May 2024 - SolarBright

Save On Your Heating This Winter with These 5 Tips

Posted on May 13, 2024May 8, 2024 by seo

Some people enjoy the winter: it’s a chance to stay cosy and warm inside. But that can only happen if you’ve got good heating options. With the additional electricity use and longer morning showers, winter can be a terrible time for energy bills. If you want to stay warm and comfortable in winter without excessive energy bills, we’ve got some tips for you.

Lower Your Heater’s Temperature

If you use a wood heater, you can skip this tip. But for everybody who uses other heating solutions such as heat pumps, space heaters or even gas heaters, these come with an expense in the form of your energy bill. One of the ways to reduce your costs is to simply lower the temperature on your heater.

A heat pump, for example, if kept between 18-20 degrees Celsius, can comfortably heat your rooms. The temptation is always there to crank it up to 23 or higher, but this is where the system has to work harder and therefore uses more energy. Pick the lowest comfortable temperature for your needs, and you’ll save money instantly.

Use Weatherstripping On Doors and Windows

Doors and windows are notorious for creating a draft that not only lets cold air into your home but allows warm air to escape. Weatherstripping is a strip of rubber or plastic that’s used to seal the gap between a door or window and its frame. It helps to keep heat in and cold out, which means your heating system doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain your chosen temperature.

Best of all, weatherstripping is quite cost-effective and can be found in any hardware store. It’s simple to install yourself, and you’ll reap the benefits when your next energy bill arrives.

Close off Unused Spaces

In many Australian homes, there is a lot of unused space, whether it’s’ a spare bedroom or the bathroom that’s only going to be used at certain times of the day. If your heater tries to heat the entire house, it will be less effective and need more electricity or gas to maintain the temperature. So, consider which areas really need to be heated.

Bathrooms usually have their own heater, so you can warm up quickly if you need to use that room. Laundries are used sporadically and don’t need to be heated. Every home and lifestyle is different, but closing off sections of the house that you aren’t using is a great way to save money.

Install Insulation

This tip may not be the cheapest or easiest, but it’s extremely effective. Insulation is laid in your roof and wall cavities, even under your floorboards, to provide an extra barrier that keeps heat inside your home. Insulation is quite easy to install in your roof cavity, provided you have easy access.

Wall and floor insulation is a bit more complex because access to those spaces is more complicated. However, there are modern less-invasive methods, such as foam insulation that make this job easier. It may cost a little more, but it’s worth it in the long run.

Consider a Solar Power Installation

While all of these tips are useful for reducing your energy bills, there’s one that’s guaranteed to slash them drastically. A solar power installation allows you to power your home with free solar energy during daylight hours. If you choose to install a solar battery, too, you can even store excess solar energy generated during the day for use at night.

Especially in winter, when heating use is more prevalent and expensive, solar power installations can save you large amounts on electricity bills. SolarBright is your trusted name for clean, green energy. With solar installers in Sydney ready to set you up, there’s no better time to ask us for an obligation-free quote.

Looking for the Best Solar Installers Sydney Has to Offer?

Solar power installations come in many sizes to suit all types of households. But the one common theme is that they all save you significant amounts of money on energy bills. You can book a consultation with us at SolarBright, and we’ll give you an estimate of your savings, and even how long it will take before your system pays for itself. Talk to our professional team to find out more.

Are Solar Panels Worth It? We Do the Math

Posted on May 8, 2024May 8, 2024 by seo

Solar energy is growing in popularity every day. But are solar panels really worth it? Let’s find out whether solar is a cost-effective solution for your home.

Government Incentives

Before we go into costs, it’s worth mentioning the government incentive available for solar buyers. The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) is designed to reduce the upfront cost of investing in solar panels. In very simple terms, when you purchase a solar package, you’re given a certain number of STC (small-scale technology certificates) credits. The number of STCs you receive depends on the size of your system and your location. STCs are essentially sold by the solar retailer on your behalf, and the value of these credits is deducted from your upfront cost. You can, of course, hold your credits, pay full price to your retailer, and sell your STCs independently if you choose.

Your location means the rebate amount will vary. In 2024 a rough estimate in NSW is around $390 per kW installed. So, for a 6.6kW solar power system, you can expect a rebate of around $2,600.

Note: The SRES technically isn’t a rebate, but since most solar retailers will help you take this amount off your upfront cost, we’ll call it a rebate for simplicity.

Components and Cost of a Solar Installation

There are two main components to a standard grid connected solar installation: the solar panels and the solar inverter. You can, of course, consider battery storage, too, but for the purpose of this article, we’re going to look at solar installations with no battery storage.

According to Canstar, you can expect to pay around $6,000 for a 6.6kW solar installation. For this article, we’ll use 6.6kW systems as they are the most common and in optimum conditions, they generate plenty of solar energy for the average household.

This price includes solar panels and your solar inverter (which is required to turn solar energy into usable electricity). Installation costs may vary depending on the complexity of your roof, but these are generally included in the price. So, let’s say that solar panels Sydney cost roughly $6,000, and this is after any STC credits you may receive.

Can You Access a Feed-in Tariff?

When determining if solar is right for your family, you need to know if you can access a feed-in tariff. Here’s a very brief example of how a typical on-grid solar system works.

Solar panels generate energy during daylight hours (or whenever the sun is shining).
Solar energy must be used immediately (unless you have battery storage).
At night or during poor solar-producing conditions, your electricity comes from an energy retailer through the main grid.
Excess (unused) solar energy produced by your panels during the day is exported to the main grid, and your energy retailer gives you a credit on your energy bill.

Feed-in tariff rates range from 0c per kWh to 20c per kWh. For the sake of argument, we’ll say the average is 8c per kWh. The average 6.6kW system produces roughly 24kWh of energy per day. Even on the higher end of consumption, let’s say your home uses 10kwh of energy during the day. This leaves 14kwh to be exported.

14kwh x 8c = $1.12

Over a month, this represents an approximate $33 credit on your energy bill.

Monthly Savings from Solar

The amount you save by using solar energy is really dependent on how much energy you consume. If your consumption is typically higher during the day, you’ll save more because your home is powered by free solar. But if you use more energy in the evenings, your solar savings will be less.

It is estimated that families can save over $2,000 per year. Because every home is different, it’s impossible to give a generalised figure, so we’ll go with this figure, which equates to a monthly saving of around $166.

Let’s not forget, you could also be getting around $33 in credit on your electricity bill. So, add that together, and we’ve got $199 worth of savings per month.

When Does Solar Pay for Itself?

So, the big question is, how quickly does a solar system pay for itself? If you consider that you’re saving $199 per month and the system costs you $6,000 upfront, the calculation is:

$6,000 / $199 = 30 months

This means that you can save enough money in approximately 30 months to cover the initial cost of installation.

When you consider that most solar panels come with a 25-year warranty and the system can pay for itself in 2.5 years, that’s a lot of time you can expect to enjoy energy savings, even after the initial cost is covered.

Again, the figures used in these calculations aren’t going to be the same for everybody. It all comes down to how much energy you use and, more importantly, when you use it. Using more energy during daylight hours and less of an evening typically means you’ll save more than a household that predominantly uses power at night. But even if it took five years to pay for itself, a solar system still leads to excellent long-term savings.

Want to Know More About How Much Solar Panels in Sydney cost?

If you’d like to start slashing energy bills and saving money today, contact our friendly SolarBright team to discuss the best solar panels for your home.

When is the Best Time to Install Solar?

Posted on May 3, 2024May 8, 2024 by seo

Summer may seem like the obvious season to install solar panels for your home. And you wouldn’t be wrong in assuming that many households opt to wait for the warmer months to make the switch to solar (there is no wrong decision after all!) However, holding off until November or December can have drawbacks that may be avoided by choosing to install solar during a different season.

So, while it’s a fact that summer brings longer daylight hours and higher temperatures, there are a number of significant benefits to investing in solar before the sunny season hits. Here are some factors you may want to consider when deciding on the right time to install solar.

Start Taking Advantage of Sunlight Now

Despite common misconceptions, a solar power system will be beneficial to your household all year round, not just in summer. This is because solar panels don’t require heat to generate energy, only sunlight (or ultraviolet rays). In fact, extreme temperatures can actually work against the efficiency of your solar panels, meaning a sunny 25°C day may result in better energy production than a hot day in the middle of summer. This makes both Autumn and Spring suited for solar generation.

An additional benefit to installing solar outside of the hotter months is that your solar energy will not be drained by operating air conditioning systems when the need arises. These are a major contributor to energy consumption; less reliance on the power grid has a positive effect on your energy bill.

Less Demand = Quicker Turnaround

Summer is the peak season for solar power installations. As the heat rises, so do power bills. And as the need for air conditioning increases, so does the demand for solar energy. Therefore, by choosing to have solar installed prior to the summer period, solar providers are more likely to offer a faster turnaround time, from quote to installation.

You may also find that providers offer better deals on solar system installations during non-peak seasons due to lower customer demand.

Government Rebate Scheme Available Now

The Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) is available to households and small businesses across Australia that install an eligible small-scale renewable energy system such as solar panels or solar water heaters.

This generous scheme offered by the Federal Government entitles you to a subsidy that can help with the purchase cost of your solar system.

Purchasing an eligible solar system allows for the creation of Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs), which are calculated based on the expected power generation of your system over a 15-year period, or until the scheme ends in 2030.

You have the choice of assigning your STCs to your solar provider, who will exchange them for a dollar amount and deduct this from the cost of your installation, or you can sell the STCs yourself to receive the benefits.

As this current scheme has a limited lifespan, now is a great time to jump on board and make the switch to solar so you don’t miss out on the savings. The rebates are reduced by 7% on Jan 1 every year.

Be Ready When Summer Hits

To make the most of long summer days, you need to be prepared before the season arrives. Not only will solar providers have more availability during non-peak times, but you will be perfectly placed to take full advantage of the increase in sunlight hours when solar generation is at optimum levels.

With this in mind, consider installing solar in the colder months when demand is at its lowest. In doing so, you can save both time and money and start reaping the numerous benefits of solar immediately.

Install Solar Today with SolarBright

Solar systems from SolarBright can help reduce your energy bill every day of the year. Our high-quality range of solar products has been helping households harness the power of the Australian sun for over 15 years.

So, don’t wait until summer, contact the solar experts at SolarBright to arrange a free consultation and take advantage of solar energy today.

Month: May 2024