/08/2021 - 21:46

    No matter your daily electricity consumption, in every Australian state, solar panels are worth buying. If you get, a good solar power system then it should deliver you savings for 25 years.

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