Currently, the Victorian government is providing a rebate of up to $2,225 for solar panel (PV) system installation for residential and rental properties.

To make installation easier and affordable for householders, the government is promoting interest-free loans for an amount equivalent to the rebate amount. The debtor can repay the loan within four years.

To avail the government incentive or rebate, you need to ensure your eligibility prior to contacting an authorised solar provider – who processes your eligibility assessment request and claims the rebate on your behalf. Your provider deducts the rebate amount from the total cost of your system, and you can pay the outstanding amount directly to your provider once your solar system is installed. If you have received an interest-free loan, you can repay it within four years.

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Here is an example:

Description       Cost

Solar system and installation cost$4,450

Rebate (paid directly to the solar provider)$2,225

Interest-free loan amount
(paid by you to the solar provider within 4 years)$2,225

Upfront costs to you0

Payback Time

A solar PV system costs thousands of dollars, starting at around $3500-$4000 for a basic installation. However, prices are steadily dropping with increasing demand. And payback time is a variable affected by a number of different factors.

Being an investment that once paid for saves money in the long term through ‘self-consumption’ by generating free electricity during daylight hours. This offsets the higher electricity tariffs imposed by your energy retailer for the electricity you draw from the grid. A system without batteries typically has a payback period of 3 to 5 years. Adding batteries extends the payback time.

So, considering your electricity consumption is important when choosing your solar system size.

Are You Eligible?

Check your eligibility for solar system installation.

Following are the eligibility criteria for availing rebate for (household) solar PV system installation:

• You are the owner-occupier of the property

• You have a combined household income of less than $180,000 per annum (as per the most recent tax assessment notices)

• It is an existing property valued under $3,000,000

• The property does not already have a solar PV system installed and you have not already received a rebate as part of the Solar Homes program

• Installed an eligible solar panel system on or after August 19, 2018

Small Business Owner? Get in Touch to Check Your Eligibility for Solar System Installation

The Application Process

It is important to understand the application process. Here are 6 simple steps to follow:

• Do some research prior to finalizing the authorised solar retailer you want to use

• Contact them to obtain a quote for you

• Your authorised solar retailer will upload your quote into the Solar Victoria Portal to initiate your application for eligibility.

• Upon successful submission, you will be issued an eligibility number.

• Provide the eligibility number to your installer to confirm that they can go ahead with the installation process. No eligibility number means no installation can take place.

• Sign a contract with your authorised retailer and start solar installation

 How Much Do Solar PV Systems Cost?

The price of your solar PV system can be affected by a number of factors, such as:

• Capacity (in Watts)

• The brand

• The durability/longevity (or warranty period)

• Government incentives and schemes

• Type and number of panels

• Type and size of the inverter

• Type of framing equipment and other system components

• Contractor installation costs

• Height and accessibility of roof and whether it is tiled or metal or concrete

Keeping these factors in mind, here’s an approximate price range for grid-connected solar PV systems which includes government incentives as well. These numbers are ballpark figures. They may change thanks to the dynamic environment.

Estimated Grid Connected System Price:

System SizeEstimated Price Range

2 KW$3500 – $6000

3 KW$4500 – $7500

4 KW$5500 – $9500

5 KW$7000 – $10,500

10 KW$13,500 – $26,000

Things You Need to Know Before Installing Solar Panels

Before installing solar panels:

• Consider your current electricity usage. To check energy usage, check your recent energy bill.

• Choose the size of PV system based on your power usage

• Understand the financials from your retailer

• Learn how solar system will affect your current electricity rate.

• Check if your solar provider is a signatory to the Clean Energy Council’s Solar Retailer Code of Conduct. It requires providers to disclose accurate information.

• Check if solar panels provided by your solar retailer meet Australian Standards and carry a valid warranty.

How Do Solar Panels Work?

Here’s a brief overview of how a grid-connected solar system works and converts sunlight into electricity:

1. Solar panels soak sunrays to create electrical potential energy. Conductors attached to the positive and negative side of the solar cells convert the potential energy into electric current.

2. This power is stored in the form of DC (Direct Current) in cells of the panel.

3. The stored power is then transferred to an inverter using wire.

4. The inverter converts DC power into AC (Alternating Current), which is the form of electricity used in homes.

5. The AC power coming from the inverter is then connected to the power grid.

This is how millions of Australian households and businesses are supplying energy back to the power grids rather than taking it from them.

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How Many Solar Panels Do You Need?

The number of solar panels you require largely depends on how much electricity you consume. Other contributing factors that need to be considered are:

1. Home electricity usage (in kWh)

2. Roof angle, direction of the roof, and the region to determine the amount of sunlight solar panels will receive

3. The average power generated by each solar panel

4. The utility provider. Most utilities use net metering. Under net metering, homeowners can typically generate electricity at the same cost per kWh that their utility provider would otherwise charge them.

How to Choose the Right Solar Panel?

• All solar panels look similar, but levels of power, quality and reliability may vary significantly

• Solar panels have different wattages and power generation capacity

• Determine solar panel efficiency

• The power rating

• Power tolerance

• Efficiency and temperature coefficient

• Aesthetics – how they look

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AllGreen Australia has partnership with APs to organize solar quotes for you.

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Types of Crystalline Silicon Cells

Crystalline silicon solar cells come in two main types of Silicon cells:

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Monocrystalline &  Polycrystalline

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Space Efficiency

Monocrystalline is generally more space efficient than polycrystalline.

One square meter of monocrystalline solar cells will generate around 190W
One square meter of polycrystalline solar cells will generate around 180W

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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