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PV System Install Phase1

mark — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 00:01:33 +0000

The panels are up but the Aurora inverter is still coming due to supply issues in mid May.
I have opted not to obtain an alternative GCI due to the excellent efficiency of the powerone aurora. It is generally 2% or more better than others currently able to be supplied at short notice so worth waiting. 2% is worth 98W at full power, and derated, works out to about $100 per year.

All things going well, we should be generating power and income in June some time, fingers crossed. Hopefully AGL wont stuff us around like others I know when we apply for the premium rate tarrif too.

4.9kW PV Panel Install with 28 x 175W Mono

Victoria’s Premium Feed in Tariff

mark — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:22:42 +0000

The best document Ive found is

http://www.mefl.com.au/documents/Vic_Fi … -Dec09.pdf

another is

http://www.energymatters.com.au/governm … tariff.php

However the tariff values are not all the same. AFAIK only AGLs 68c is exGST (explicitly stated in the offer document). Origin and RED I know are incGST 66c which is 60c exGST.
If you see a 66c it will almost certainly be incGST. 60c will be exGST. Both these cases are the minimum mandated values.

It’s the exGST value that you are paid. That makes AGL 8c better. And at say 1MWh exported a year adds up to $80 extra which easily pays for their $10 payment fee. (you wont get this all but it will pay for it if you have any kind of surplus)

Also it seems that any pay on time discounts are not available when the PFIT is active on your account. So thats an extra 10% you would other wise save being removed from your credit component.

Finally, for any power you use/imported, you do pay GST on. The government gets its cut no matter what.
At least with a NET tariff, any power that is used whilst the sun shines is GST free.

Grid Connect PV Solar System

mark — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:27:15 +0000

Ever since the Victorian government introduced the NET premium rate tariff of 60c/kWh exported, I decided that a PV system was economically viable. Green issues were not considered.

Using various methods, I found a 5kW with our daily usage of 20kWh system should return about $3500 per year using AGL’s generous 68c PFIT.

As per usual, got many quotations and settled on one with Glen Clark and Co. I decided to keep the REC’s.

Specs are

28 * 175 watt Solar Panels (Mono Crystalline) TH175M
1 * Aurora PVI-5000-OUTD-AU Solar Inverter

I did want thin film amorphous but it came out at $5k more, so even though they have better performance in low light and higher temperatures (PV panel temperature derating) which works out to about 10%.

This gives 4.9kW for A$25k without RECs. Ill have to recover the RECs later when hopefully the price will be a bit more than they are now. More on this later.

This should pay back in about 5 years, with a return of about 20% on investment after the RECs have been accounted for.