This post will be updated as we hear new stories from those who got solar from the Sunny Shire bulk buys and are saving big. Please get in touch to share your story – info@sunnyshire.org.au
Some people in the community are still skeptical whether solar works, whether it saves money and reduces energy bills and if it only works for those that are at home during the day to directly use the electricity. Sunny Shire and the bulk buy families know they do. Here are their stories..
6.6kW in Yowie Bay
- Installed July 2016
- 6.6kW (by our records)
- 22 Trina Panels
- Solar Edge Inverter
- Cost: ~$9,200 plus meter
- Electricity Bills before: $700 per quarter
- Electricity Bills after: $350 per quarter
- Annual Savings: $1,400 p.a.
John says “We got 5.5kW installed in 2017. Purchased via the bulk buy (providing great piece of mind) and installed by AG Solar (good advice and quick and efficient job). We were paying about $700/qtr before solar and now, as anticipated, our bills are about half of what they were. Good result!!!”
18kW in Como
- Installed November 2017
- 18kW (54 panels!)
- LG Panels and SMA Inverter
- 10kWh LG Chem Battery
- Cost: $32k after STCs (rebate)
- Electricity costs were: $2,000 per quarter
- Electricity costs now: $0 (predicted, but still early)
Stephen says: “4 year payback then 16 years of free power worth $128k based on NPV, not a scam, a bargain!” and “I don’t get an electricity bill anymore, I get a statement!” When Stephen got quotes, he even got quotes from a commercial solar company as it is so big!
6.5kW in Dolans Bay
Photo source: The Leader (John Veage)
- Installed September 2017
- 6.5kW of Trina panels with Solar Edge inverter
- Previous energy costs: $1,800 per annum
- Electricity costs now: $100 per annum
The system includes some North tilted and flush mounted north oriented panels for around $9,500. By saving $1,700 p.a. this will see around a 5.5 year payback.
From The Leader article: Mr Cropp said the solar system had made them more conscious of their energy use. “[For instance] we will put the dishwasher on in the daytime when we know the sun is out,” he said. “I have got a monitoring system, so it tells me every minute of the day what I am using and when I am selling back to the grid. It’s a bit addictive.”
7.8 kW Como
Photo source: The Leader (John Veage)
- Installed April 2017
- 7.8kW of Trina with Solar Edge inverter
- Previous energy costs: $1,600 per annum
- Electricity costs now: $700 per annum credit
- Cost – $9,700
- Year 1 Return on Investment: 24%
- Payback: 4-5 years
Jonathan and Lauren got solar in April 2017, with panels facing North, East, West and flat (28 panels in total). It generates 30-50kWh per day on sunny days depending on the season, and we use 10-12 kWh per day most of the year (20kWh per day in winter). We both work professionally so are often not home to use the solar 3-4 days per week. We got very good at moving our electricity use in the middle of the day, including our hot water heat pump (2kWh per day) and the habit of turning our dishwasher on before leaving for work. We would also wait for the sun to come up for morning coffee. We would often be 65% solar supplied for the month!
We added a battery in November, and before that our electricity account (Powershop) was already well in credit, and tracking to be $700 per annum. I think the battery is saving an extra $300 per annum. With the electricity price increase, bills would have been at least $1,800 p.a., so a $2,500 annual saving. The system cost $9,700 (plus meter change), so around a 4 year payback for the solar. (About a 30 year payback for the battery!)