5 Reasons You Need a Solar and Battery System

In this blog I explain the key 5 reasons you need a solar panels and battery system for your household. With the current cost of living crisis and energy prices going up, I am asked almost every day by customers “What can I do to save money on my power bills?” Living in Australia with our abundance of sun light, the best solution I can offer a customer to save money on power is a solar system and battery system. This is why.

1. Gain energy independence

Every home uses electricity and if you do not have a solar you are utterly at the mercy of the power companies. I have been in this industry for 6 years and have seen the price of electricity double in that time. The advantage of a solar system is your home can produce its own electricity during the day eliminating the need to buy electricity when the sun is up.

However, many customers point out to me they work during the day and don’t have a lot of daytime usage. I then explain that the best way to use this electricity they are generating and not using is by storage this excess production in a solar battery.

This excess energy is then available from the battery for you to use at night, reducing how much electricity you need to buy from the grid when it is most expensive. Also, by planning to use those electricity hungry appliances during the day e.g. pool pump, washing machine, dishwasher you can save more money while still filling your battery with electricity for the night.

This strategy allows our customers to achieve energy efficiency and independence.

2. Protection from future increases in electricity costs

By using your own power from a solar and battery system and buying power from the grid you are protecting yourself from future electricity price increases. You will only be buying a small amount of electricity from the grid as needed. The idea when you own a solar and battery system is to consume as much of the electricity produced by your solar system as possible.

3. Protection from blackouts – get energy security

In Australia we are hearing a lot of politicians talking about electricity and the stability of the grid. In NSW last year we were asked to avoid using electricity on some of the hottest days due to the grid not being able to cope. All this talk now means I am hearing more customers asking about protecting their home for blackouts.

Having a solar system with a battery means you can add blackout protection your home. Blackout protection means that your battery can run specific circuits in the home. I always recommend that you do not protect the whole house as you do not want to drain the battery in a blackout. What I recommend is selecting circuit with the fridge and power outlets as well as some lights. This protects the food so it does not go off, you can charge essentials items such as phones and computers and you can see around the place at night. This way you do not drain the battery while waiting for the electricity to come back on.

4. Potential to connect to VPP service providers

The NSW govt is offering incentives for customers to join a Virtual Power Plant. What this means is the electricity companies will pay you a premium rate per kWh to be able to take some of the power sored in your battery when they need it to meet grid demand.

At SolarBright we can help you select a battery that is compatible with a VPP. I have many customers that are making a profit by selling their electricity at the right time with the right electricity company, turning their battery system into a profit generator, reducing their payback time.

5. Return on investment

When purchasing a solar system with a battery one of the calculations I provide to a customer is the expected return on investment. At SolarBright we provide you with a net price for the solar and battery taking into consideration the current Federal and State govt rebates. There are two rebates available: a Federal rebate on the solar system and a NSW state govt rebate on batteries. Once both rebates are considered, I am regularly calculating a payback time of under 6 years.

What this means for you is the saving you will see on your electricity bill will add up over 6 years covering the cost of the system. After that time the system is generating a profit for you. Bear in mind this calculation is based on current electricity prices. Last time the price of electricity went up I saw the ROI on these systems go from 7 years to under 6 years. I often point out to customers when was the last time you saw electricity prices go down. I can’t remember that happening. So, there is a pretty good chance your power price will go up, meaning an even quicker ROI.

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In summary a solar and battery is one of the most sensible additions you can add to your home. The reasons you need a solar and battery system is it offers:

• Energy independence so you are not at the mercy of the power companies
• Protection from rising electricity prices
• Protection from blackouts
• The ability to profit from VPP schemes
• It will return the investment to your back pocket, typically in under six years in NSW.

Call SolarBright today and organize a chat with one of solar and battery experts to see what difference a solar and battery to your household.