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Unfortunately, many consumers in Australia have found that their solar retailers have liquidated or left the country, leaving them as what’s known as a ‘Solar Orphan’. So what do you do when your solar provider is no longer around? On December 28th, 2018 – A Current Affair did a brief story on “Solar Orphans” which started an important conversation amongst the industry and consumers alike. Various concerns have been raised including warranty issues, completion of installations and company liability – more importantly, what should consumers do if their solar company is no longer around? Leaving

Recent changes in regulation have caused many solar installations to undergo grid voltage issues. After a tricky period during which we have had to go back to some installations a few times to fine-tune, network operators have been very pro-active in fixing the voltage issues that were causing the problems, and the worst is now comfortably behind us. High grid voltages make for inverter outages When you are producing more power than you are using, your inverter needs to send some power back to the grid. In order for a solar inverter to return power to the grid, it must put out a higher voltage

South Australians - Want to Save Thousands on A Solar PV Battery in Your Home? If you’ve been thinking about installing a Solar PV Battery in your South Australian home, now is the time to act. The South Australian State Government are offering subsidies and loans to assist homeowners in paying for their home battery systems, potentially saving you thousands on a solar PV battery installation – not to mention the countless number of benefits that will come from installing a solar PV battery in your home, overtime. Here’s everything you need to know about the South Australian Home Battery

Have you been thinking about installing a solar PV or battery system in your home or small business? Thanks to the Queensland Government’s Solar PV and Battery Grant, if you’re a Queensland resident or small business owner, there has never been a better time to install and reap the benefits. But time is running out. The Queensland Government has stated that all applications for solar battery loans will close once funding has been exhausted on 30 June 2019, whichever occurs first. Since the announcement, there has been an increasingly large number of applications made, which implies the June 30

Are You Eligible for the Victorian Solar Power Rebate? If you’re a homeowner in Victoria then it’s your lucky day because you could be cutting your power bills in half thanks to a new Government solar energy program said to save households up to $890 a year on energy costs. A media release from the Minister of Energy, Environment & Climate Change announced the Solar Homes program late last month which aims to reignite a solar ‘spark’ in almost 650,000 homes across Victoria in the space of 10 years. What is the Solar Homes Package? The Solar Homes program, which offers households up to $2,225

Visit our new Canberra office Solargain is delighted to announce the opening of its new ACT office! Whether you are looking to switch to solar power, solar hot water, or to repair or replace your existing system, our team of experienced consultants is here to help you with all your renewable energy needs. Who? Solar experts Jimmy Miller and Joe McCaffery Where? Unit 1, 9 Whyalla Street, Fyshwick ACT 2609 When? Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm Solargain ACT customers eligible for battery storage grant Solargain was chosen, alongside five other local and national companies, to receive funds

Stay cool and save money this summer with these clever ideas for cutting your power bill. #1: Ensure your air con is ‘working smarter, not harder’ Resist the temptation to turn your air con on full-boar, in the hope that it’ll cool the room down faster. (All that does is chew up electricity!) Instead, set your air conditioner to around 25°C with a moderate fan speed. Slow and steady wins the race when cooling your home affordably. #2: Stop the leaks and block out the heat Be on the lookout for places where cold air can escape from your air conditioned room, like under doorways and via open

Take control of your solar electricity In the past, if your solar panels produced more electricity than your household used, it made good financial sense to export that excess electricity back to the grid. In return, your electricity company would pay you anywhere between 20c-50c/kWh of electricity. However, lucrative feed-in tariffs like that are now a distant memory, with power companies only paying around 5c-12c/kWh these days. Given that you’ll be paying much more than that to buy electricity back off the grid at night (between 25c-40c/kWh depending on your electricity supplier), you’re

On 20 July 2017, STC prices have dropped dramatically, affecting every company across the solar industry, small or large, as well as PV customers all over Australia. This dip has caused the price of a 5kW solar system to increase by approximately $1000. So how do STCs work and when can you expect system prices to go down again? What are STCs? The solar industry benefits from a government incentive called the ‘Renewable Energy Target’ (RET). Under the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme, households and businesses with solar power systems up to 100kW, receive Small-Scale Technology Certificates

Our 3-step guide to saving money on power bills: Step 1 - Going Solar Here is a simulation of your potential savings compared to the same usage without solar power. Please note that solar power systems produce 2 to 3 times more energy in summer than in winter, so your summer bills are a lot lower in the summer months. However, we have taken that into account, and the consumption data provided below are yearly averages. If you install a 5kW solar power system on your roof, which produces 22.5kWh per day, your production for the September-October billing period (61 days) will be 1372.5kWh. If

LG has recently released the NeON 2, an award-winning solar module already labelled “the panel of the future”. From high performance to low degradation, great resistance, and superior warranty cover, the new model from LG ticks every box! Whether you wish to make the switch to solar or to upgrade your current PV system, here are 3 good reasons to consider the LG NeON 2: 1. Produce more electricity and save more money With extra wire busbars, double-sided cells, and better performance in hot weather and in low-light conditions, the NeON 2 is currently the most efficient solar panel on the

With higher feed-in tariffs, more affordable solar panels, increasingly productive PV systems and valuable STCs, now is the time to make the switch to solar! 5 compelling reasons to go solar: Rising energy costs As energy costs in Australia continue to soar, solar is considered a low-cost energy option. With electricity prices across the country set to further increase from July 2017, switching to solar now only makes sense. Continuing government incentives Upfront government incentives are still available and can account for a significant percentage of the upfront cost of the system so, even