Reasons for installing solar:
Many of our customers across South Australia have chosen solar because it makes sense in three ways. Reduce their carbon footprint, save $$$ and the current government subsidies and rebates won't be around forever! People are taking advantage of the state government feed-in tariff which earns you 44c for every kWh you feed onto the grid. This means you earn twice the amount back that you normally pay for power. Install solar now to lock into this feed-in tariff. Some retailers are offering up 52c per kWh. We can advise you on how you can even convert your grid power to 100% green energy.
By installing solar you will be greatly increasing your contribution to helping reduce our carbon footprint in South Australia. Further more you'll be helping Australia edge closer to reaching our Renewable Energy Target!

The science behind solar:
Solar energy research and development dates back over 100 years.. Henri Becquerel discovered the "photovoltaic effect" which was the first step in converting sunlight into electricity. Photovoltaic solar panels collect energy from sunlight and convert that energy into electricity. Once this DC electricity from the panels is turned into AC by the inverter, you can then use it around the home, office or export to the grid. The panels are made up of a number of individual cells, these cells are constructed of layers of silicon, phosphorous (negative charge), and boron (positive charge). Photons are absorbed by the cells and create an electric current. Electrons are then knocked out of their atomic orbits by the energy created from photons hitting the panel surface. The directional current created by the electric field pulls in all the free electrons. This whole process is called the photovoltaic effect.

 

Solar panels have their highest energy production during the middle hours of the day. When the sun is square on with the panel, it is at its most efficient (see diagram at left). So by keeping your energy use low during the peak production hours you’ll be exporting more power to the grid. This means more solar credit on your power bills.

It’s important to have a trained professional do an accurate analysis of your potential yields.
Call for an Eco Green Sustainability Consultant to come out for a free visit today...

Solar PV Panels
At Eco Green we believe there is no one right or wrong answer for choosing your solar panels. Different horses for different courses, or in this case different designs need different panels.
We install a variety of panel types. For the vast majority of our clients mono-crystalline panels are the best application: in terms of efficiency and use of available roof space. We also consider if you will be looking at solar hot water or space heaters in the future. Some people may choose polycrystalline panels as they have lower embodied energy (energy used to manufacture the panel) but have a lower efficiency. Only a fraction of the population really needs to consider amorphous panels. These are an option for highly shaded roofs. Due to their lower efficiency you need twice the amount of panels compared to mono crystalline panels. If shading from nearby trees is an issue we have an expert tree lopper available, who can dramatically increase your efficiency by removing a few branches.

• Monocrystalline panel efficiency: 19% efficiency (see image at right)
   
• Polycrystalline panel efficiency: 14% efficiency
   
• Amorphous panel efficiency: 9% efficiency

Understanding RECs and STCs (Solar Credits)
The Basics:
1 Renewable Energy Certificate = 1 Mega Watt of Renewable Energy

The price of the certificates is dictated by market supply and demand. RECs/STCs prices have varied a great deal since their introduction. They are now stabilizing at around the $37 REC/STC price for Solar Credits.

Under the old $8,000 rebate scheme, you received $8,000 no matter what size system you bought. Now under solar credits there is a REC multiplier. The number of RECs/STCs you receive for up to a 1.5kW system is multiplied by 3 times. (See multiplier table below) If you purchase bigger systems the number of RECs/STCs increases by 20 per kW of solar you install up to 4KW then increases by 10 per kW above that. The chart to the left shows the amount of RECs/STCs per system size.

RECs for Small Generation Units (SGU) as of the 1st January 2011, are now known as STCs (Small-scale Technology Certificates). The term REC has been be replaced by STC in this discussion.
 

In essence when you buy a solar system you receive a certain number of STCs, depending upon the size of your system. You then assign those STCs to Eco Green Electrical and we then trade them on your behalf. It means you receive the amount they are traded for as an immediate discount off your system and we take care of all the paperwork.

For example:
1.5 kW monocrystalline solar panel array with 1700 W inverter

No. STCs issued: 103 @ $37
SYSTEM PRICE: $8,820
STCs discount: $3,811
YOU PAY: $5,009

If you wish to trade the STCs yourself you can, simply ask one of our friendly Sustainability Consultants.
See the link below for more info on how to do this and greater detail into how the REC system works.

                        http://www.orer.gov.au/index.html

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What's happening to the value of the STCs ? The table to the right indicates the value of the STCs over the next few years. The multiplier value will decrease each year until it reaches the unity value. Note: The multiplier is only used for the first 1.5kW. Anything over this have an STC of 1 x. (ie. no multiplier)

Installation Period Multiplier 1 July 2011 - 30 June 2012 3 x [number of eligible STCs] 1 July 2012 - 30 June 2013 2 x [number of eligible STCs] 1 July 2013 - onwards 1 x [number of eligible STCs] (ie. no multiplier)

Will it work for you?
Solar will work for most homes in South Australia. The optimum conditions for the best average production throughout the year are:

True North facing at around 20-25 degrees. This is for optimum average conditions over the year. Lower pitched roofs can actually produce a much higher peak in summer, with a lower trough in winter, resulting in an over all higher production for the year. So whether its your house, shed or ground-mount we can tailor the best design for your needs.

We run a simulation for every individual site visit we make. This software helps us to calculate what kind of yield you could expect for the year. From this information we can then get an idea of the kind of savings you can expect from your system. We take this thorough approach so we make sure you get the best outcome. We also leave you with a handy energy saving fact sheet to help maximise your export to the grid.

We always carry our solar pathfinder (image at right) in case you have a non-moveable shading issue. We are experts in removing satellite dishes (sometimes free of charge), shifting of septic breather tubes and any extra electrical work that may need to be carried out to install your solar array.

Clean Energy Council full solar design and solar installation accreditation, unrestricted electrical contracting license, small works building license restricted to the installation of PV solar panels.