 Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me. |
Forum Index : Solar : 15 degree east facing panels on a shed
| Author | Message | ||||
| jdinow Newbie  Joined: 28/10/2010 Location: Posts: 6 |
I'm a newbie located at Hallidays Point, NSW & last night signed up for & paid deposit to have installed (initially) a 3.25kW system by EM Solar (VIC mob) with a 10kW inverter on a 15 degree sloping colorbond roof facing 10 degree north of east. They tell me this will only reduce the output down to 92% of ideal (that being 29 degree tilt north facing). Does this sound realistic? Has anyone had experience of real world results of a similar system? I can still change the setup (& $ permitting may increase it to 5kW) & at this stage panels will be REC 235 PE series with the inverter being SMA SMC10000TL, which should allow me to upgrade to 10kW of panels & still get the 60c/kWh. Country Energy informs me there are a lot of "grey areas" on systems paid for before the midnight 27 October cutoff, as the NSW government has not defined the details of how applications must be received within "21 days". I possibly intend a DIY upgrade & understand (according to CE) I only have to advise them of the (electrician) "certified" upgrade capacity of the panels & don't have to apply for a system increase. Appreciate thoughts in this "clouded" environment. Cheers, Pete R Even if you're on the right track... you'll get run over if you just sit there. |
||||
KarlJ Guru  Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
Yep Borrow the money and put the 10KW up now. no questions. if you have secured the 0.60c GFIT it will be a winner. my 5.18KW system is Gross position ahead is $1000 every 2.5 months. making for a considerable payback. now given mine is Net tarrif and yours is gross work out the math as to what is best for you regarding peak electricity rate. If I work my use out on smartpower I'm $40 EVERY TWO MONTHS worse off. hence flat rate and net feed in looks like the go. either way the payback on 10Kw will be just as fast if not faster than it will with the 3Kw or whatever you had initially planned. borrow the money get it done, sorting it later is a nightmare and god forbid you miss out on the 0.60c rate Luck favours the well prepared |
||||
| jdinow Newbie Joined: 28/10/2010 Location: Posts: 6 |
Unfortunately we are also borrowing money to build the shed & then the house, until we sell our previous house & there's a limit to how much we can borrow (I used to be a mortgage broker!). I've calculated the payback period as 10 years for 3.5kW, 8 years for 6kW & 6.5 years for 10kW. 10kW would be great now because 6.5 years is when the 60c finishes & it would be nice to have it all paid for by then. I'll just have see if there's any money left over before I commit to more for panels. Cheers, Pete R Even if you're on the right track... you'll get run over if you just sit there. |
||||
| jdinow Newbie Joined: 28/10/2010 Location: Posts: 6 |
The interesting one I didn't mention was 28 years for a 2kW system & that's assuming full production right to the end. With performance drop off, all the above pay back times can be lengthened & the 28 year one probably will never eventuate. Cheers, Pete R Even if you're on the right track... you'll get run over if you just sit there. |
||||
| KarlJ Guru Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
Geez you must be paying a bloody fortune for the kit. 5kw i did for under $13K and that was before the exchange rate went up that would have dropped the price of the panels another $1500 and I paid retail for the CMS2000 inverters at $1850 a pop. lets just say there is decent margin in that! my payback on 47c NET FIT is 2.888888 years on current usage. on the 5KW system. sounds like time to cut the use back! $500 a panel for 185W (cheap chinese), 0.50-0.60c/W for inverter and $200/kw (or less) for racking makes for a 10KW system at under $35K installed with good margins. we do 5KW systems regularly for $23K. I heard of a 10KW system going for 30K fully installed recently. Luck favours the well prepared |
||||
| jdinow Newbie Joined: 28/10/2010 Location: Posts: 6 |
Quoted $ for 3.5kW includes 10kW inverter. Payback periods allow for interest on loan at 7%. 10kW quote is about $35k. Cheers, Pete R Even if you're on the right track... you'll get run over if you just sit there. |
||||
| KarlJ Guru Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
Take the 10KW $35K is an AOK price trust me you wont regret it Luck favours the well prepared |
||||
| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
HI Jdinow & Karl The problem is you cant trust the rebate system, as they have just canned it in NSW, reduced from 60 cents KWH to 20 cents KWH Gross payed, not the long term security you need for loan repayments. We where looking at a 30KW unit for $100K to try and make use of the super we have left befog it disappears completely. Now Im not sure it is a good Idea, I have a 50 cent contract but when you read the fine print they can cancel any time they want, just by giving 30 days notice. Question: How can you tell when politicians are lying? Answer: Their mouth moves. They stitched me up on the hot water rebate too, so I wouldn't trust them as far as I could kick them and I wouldn't kick them because sh*t splatters. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
||||
| brucedownunder2 Guru Joined: 14/09/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1548 |
There is no way I'd invest $35 k into a solar system that some lying untrustworthy Govt. (meaning all of them) can alter the terms of any return ... If you were to put thet $35K into a big company like BHP ,you would recive a yearly dividend ,99% sure of a fair growth on your capital, AND, when you decide to "want some cash" you could sell some of the "inflated" shares.. Now, that is far better than covering your nice house with ugly solar panels , AND, statistics show , most young people move house every 10 or so years,, What you going to do with the panels ??? they will add very little or nothing to your house price ,,betcha. I've 1.3Kw, so I know what they do and what they look like.. Just my opinion.. everyone has to make their own decision.. Bruce Bushboy |
||||
| jdinow Newbie Joined: 28/10/2010 Location: Posts: 6 |
Bob, Are you in the ACT & hence the 50c & "can cancel the contract with 30 days notice"? Does anyone know if NSW has similar terms? Ithought it was guaranteed until 31 Dec 2016 (ie. 7 years from 1 Jan 2010). Getting back to my original question & taking a different slant. Does anyone have any software which shows losses due to not pointing in the optimal direction & tilt for best year round performance, since it seems no-onw has real world experience of this? I quickly need to find out, so I can install as previously stated on a shed OR build a freestanding structure on the ground. Cheers, Pete R Even if you're on the right track... you'll get run over if you just sit there. |
||||
| daveames Newbie Joined: 19/09/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 30 |
Hey there Pete, we always raise an eyebrow when folks quote exact numbers like 92%..maybe they have some magic software that gives them real numbers? looks like the formulas are out there for those with new batteries in their calculator. some good info here with the maths, a bit deeper than i might go but can get a good feel for the angles effects by looking at the examples. http://www.longsgap.com/SolarWind/SunAngle.html can always consider having them tweak the 29* in a bit with the mounting hardware? you meant 10* east of north? ie: 010* on the rose..surely not 080* (no way it's 90% if that's the case) so a little extra production early in the day and droping off a bit earlier in the afternoon than facing due north. top marks on some of those rebates folks are posting! still good to remember that the going rate was paid (by taxpayers) and the system owner only paid a portion.. cheers, dave  |
||||
| daveames Newbie Joined: 19/09/2009 Location: United StatesPosts: 30 |
Gee pete, we located a plug and play on-line calculator. http://rredc.nrel.gov/solar/calculators/PVWATTS/version1/ and it looks like we are indeed pretty darn close to that 90% mark after all! (with the 10* x 080* ENE orientation..interseting that if we try to correct the elevation to the 29* we loose power and do better with flatter mounting. nice tool to have a play with! it's all good fun! cheers, dave |
||||
| KarlJ Guru Joined: 19/05/2008 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1178 |
Obviously people here are not aware of the 7 year guarantee to the 0.60c PFIT. after 18Nov no upgrades will be allowed to still remain on the higher GFIT rate thus its now or never, might as well get a 3KW inverter if you're only going to go with three KW. My 5.18KW system on NET FIT at 0.47c is paying back at $4700 a year including offset based on the last three months since it was installed. Given I only paid under $13K for the system that would make it very attractive indeed there is a 10 year guarantee over here under the current "scheme" Now or never and YES it will pay back at 20% and good luck getting BHP to pay those returns, my wife works for them and reckons they certainly have their days too. (ie not as slick an operation as you might think) Karl Luck favours the well prepared |
||||
| jdinow Newbie Joined: 28/10/2010 Location: Posts: 6 |
Dave, Yes it is 80 degrees east of north. I'll have a play withthe calculator. I may put an awning to the east of the shed & may be able to mount the panels in the traditional way - north & about 28 degrees elevation. Cheers, Pete R Even if you're on the right track... you'll get run over if you just sit there. |
||||
 Print this page |
