Solar Panels

[Pushka]

Solar panels. Our roof faces north at the shack so instead of outlaying $3000 on painting the roof we can have solar panels 6.6kw installed for around $4500 that covers the same area. So what do I need to know or ask?

 

[tgh]

So what do I need to know….
Does the roof need paint for structural reasons (rust and corrosion protection ) or is it just cosmetic.
Assuming the roof is tin , how are the screws ? does it need re-screwing as well as paint ?

Once the panels are on the roof can quietly rust away and nobody will know until….
Otoh ... panels mitigate weathering ; sometime I plan to unfasten mine and wash the roof underneath but I expect the paint to be ok

 

[Pushka]

Solar panels. Our roof faces north at the shack so instead of outlaying $3000 on painting the roof we can have solar panels 6.6kw installed for around $4500 that covers the same area. So what do I need to know or ask?

Thanks mod - there is a thread!

 

[moa999]

Yep. Wouldn't assume panels save you from painting or replacing roof.

Simple metal rooves are typically cheapest for solar (don't need grinding which can crack old tiles) or risk of eater entry.

Solarquotes.com.au is my recommended goto for solar info.

 

[Pushka]

So what do I need to know….
Does the roof need paint for structural reasons (rust and corrosion protection ) or is it just cosmetic.
Assuming the roof is tin , how are the screws ? does it need re-screwing as well as paint ?

Once the panels are on the roof can quietly rust away and nobody will know until….
Otoh ... panels mitigate weathering ; sometime I plan to unfasten mine and wash the roof underneath but I expect the paint to be ok

Yep. Wouldn't assume panels save you from painting or replacing roof.

Simple metal rooves are typically cheapest for solar (don't need grinding which can crack old tiles) or risk of eater entry.

Solarquotes.com.au is my recommended goto for solar info.

The painting is purely cosmetic and we had a roof inspection done about five months ago. It is metal. It's in the country but have found two suppliers nearby. I'll check that solarquotes.com.au.

 

[Pushka]

So we have quotes for 6.5kw solar panels. 17 Seraphim panels. Either sungrow 5kw inverter or fronius Premium inverter - $4990. Or second supplier Tiger 6.6 is and DND series inverter - $6500. The first supplier gets excellent reviews on solarquotes.com.au and the second still 4.7 so both seem acceptable. I couldn't see any info about Tiger N Type panels. FIN is 10c

 

[andye]

We used solarchoice .net au and were happy with who we chose in Sydney
Mrs andye was very concerned with the aesthetics and we bought LG black panels though on our 2 storey house they are pretty difficult to see from the street

 

[exceladdict]

I will need to make the decision shortly (WA based) between a 6.6kw system, 5kw inverter (and be eligible for the pittance of a FIT that the DEBS system introduced) or to oversize it, get nothing for a while, but potentially be able to export more when VPPs start up shortly.

I have three phase electricity so, assuming I want a battery eventually and backup capability, my choices look like the Fronius Symo Gen24 or Huawei SUN2000-5KTL-M1. From what I've seen, the Fronius 5kw version won't allow full backup on all 3 phases, only its backup point, whereas the Huawei will, with a battery.

 

[cove]

We are thinking that we are now about two years or less from buying two fully electric cars. We will be wanting a bit more oompf from our current household solar system so we will need to use some of our north facing roof and get a battery for some storage.

 

[Buzzard]

So we have quotes for 6.5kw solar panels. 17 Seraphim panels. Either sungrow 5kw inverter or fronius Premium inverter - $4990. Or second supplier Tiger 6.6 is and DND series inverter - $6500. The first supplier gets excellent reviews on solarquotes.com.au and the second still 4.7 so both seem acceptable. I couldn't see any info about Tiger N Type panels. FIN is 10c

We went with Goliath as I know a relative of the owner. For me it was also more about quality than cost. LG panels and a Fronius inverter. The whole process with Goliath went well. FIT is 12c Inc gst.

 

[moa999]

Also ensure that whatever system you do buy you have good monitoring.
Enphase and SolarEdge have very good inbuilt packages that you can login to on a browser or app, think some other inverters require add-ons.

 

[Buzzard]

Also ensure that whatever system you do buy you have good monitoring.
Enphase and SolarEdge have very good inbuilt packages that you can login to on a browser or app, think some other inverters require add-ons.

My system allows me to log in via a web browser. Not sure if there's an app.

 

[jb747]

You have to just love the power companies. After a couple of years of being paid over the sunny parts of the year, they've now enhanced their product so that they get my solar more or less for free, and I get a bill all year round. Time to look at a battery I guess.

 

[exceladdict]

just got an email that a large(ish) supplier in WA, infinite energy, are withdrawing from the market. Apparrently, margins are tight.

 

[Daver6]

just got an email that a large(ish) supplier in WA, infinite energy, are withdrawing from the market. Apparrently, margins are tight.

I got that too. I used them for my install about 5 years ago. My read on it was they're withdrawing from the residential market, which I took to mean focussing on commercial.

 

[codash1099]

just got an email that a large(ish) supplier in WA, infinite energy, are withdrawing from the market. Apparrently, margins are tight.

I guess that explains why, after meeting with them to discuss a system, there has been total silence from them.

 

[Quickstatus]

I asked my solar installer if there was any change to battery price/capacity

Here are the figures:

Specs of the Tesla Powerwall 2
● cost: $15000
●Warranted aggregate kWh: 37000 total. And 10 years.
●Round trip efficiency 90%

Cost of warranted kWh if it is all used in one year
●15000/(37000 x 0.9)
●Cost to store each warranted kWh in the battery: 45c/kWh
●Add the FiT: 7c/kWh - this is the income forgone by diverting kWh from grid export into the battery
●Assume cost to produce each kWh stored by a solar array = 8c/kwh

Total cost to store each warranted kWh in battery: 60c/kWh


In order to break even the cost of grid electricity if battery not available at the time the battery would be used must be greater than 60c/kWh in

However you have not accounted for:

●Opportunity cost of the battery and solar panel at prevailing interest rate 5% for 10 years.

Looking at opportunity cost of the $15000. Another way is to assume you borrow the $15000 from your mortgage and you have to pay it back using the savings from the battery storage. Or that you forgo investing $15000 in an investment that returned 5% pa.

5% opportunity cost and 60c/kwh will take approx 8 years to pay back the $15000


The battery is income producing only
●After 8 years
●2 years of warranty remaining and 7400 kWh warranted kWh remaining
●Assumes that the cost of grid electricity during battery discharge period is equal to or greater than 60c/kWh
●Assumes that the cost of producing stored kWh is 8c/kWh
●Assumes the opportunity cost is 5% pa
●Assumes Fit 7c/kWh
●Does not take into account inflation
●


Some food for thought
●I would do much better putting that $15000 into my super fund which is averaging 12-15% pa long term
●Battery only makes financial sense if tariffs are predicted to increase. However, the prevailing message from politicians and renewable activists is that renewable energy will reduce energy tariffs. If so there is even less financial incentive to install a battery. Can't have it both ways. Either the politicians and activists are lying in which case a battery will make sense or they are telling the truth in which case a battery does not make sense.

 

[Flashback]

Given my new place has solar panels, I should probably have a read through this thread to see if there's any tips!

 

[exceladdict]

Here are the figures:

Specs of the Tesla Powerwall 2
● cost: $15000
●Warranted aggregate kWh: 37000 total. And 10 years.
●Round trip efficiency 90%

Cost of warranted kWh if it is all used in one year
●15000/(37000 x 0.9)
●Cost to store each warranted kWh in the battery: 45c/kWh
●Add the FiT: 7c/kWh - this is the income forgone by diverting kWh from grid export into the battery
●Assume cost to produce each kWh stored by a solar array = 8c/kwh

Total cost to store each warranted kWh in battery: 60c/kWh


In order to break even the cost of grid electricity if battery not available at the time the battery would be used must be greater than 60c/kWh in

However you have not accounted for:
●Cost to produce each kWh stored in the battery: the cost of your solar array amortised over 10 years
●Opportunity cost of the battery and solar panel at prevailing interest rate 5% for 10 years.

Looking at opportunity cost of the $15000. Another way is to assume you borrow the $15000 from your mortgage and you have to pay it back using the savings from the battery storage. Or that you forgo investing $15000 in an investment that returned 5% pa.

5% opportunity cost and 60c/kwh will take approx 8 years to pay back the $15000


The battery is income producing only
●After 8 years
●2 years of warranty remaining and 7400 kWh warranted kWh remaining
●Assumes that the cost of grid electricity during battery discharge period is equal to or greater than 60c/kWh
●Assumes that the cost of producing stored kWh is 8c/kWh
●Assumes the opportunity cost is 5% pa
●Assumes Fit 7c/kWh
●Does not take into account inflation
●


Some food for thought
●I would do much better putting that $15000 into my super fund which is averaging 12-15% pa long term
●Battery only makes financial sense if tariffs are predicted to increase. However, the prevailing message from politicians and renewable activists is that renewable energy will reduce energy tariffs. If so there is even less financial incentive to install a battery. Can't have it both ways. Either the politicians and activists are lying in which case a battery will make sense or they are telling the truth in which case a battery does not make sense.

Great write up. I reckon a simple UPS will keep my wifi going long enough to not justify a battery unless something changes grid stability wise! (plus the bother of wiring backup for 3-phase).

 

[JessicaTam]

Here are the figures:

Specs of the Tesla Powerwall 2
● cost: $15000
●Warranted aggregate kWh: 37000 total. And 10 years.
●Round trip efficiency 90%

Cost of warranted kWh if it is all used in one year
●15000/(37000 x 0.9)
●Cost to store each warranted kWh in the battery: 45c/kWh
●Add the FiT: 7c/kWh - this is the income forgone by diverting kWh from grid export into the battery
●Assume cost to produce each kWh stored by a solar array = 8c/kwh

Total cost to store each warranted kWh in battery: 60c/kWh


In order to break even the cost of grid electricity if battery not available at the time the battery would be used must be greater than 60c/kWh in

However you have not accounted for:
●Cost to produce each kWh stored in the battery: the cost of your solar array amortised over 10 years
●Opportunity cost of the battery and solar panel at prevailing interest rate 5% for 10 years.

Looking at opportunity cost of the $15000. Another way is to assume you borrow the $15000 from your mortgage and you have to pay it back using the savings from the battery storage. Or that you forgo investing $15000 in an investment that returned 5% pa.

5% opportunity cost and 60c/kwh will take approx 8 years to pay back the $15000


The battery is income producing only
●After 8 years
●2 years of warranty remaining and 7400 kWh warranted kWh remaining
●Assumes that the cost of grid electricity during battery discharge period is equal to or greater than 60c/kWh
●Assumes that the cost of producing stored kWh is 8c/kWh
●Assumes the opportunity cost is 5% pa
●Assumes Fit 7c/kWh
●Does not take into account inflation
●


Some food for thought
●I would do much better putting that $15000 into my super fund which is averaging 12-15% pa long term
●Battery only makes financial sense if tariffs are predicted to increase. However, the prevailing message from politicians and renewable activists is that renewable energy will reduce energy tariffs. If so there is even less financial incentive to install a battery. Can't have it both ways. Either the politicians and activists are lying in which case a battery will make sense or they are telling the truth in which case a battery does not make sense.

I don't see solar panels or batteries as a purely financial decision. Every house I have owned I have added solar to, so I am not the only one to benefit.