Solar energy is a perfect choice for powering a boat as sunlight is omnipresent. Being renewable energy, it is always readily available. Though not as popular as the residential solar system, marine solar panels are gaining popularity these days.

Boats need a lot of energy for maintaining autopilot, keeping navigation lights on, and powering radio systems. It cannot depend on electricity grid for power.

It relies on battery for electricity. It would be ideal if solar panels could provide the energy and maintain the boats battery.

Solar panel can ensure that the boat’s battery always has power. It helps the boat to be self-sustainable.

Boats can run all the appliances on battery. It helps to save money as they are not depending on gas powered generators.  Solar energy can power small sail boats to larger boats.

Sun being a source of renewable energy, marine solar panels fulfil the boat’s electrical usage and keep the battery durable and reliable. For larger boats, it reduces the need to use the engine to provide excess power.

Big solar panels, portable solar panels and even high energy thin-film panels are available for marine boats.  Based on the availability of space, it can be placed on shade tops or even on the exterior parts of boat.

Two main types of marine solar panels are adjustable and standard panels.

As the name suggests, adjustable marine solar panels are adjustable. It is light and without a metal backing. It can be bent and used for installing on different surfaces of the boat, where installing big solar panels would be impossible.

Standard marine solar panels are the standard panels that hold aluminium support. It can withstand harsh weather conditions as they are stronger than the flexible marine solar panels. It is very heavy because of its aluminium backing.

A standard marine solar panel is stronger. It has a long life like a residential solar system. It lasts around 20 years. Adjustable marine panels have a much smaller lifespan of nearly five years.

Advantages of powering a boat with solar panels

Marine solar panels help to reduce the cost of maintaining and running a boat. It helps to save money spent on fuel. It makes electricity more affordable than the ones produced by generator.There will be significant noise reduction. It cuts down sound pollution and aid the quiet life of sea. Generator emits sound while marine solar panels produce electricity without any sound pollution.It acts as a source of backup power by charging the boat’s battery even when no one is on board the boat.Just as a solar system makes one independent of the electricity grid, marine solar panel makes a boat independent of fuel powered generator.It doesn’t produce excess heat like a gas generator. This makes the boat trip pleasant even on hot days.

How do marine solar panels work?

Solar energy systems on boats work similarly to other portable, off-grid systems. When solar energy hits the marine solar panels, it activates the electrons. It starts producing DC charges. This produced energy is saved in batteries.

This current can be used to support the boat’s electricity needs. If the appliances of boat run on AC electricity, an inverter would be needed to convert the produced DC to AC.

While installing solar panels, the first step of the process would be an energy assessment of the boat. The energy needs can be calculated by checking the labels on the appliances of the boat for the typical amp hours and volts used.

A battery monitor can also help in measuring the amount of energy the appliances on boat consume while in use. An average 30-foot boat would require about 300-350 watts of power.

Depending on energy consumption and boat size, the wattage required by solar panels can be determined. The size of the panels is dependent on it.

A charge controller acts as a regulator for the amount of energy that is transferred from your solar panel into your boat’s battery. It helps to manage the energy load that the battery receives.

It prolongs the life of battery by ensuring that the boat uses the exact amount of energy it needs. It makes sure that the battery is not overloaded and overcharged, which can ruin the battery over time.

Based on the requirement, type of panel is chosen. Three main types of marine solar panels are:

Glass fronted panels- They are the most popular type used for boats. It offers the most power at a lower cost. It can be either polycrystalline and monocrystalline.

Polycrystalline is cheaper, larger, have lower energy conversion efficiency and don’t work so well in very hot weather. Monocrystalline is more expensive, smaller, very efficient and more effective in hot weather and even on cloudy days.

Polycarbonate panels- It use polycrystalline technology. They are the most expensive. It is more preferred for yachts as it is slightly flexible and can be fixed with a silicone adhesive and walked on.Fully flexible solar panels- They are the same as is used in a calculator. Its use is restricted to ‘amorphous’ solar technology.

Any of these types of panels can be used on a boat. Marine solar panels are to be bought from the companies that do not exclude salt water and marine environments from their warranties.

Since boats have space limitation for panel installation unlike rooftop solar system, ensure that the panels are placed in such a way that they capture sun throughout the day. Panels should be tilted and properly oriented for this.

It is ideal to find a place which is free of shade. It is always better to go for high efficiency solar PVs so that lesser number of panels are required to produce the needed energy.

Before there was only a limited use of solar panels on boats. With technological advancements solar panels have become efficient enough to withstand the environmental adversities on seas.

Being splashed with sea water and total immersion when waves wash over the boat’s deck, were once a major concern for solar panels.

Solar panel’s electronics and installation has become resistant to corrosion and short circuit.

Surface area was another constraint which stood in the way of using marine solar PVs. With the invention of solar panels that are durable enough to be walked on, surface area is no more a constraint.

Fall in the cost of solar PVs and its increased efficiency and durability is likely to increase the popularity of solar power solutions for boats.

The post Why Solar Panels for boats are getting popular? appeared first on Regen Power.

Strata buidings are one of the final frontiers for rooftop solar, a ripe opportunity just waiting for the right solution. Solar Choice specialises in assessing the potential options for solar power on strata buildings and helpings committee members get a compelling proposal approved at their committee.

 

Solar for strata is tricky: Here’s why

If you’re looking into solar for a strata building, it’s important that you understand the challenges that you’re up against – and the experiences that a lot of solar companies have in implementing solar for strata properties.

Where the roof area to be used is common property (most cases) then a special resolution is required to pass a new by-law. This requires a 75% vote, or in NSW the state government has just reduced this to 50%. As this needs to be done at a EGM, the decision-making and approval process is usually quite slow for these projectsThere are usually additional costs to install solar on strata building:>Flat and concrete roofs will mean additional equipment is required to ballast and tilt the solar panelsTall buildings might require crane hire and traffic control from local councilIf there isn’t space in existing electrical risers (cable conduit that travels vertically up a building) then there could be an extra long cable run or some costs to drill a core hole through the floorsIf you want to tackle the electricity bill from your individual unit you will need to equitably divide the roofspace or install a system that shares power between the units that want to participateThere is often a mix of renters and owner-occupiers in a strata complex. The incentives for getting solar differ depending on which you happen to be. If a landlord with renters wish to invest in solar then they may need to reach an agreement with tennants to increase rent payments before participating

Talk to an experienced Solar Choice consultant about options for your Strata Building

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50%CommercialIs MobileBusiness NameDo you know what size system you would like to install?Under 30kw30 to 100kW100 to 1MWOver 1MWNot sureWhat stage are you at with your investigations?Just getting startedAlready done some research into solarReceived Quotes AlreadyWhat is the address of the proposed installation?This information is used to identify your roof and the local pre-vetted installers to include in your online quote comparison.Full AddressAddress Line 1CityNSWVICACTNTQLDSATASWAStatePostcodeContact NameEmail AddressPhone NumberUpload a recent power bill (optional)Drop files here or Accepted file types: pdf.Affiliate CodeStatsNameThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.jQuery(document).ready(function($){gformInitSpinner( 34, ‘https://www.solarchoice.net.au/wp-content/themes/solarchoice/img/btn-ajax-loader.gif’ );jQuery(‘#gform_ajax_frame_34’).on(‘load’,function(){var contents = jQuery(this).contents().find(‘*’).html();var is_postback = contents.indexOf(‘GF_AJAX_POSTBACK’) >= 0;if(!is_postback){return;}var form_content = jQuery(this).contents().find(‘#gform_wrapper_34’);var is_confirmation = jQuery(this).contents().find(‘#gform_confirmation_wrapper_34’).length > 0;var is_redirect = contents.indexOf(‘gformRedirect(){‘) >= 0;var is_form = form_content.length > 0 && ! is_redirect && ! is_confirmation;var mt = parseInt(jQuery(‘html’).css(‘margin-top’), 10) + parseInt(jQuery(‘body’).css(‘margin-top’), 10) + 100;if(is_form){jQuery(‘#gform_wrapper_34’).html(form_content.html());if(form_content.hasClass(‘gform_validation_error’)){jQuery(‘#gform_wrapper_34’).addClass(‘gform_validation_error’);} else {jQuery(‘#gform_wrapper_34’).removeClass(‘gform_validation_error’);}setTimeout( function() { /* delay the scroll by 50 milliseconds to fix a bug in chrome */ }, 50 );if(window[‘gformInitDatepicker’]) {gformInitDatepicker();}if(window[‘gformInitPriceFields’]) {gformInitPriceFields();}var current_page = jQuery(‘#gform_source_page_number_34’).val();gformInitSpinner( 34, ‘https://www.solarchoice.net.au/wp-content/themes/solarchoice/img/btn-ajax-loader.gif’ );jQuery(document).trigger(‘gform_page_loaded’, [34, current_page]);window[‘gf_submitting_34’] = false;}else if(!is_redirect){var confirmation_content = jQuery(this).contents().find(‘.GF_AJAX_POSTBACK’).html();if(!confirmation_content){confirmation_content = contents;}setTimeout(function(){jQuery(‘#gform_wrapper_34’).replaceWith(confirmation_content);jQuery(document).trigger(‘gform_confirmation_loaded’, [34]);window[‘gf_submitting_34’] = false;}, 50);}else{jQuery(‘#gform_34’).append(contents);if(window[‘gformRedirect’]) {gformRedirect();}}jQuery(document).trigger(‘gform_post_render’, [34, current_page]);} );} ); jQuery(document).bind(‘gform_post_render’, function(event, formId, currentPage){if(formId == 34) {} } );jQuery(document).bind(‘gform_post_conditional_logic’, function(event, formId, fields, isInit){} ); jQuery(document).ready(function(){jQuery(document).trigger(‘gform_post_render’, [34, 1]) } );

 

There are 4 options to install solar power on strata buildings

With these complications in mind, here are four potential solutions to the ‘solar on strata buildings’ problem – from most straightforward & simple to most technologically sophisticated & complex.

 

Option 1: Solar for the common areas

Each strata building has a dedicated meter for the common areas, where lights, lifts and other communal equipment run; the electricity bill associated with this meter is paid for out of strata levies. For very tall apartment blocks with limited roofspace this is usually the best option available as it is a communal cost and everyone will (or should) benefit equally from it in the form of reduced strata bills. Furthermore, the capital expenditure required to purchase such a system can be relatively small, especially if the strata building does not have any communal lifts, air conditioning, pools or other devices which use a large amount of electricity.

Main advantages:

Relative simplicity, with one solar PV system behind just the common area meterAll owners benefit equally through reduced common costs (usually covered by strata levies)

Main disadvantage:

No savings on electricity bills for individual occupants

Solar PV array installed on Manly National Building (NSW) with aide of Solar Choice

When getting quotes for your strata committee it is really important to find installers with experience installer on high-rises and concrete roof-spaces. Solar Choice has a network of installers and we can help you find the local options with the right experience.

 

Options 2: Each unit gets a separately-metered solar system

If the common area bills are already quite small, or if the unit owners are more interested in solar to benefit themselves or their tenants directly, then it may make sense to have a solar system installed for each unit. At this point, however, there is the question of roof allocation. This is a consideration that doesn’t come to mind for most people when they purchase a unit, but one which is sure to arise if one individual owner asks to install a solar system for their unit (unless the units are townhouses).

In this case, in the name of ‘fair share’, it makes sense for the solar-friendly (i.e. unshaded and north/west/east-facing) sections of roof to be pre-emptively divided up between all the owners. This could turn out to be complicated, especially if the roof is multi-faceted and has shading issues in more than one place. Assuming that the strata building has a section of roof with full and equal solar access, this challenge should be relatively clear-cut and easy to solve.

If your strata committee gets to this point, you’ll then need to work out how much each section of roof area will translate into in terms of solar panel capacity. In the end, each system may be quite small (1.5kW–2kW), especially if the building is more than 2-3 stories tall and there’s significantly more floor area than there is roof area. In either case, the most financially sensible approach may be to have all of the solar systems installed at the same time and by the same company, as smaller systems tend to be more expensive per watt of capacity than larger ones, and the way to bring down the overall cost would probably be a bulk buy.

Main advantages:

Provided there is ample viable roof space to go around, each unit has their own solar system, wired up to their own individual meter. This means that there’s no question of whether the benefits of the solar are being shared around in an equitable way, as actual savings will come down to how individuals use energy throughout the day.Each unit may have the option to own their solar PV system separately

Main disadvantages:

Question of how to fairly allocate available roof area between unitsAs the individual systems will be small and wired up individually, they may be expensive on a per watt basis compared to solar for stand-alone home, affecting their financial attractivenessMix of renters and owner-occupiers could mean that it’s harder to get sign-off from body corporate; this is especially important in light of the fact that solar is likely to be less expensive for each individual if a greater number of units go ahead

Option 3: A single solar system shared to individual apartments

This is a relatively new approach, and currently there is only one company (that we are aware of) in Australia with the technology to deliver it. Allume Energy with their SolShare solution have solved a number of the issues outlined at the top of this article.

The SolShare solution is essentially a smart diverter that enables solar energy from a single rooftop solar system to be shared between multiple apartments within the same building. To make the system as efficient as possible but also fair, the SolShare delivers the same amount of solar energy to each apartment over the course of a month, but supplies it when it’s needed by each unit.

In addition, the technology incorporates energy monitoring software, so that you know how much electricity you’re using throughout the day and when solar energy’s available.

How the Allume Energy SolShare program works. (Image via Allume Energy.)

Main advantages:

Any metered unit can be connected, including common light and power.Units can opt-out if they don’t want to be connected.The system is bought by the owners corporation, removing complications around individual roof space ownership.No changes to existing metering infrastructure is required – everyone retains their right to choose their electricity retailer.Participation is not mandatory; meaning only a 50% vote is required (75% in some states)

Main disadvantages:

The Allume solution comes at an additional upfront cost to a traditional solar system, so typically it is better if there are 5 or more owners participatingThis is a new model that has only been deployed in a relatively small number of situations, with Allume Energy being the only company supplying this type of solution in Australia

Find out whether your apartment building is suitable for Allume’s solution

Get Started Now

 

Option 4: Single system with embedded network

If your building is not set up on an embedded network already, then this approach is the most complex, difficult and potentially costly of all the options listed here. An embedded network is basically a private ‘microgrid‘ inside within a strata building. Every unit is metered separately behind a ‘master’ meter that connects the building to the grid. Individual units in an embedded network are generally promised cheaper rates for their electricity, regardless of whether there is solar or not.

In instances where solar is installed on an embedded network, the energy produced can theoretically be ‘split up’ equitably among units and supplied at an even lower rate than under a PPA (or possibly at no cost). Even feed-in credits could be split up among different units. Legally, residents of individual units would still have their choice of electricity retailer (if they live somewhere with a competitive market).

While the embedded network solution is the most ‘thorough’ of those listed here, it is also the most fraught with complications and the most difficult to implement – especially for existing buildings where an embedded network would need to be retrofitted. The first hurdle is getting agreement would be the strata committee, where a unanimous vote would be required in order to take any action. Given the potentially large costs and broad variety of approaches, there’s a considerable chance that the project would never get past initial committee discussions without some serious dedication on the part of its members.

Another important challenge that  is the requirement to get approval from the Embedded Network Manager (ENM). In the National Electricity Market (NEM), every embedded network needs to have a registered manager, due to Power of Choice regulations. The ENM is not incentivised to allow the Body Corporate to install solar as it means they are drawing less power through their gate meter and selling less power to the residents. Solar would also mean a change in the ENM’s billing system which would be difficult to negotiate.

Diagram of an embedded network. (Image via MyComm Energy.)

Main advantages:

Potentially the most equitable way to supply solar energy to units in a strata building that also helps to deliver the full potential value of solar energy (i.e. ‘free’ solar energy to be consumed during the day, plus solar feed-in credits)Depending on the arrangement, a single electricity bill for each unit with appropriate charges & credits

Main disadvantages:

Could be prohibitively costly to implement – especially if applied as a retrofit solution instead of as part of a brand new developmentA wide range of suppliers and specific approaches could make it difficult or time-consuming for strata committees to decide on the one that best suits their situation and needs, or to get unanimous agreement about the best approach among committee membersAdditional red tape associated with Power of Choice regulations governing the establishment of embedded networksPossibly a number of questions to ask and answer about exactly how solar energy will be divvied up among residents

Investigating solar for your strata building: Next steps

Now that you know your options, there is the question of which one is most appropriate for your situation. Solar Choice manages tenders for a wide range of solar projects – including apartment buildings – and are happy to have a no-obligation chat. Get in touch today to learn more about receiving a Business Case Analysis & indicative Quote Comparison of leading solar installation companies in your area.

Get expert advice on the solar options for your strata building

Give us a ring on the number below to discuss your project with our team:

Tap to call: 0410 124 850

Or request a Business Case Analysis & indicative Quote Comparison:

Commercial Solar Quotes & Analysis

The post Solar Power for Strata Buildings: Everything you need to know (almost) appeared first on Solar Choice.

Queensland, otherwise known as the Sunshine state has a perfect environment for solar panel installations. With 300 days of sunshine per year and an average of 8-9 hours of sun per day, it’s no wonder that there’s a demand for solar panel systems on residential homes

We’ll go through what you need to know about how to assess what provider provides the best solar feed in tariff-in Queensland.

To look for the best solar feed-in tariff rates in QLD, view the table below which gets updated every two weeks. We recommend you read the other considerations we mention in this article so you can come out with a more informed decision that goes beyond a financial one only.

 

Does Queensland have a minimum solar feed-in tariff?

There currently isn’t a mandatory minimum feed-in tariff that electricity retailers have to abide by in South East Queensland (Energex network).  Instead it’s been left to each retailer to assign their own respective rates for exported solar power they buy from a solar system owner.

We recommend in this case that you shop around for a plan that provides a high FiT, as electricity retailers will try their best to earn your hard earned dollars by offering a competitive FiT. 

For residents of regional Queensland (Ergon network), there is a mandatory minimum you’ll receive for your solar power exports. Check the QCA’s website for the current rates.

 

Find the best Solar Electricity Plan in your area now

 

What retailer has the best solar feed-in tariff in QLD?

At the time of writing (June 2021), Mojo power currently has the highest solar feed-in tariff offer in QLD, whereby the maximum a customer can get is 18 cents per kilowatt hour (c/kWh). ReAmped Energy comes in second at 17 c/kWh with Discovery Energy at 16 c/kWh.

Each of those plans is subject to eligibility criteria and specific terms and conditions which you can read on their websites.

 

Best Solar Feed-In Rates in Queensland

The below table shows a minimum and maximum solar feed-in tariff that each provider gives. Please note that this information changes on a regular basis and this table is updated to reflect this.

 

The below tables are powered by Wattever

RetailerState / TerritoryMin Solar FITMax Solar FITMojo PowerQLD.5.5c18.0cReAmped EnergyQLD.0.0c17.0cAGLQLD.6.0c15.0cDiscover EnergyQLD.6.0c13.0cGEE EnergyQLD.0.0c13.0cOrigin EnergyQLD.5.0c13.0cRed EnergyQLD.5.0c11.5cAlinta EnergyQLD.0.0c11.0c1st EnergyQLD.6.0c11.0cCovaUQLD.0.0c11.0cDiamond EnergyQLD.0.0c10.2cMomentum EnergyQLD.0.0c10.0cEnova EnergyQLD.0.0c10.0cDodoQLD.8.5c8.5cEnergy AustraliaQLD.8.5c8.5cPeople EnergyQLD.8.0c8.0cOVO EnergyQLD.0.0c8.0cQEnergyQLD.0.0c8.0cElysian EnergyQLD.0.0c7.9cLocality Planning EnergyQLD.0.0c7.9cGloBird EnergyQLD.3.0c7.2cGlow PowerQLD.7.0c7.0cBright Spark PowerQLD.6.0c7.0cErgon EnergyQLD.6.6c6.6cEnergy LocalsQLD.6.0c6.0cRadian EnergyQLD.6.0c6.0cNectrQLD.0.0c6.0cSumoQLD.6.0c6.0cPowerdirectQLD.6.0c6.0cSimply EnergyQLD.4.5c4.5cFuture X PowerQLD.4.0c4.0cElectricity in a BoxQLD.4.0c4.0cPowershopQLD.0.0c3.5cKogan EnergyQLD.2.9c2.9cPowerclubQLD.0.0c2.1cAmber ElectricQLD.0.0c0.0cOn by EnergyAustraliaQLD.0.0c0.0cTango EnergyQLD.0.0c0.0c

 

Should I only consider solar feed-in tariffs when choosing an electricity provider?

Although choosing an energy provider solely on having the highest solar feed-in tariff sounds like a tempting path to go down, be careful of putting your blinkers on and ignoring other important factors. 

We recommend that you also consider other factors namely usage rates and daily supply charges.  You may find in your assessment that a company may offer a high feed-in tariff but their usage rates as measured as cents per kilowatt-hour (c/kWh) is relatively higher then another competitor that gives you a lower tariff amount.

You may also be in a situation where you’ve got a small solar system that doesn’t produce much excess electricity to export back to the grid. In that case, you may want to consider going with a provider that has lower usage and daily supply charges because your capacity to make money from exports is limited by your solar system design. 

If however, your solar system has the ability to export a lot of excess clean electricity, then it may make sense to go for the higher solar FiT which would help with minimising your regular electricity bills payback calculations.

You can enter you bill details into Solar Choice’s electricity plan comparison tool to find a good solar electricity plan and switch online:

 

Find the best Solar Electricity Plan in your area now

 

How do I find out what my Solar Feed in Tariff is?

You can find your current solar feed-in tariff by locating it on page 2 of your energy bill – look for a ‘c/kWh’ rate. If you can’t find it, another good place to look is at the bottom of the retailer’s homepage.  

It’s also legislated that all retailers provide their customers with a fact sheet document that shows clearly important information for each plan including rates, charges and fees etc. Check your emails for something from your electricity retailer.

 

What are the solar system network limits in Queensland?

How electricity is transported. (Image via AEMO. Click to enlarge.)

 

The Distributed Network Service Providers (DNSPs) own the electrical infrastructure in Queensland. Based on protecting the network from issues like voltage rises that occur when solar is installed they apply certain limits on what solar systems can be installed. This can also include a limit on how much power can be exported back to the grid from a solar system.

The grid was originally designed to only work unidirectionally, with electricity only going from the large coal power stations to the end-consumer. Now we are looking at multi-directional energy distribution with over 2 million home rooftop solar systems.

Hopefully in the future the grid will get smarter and the infrastructure and supporting tools will allow for better bidirectional electricity back and forth – meaning less limits for home solar systems.

 

NetworkDescriptionReferencesEnergexSingle-phase: up to 5kVA inverter capacity.

3-phase: up to 15kVA inverter capacitySolar systems up to 30kVAErgonSingle-phase: Up to 10kVA inverter capacity, but only 5kVA allowed for export

3-phase: Up to 30kVA inverter capacity, but only 15kVA allowed for exportMicro energy generation units

 

History of feed-in tariffs in QLD

For the early adopters who got solar over 10 years ago, there was a generous premium given in Queensland for the solar feed-in tariff at 44c/kWh. Then from 10 July 2012, it was announced by the state government it was to be drastically reduced to 8c/kWh.

There were a range of reactions to this big change. The solar panel industry was embraced for a sudden rush of customers wanting to submit their application before the deadline.

This change, driven by Queensland premier Campbell Newman, who under the Liberal government implemented a different direction from the previous Labour government’s clean energy policies.

The cut was much bigger than that taken by other states. Whilst other states like Victoria and South Australia adopted a gradual reduction (who’s solar feed-in tariff was reduced to 25c/kWh and 23c/kWh respectively), Queensland’s cut represented reduction of over 75% overnight.

Following the reduction in feed in tariffs, the contentious issue of undervalued solar power was discussed. The Australian Solar Energy Society (AuSES) stated in response that utilities should pay the same rate for solar that customers pay for grid electricity.

The Clean Energy Council had also warned that up to 4500 solar jobs could be shed over a period of a year in the fallout of the reduction.

It’s important to note that the context of this drop was centered around the misconception that solar schemes were a main driver for the rising price of electricity. It was clearly pointed out by RenewEconomy in an article that green schemes reduce the demand for electricity from the grid. It was argued that wholesale electricity prices had been pushed down to around half of what they were within a five year period.

Despite the change in feed in tariffs, the economics behind installing solar on your home still made sense. The main motivation which for some homeowners had focused on exporting solar at a premium price shifted to a focus on self-consuming the solar power that was generated. However, the soaring costs of retail electricity in Queensland as well as the affordability of solar with a reasonable payback period (now around 3-5 years) is now the main motivation for going solar along with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

In 2014 the solar feed-in tariffs in regional Queensland were reduced to between 6.3c/kWh and 9.7c/kWh for exporting energy back to the grid.  This was initiated by the Queensland Competition Authority who had decided to set a minimum feed-in tariff for regional Queensland because of a lack of competition amongst retail electricity providers.

 

Conclusion:

Getting the most out of your investment in solar will come down to choosing an electricity retailer that provides a solar feed-in tariff that suits you. It’s important to choose a balance between choosing a retailer that provides a high enough tariff, along with reasonable usage rates and supply charges. Hopefully after reading this article, you’ll come away with making a more informed decision.

 

The post Best QLD Solar Feed-In Tariffs appeared first on Solar Choice.

The world’s biggest solar and battery storage project, planned for Australia’s Northern Territory and backed by billionaires Mike Cannon-Brookes and Andrew Forrest, is about to get bigger.

The Sun Cable project, which started out as a 10GW solar project in 2019, has expanded to plans to install 14GW of solar PV, 20-30 gigawatt-hours of battery storage and a 5,000km transmission system linking Darwin and Singapore.

But the company behind the project, also called Sun Cable, has been crunching the numbers on scale and technology costs and is expected to announce the details of a further expansion later this month, and possibly reveal some new customers.

“The project is getting bigger,” Sun Cable CEO David Griffin told RenewEconomy. “With the passage of time we have been able to undertake a lot more research into the nature of the… solar resource and the technology roadmap for photovoltaics and storage, and the load profile of our prospective customers.

“When you put all that together, that demonstrates we can achieve a significantly larger installed capacity at that site and, to some degree, it would be optimal to do that to better serve the loads we are seeing.”

Griffin would not say by how much the 14GW capacity of the solar component would increase, but said that the battery storage component – previously estimated at between 20 and 30GWh – would increase accordingly.

The fact that Sun Cable is looking to deliver up to 800MW to the Darwin grid by 2026 is significant because it points to a major new customer for renewable energy as the local grid currently has average demand of just 150MW.

 

The post Sun Cable: World’s biggest solar and battery project is about to get a lot bigger appeared first on Solar Choice.

Suntech Australia have been supplying solar modules to the Australian market since 2007.

However, a decision has been made that Suntech modules can only be purchased through a single channel within Australia, and that is through SF Suntech Australia.

It’s important to note that Suntech solar modules purchased through any channel other than SF Suntech Australia will not be qualified for an STC claim. 

 

The post Suntech to be exclusively sold through SF Suntech Australia appeared first on Solar Choice.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://www.whsolarcommunity.com/?p=983

Since commencing in 2010, 2020 Fire Protection have grown a team of passionate fire safety experts designed to help you and your building stay safe from fire. They are at the forefront of professionalising the industry through training and accreditation.

At the beginning of the year Director Rob Broadhead reached out to Solar Choice to assist in making a well-informed decision on a solar company, products used, length of warranties and prices.

Rob had previously investigated solar a few years previous and had some knowledge built-up surrounding the size he would prefer. Following an assessment of his power bills, we concurred and subsequently followed up with a personalised Tender Management Platform quickly displaying several of our recommended installers indicative breakdowns.

Rob selected a couple of options to visit the property and provide their assessment of the meter, switchboard and roof and gave chance for the installers to provide a final submission.

The winning bidder selected installed a 13.32kw system compromising of Trina panels and a Fronius inverter utilising tilt frames to ensure maximum efficiency from the system can be provided.

The post 2020 Fire Protection install solar PV system appeared first on Solar Choice.