Solar Faqs

There are limitless benefits of this affordable, sustainable, and clean technology. It has been proven over many years that solar technology is effective tool reducing energy bills to many. Below are some of the most popular reasons why people go for solar.

FINANCIAL BENEFITS:

When you install solar, surely you will be generating power from the sun – your solar PV system which will offset your power use which you have bought from the grid and your monthly electricity bills will be less than what you are currently paying to your energy company. The power you use from solar is cheaper (than energy pricing) as well as you get rewarded for every single unit you export to grid as you are selling it to a power company.

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE :

Power produced from your own solar plant not only saves you money on energy but also secures you and your family from future price hike as you will be consuming less power from the energy retailer means less effect on energy price increase.

HOME VALUE INCREASES :

Who doesn’t like solar powered homes? Installing Solar PV panels can also increase the value of your home. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics, Improving energy rating of a $365,000 home by just a half star can significantly increases the resale value of that property value by $4500.

YOUR OWN “GREEN” POWER PLANT :

Your solar PV system will generate clean electricity from the sun—unlikely energy created by burning fossil fuels. Reducing the electricity we buy from the grid means reducing carbon emissions, means cleaner planet for EVERYONE.

There isn’t a single best way to pay for solar as everyone is different. There are many options you can choose funding your solar system depending on what works best for you.

Generally Paying cash deals are easy and simple (No hidden charges). As making an Investment in solar generates even more revenue over time.

No deposit options are also affordable and propose immediate savings. In real mean you have Solar installed for FREE and you get benefits on energy from first billing cycle. Many companies also design your system in a way to make installments affordable so your monthly solar bill (to pay off your system) and a significantly smaller electricity bill from your utility provider for any electricity you purchased from grid. But the best part is? The combined amount of the two bills will be lesser than your old utility bill.

Currently in effect of federal rebate schemes your out of pocket expenses could be intensely reduced. In addition, financing alternatives can eliminate the upfront cost and provide affordable monthly payments.

Each solar site location, installation components and customer’s energy demand is different, so payback periods varies depending on several factors as below.

• Generation by your solar power– Power generation depends on the sunlight fall on your solar panels as well as the size of your system.
• System price – is subject to what equipment you use, installation site customization and available space. This could be reduced substantially by Government rebates available in Australia.
• Price of Electricity, as per your agreement with your retailer in your area.

The payback period generally ranges from 4 to 6 years and depends on a number of different factors as we discussed earlier. However in a simple way the higher your utility rate, the more you will save with solar. In Australian energy market with expensive or rising utility rates, the payback period is comparatively shorter.

Net metering is the only method used in almost every state. After your solar system is installed your existing meter needs to be replaced or reconfigured by your utility company. This could be done after or before your solar power installation depending upon the requirements of your state. This bi-directional meter measures how much electricity you use from your utility and how much solar electricity you send back into the grid. Net meter allows you to send excess solar electricity back into the grid that your system generates but remain unused.

In other words, this will keep track of energy you sent back to grid and you will receive FIT as per your agreement with your retailer. Your solar power installer normally notifies either you or your distributor/electricity retailer to organize a meter replacement. Please note this service attracts meter replacement charges which is not covered by your solar installer at the time of solar quotation.

Net metering can speed up your payback period and boost the ROI of your solar investment.

Traditionally, solar installations connect solar panels together in a series of circuits feeding DC energy into a single inverter device. This means that one inverter controls number of solar modules as if they are one unit operating and working at the same power level.

In some situations where we have extensive shading issue this approach reduces the overall system efficiency. One underperforming solar panel could reduce output of an entire system.

Technology enabled installers to replace the string inverters with small micro-inverters that attach to each solar panel. Also known as panel-level optimizers, this allows each panel to operate independently, where each solar panel operates as a solar generation unit and feeds ac power to load. This leads to significant increase in energy production of your solar system. With panel-level optimization, you also get greater design flexibility in the placement of your panels and an easily expandable system.

Solar panels harvest power from free sunshine by converting it into clean electricity. The more direct sunlight falls on your solar panels, the more power they produce. A better Installation space means more likely your panels have more sunshine and more efficiently they generate power, meaning more electricity savings for you. Several factors are considered to ensure you get the most out of your solar panels:

Roof space & Your budget. Determines how large of a system you can install. The larger the system, the more power it can produce.

Roof orientation. Does your roof face north, south, east, or west? North facing roofs are ideal for solar in Australia, as they will capture maximum sun exposure although you could still be a good candidate for solar even if your roof isn’t North oriented and facing east or west.

Roof shading. Do any adjacent homes, trees or other obstacles block sun coverage on your roof? As we mentioned earlier excessive shading will reduce your system’s performance, but sometimes this issue can be resolved by trimming trees or using ground mount to mount panels on open space.

The only sure way to know if you are a good candidate for solar is that you personally get some one to ensure, how much sunlight your roof receives and how much solar power can be produced. Our selected installers provide a site assessment free of charge and there is no obligation.

Selecting a solar installer is an important decision. After all, your installer will be providing solution for your solar system. He will design your system, install your system, and provide support after your system installation. There’s no shortage of options available to you in today’s competitive market.

Consider several factors deciding on Installers

1. Are they reputable? Going with reputed company with proven track record always gives you peace of mind and surety on best solar installation.
2. Are they qualified? – it’s very important you get your solar installed by qualified CEC accredited Installer. If they are knowledgeable and experienced, they are easy to work with and less likely you have bad experience.
3. How long they have been trading? It is also very useful to do some research about installer or company, as you may come across a misconduct from the same company which could be harsh experience to their customers which you do not want to experience. You can also predict their future plans as well as if the company goes out of business, your warranties too.
4. Check Independent customer reviews – majority of the times it will showcase company’s image to you without making solid efforts. It might not be accurate as always negative experience is exposed louder than positive ones.
5. Ask your installer/retailer to provide you some reference where they have provided solar installations. As by contacting them you may be able to pick up some tips from their experience.

You also need to watch out for

• Aggressive sales tactics
• One size fits all system designs approach
• Over inflated claims of savings and payback periods
• System designs with large inverters on a small systems, as you are still dependent on permissions on grid connection on time of upgrade as well as ensuring suitable panels still available.
• Pressure to sign on the spot.

So what makes our selected Installers stand out? Importantly we ensure all our retailers (who will provide you solutions) do things “the right way.” And here’s how:

• They offer guarantees to give you peace of mind.
• Installation Timeline Guarantees
• Workmanship Warranties
• System Production Guarantees
• After sales service

And you can rest easy knowing you will receive a lifetime of worry-free support for your system.

Luxco energy is Online service operates from South Australia. Luxco energy has extensive network of installers who serves homeowners and businesses in Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia, Northern territory and Tasmania. We are growing quickly, so if we are not currently serving your state, chances are we will be soon!

Before installers present you with a solar solution or a sales proposal, each solar installer will design custom made proposal based on your site location and special factors if any. Pre-design your property takes place using accurate tools. They also measure how much sunlight your roof receives every day and custom-design your system according to your needs. They don’t guess by looking at your house on google. If required they also take accurate measurements on site before you meet with one of our solar consultants, you will know exactly what your system will produce.

Well, it depends on which state your property is. Every state has different set of policies and process. Fastest system can be installed in South Australia (within a week) where in Western Australia it may take up to 8 weeks.

We ensure the installer meets the deadline of installing your solar PV system within 2-6 weeks of sale (when contract is signed). This is part of our premier process that makes us different from other solar companies. Delays those are beyond solar installers’ control are excluded from the 42 days Installation Guarantee (Site under construction, customer scheduling struggles, structural issues, roof replacements, tree removal, utility transformer issues, and delays in grid connection approval).

Solar panels can be installed on the following roof types:

• Tin or color bond roof
• Tile roofs
• Corrugated
• Artificial Slate (not real slate)
• Flat roofs
• Concrete roofs – using certain mounting system
• Can also be installed on a ground mount systems (Screw mounting & Concrete mounting)

Also it’s very important to recall that north facing roofs are best for installing solar panels in Australia, as they will ensure maximum sun exposure and optimum generation. Although you could still be a good candidate for solar even if your roof isn’t oriented to the north.

In general all solar installation comes with good terms on warranty. Solar Installers now a days offer lucrative 10-Year Workmanship Warranty on solar power system. This warranties vary depending upon your installer and site. Some installer also offer extended warranties on installation for a longer period up to 20 years at an additional cost. Installation hardware will be serviced or replaced free of charge if defects are found.

Solar Equipment warranties vary, depending on the manufacturer. Inverters comes with 5 to 10 years of warranty. Micro inverter warranties vary from 10 years to 25 years, depending on the manufacturer. Current range of high quality PV panels developed by industry-leading manufacturers, provide 25-year efficiency warranties for their products. Extended warranties of products are usually at additional cost.

Solar PV panels are generally maintenance free. They have no wear as it has no moving parts. If tilt angle of panels is not sufficient it requires occassional cleaning. Also Solar panels glass is typically sufficient to keep your solar panels clean as with seasonal rainfall it cleans automatically provided tilt angle is good enough. You may need to occasionally remove larger particles or dust eg, Tree leaves, bird droppings depending on the slope of your roof.

Solar panels are incredibly tough and durable. You may also refer manufacturer’s instructions on maintenance schedule and what to check.

Every solar installation solution is custom-designed and supervised by a CEC accredited designers/installers. Installers who install your system must have their electrician license as well as needs to be a CEC accredited installer to be eligible for the rebates.

Solar panels are extremely tough and durable. We only use high quality PV panels developed by industry-leading manufacturers from around the globe, who thoroughly test their panels and provide 25 +year of performance warranties for their products. In addition, we also give you peace of mind by offering workmanship warranties on your solar system. Should any part of your system fail, you just need to contact us

Our Customer Care team will be happy to assist you. Our specialists can be reached at [email protected] or 1300 859 938 (Monday–Friday from 9:00 AM–5:00 PM AEST).