You’re interesting in bringing your home into the 21st century by going solar. Great. This is not likely a decision that you’ll make lightly. Calculating what size solar system your household needs and deciding which type of panels are right for you will at some point involve looking at what electricity pricing and billing options are available to you through the different retailers that operate in your area. Not only do they charge different rates for the electricity that you consume; retailers also offer different feed-in tariff rates for the solar-generated electricity that you feed back into the grid. What resources are available to you?
(Get a free solar power quote comparison from installers in your state or territory!)
Electricity prices are rising! How can you save money at home?
Electricity prices are projected to rise by up to 37% across Australia by 2014, for a number of reasons. Recently, in NSW, for example the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal made a recommendation to the state government to increase the price of electricity by up to 18.1%–these price rises have already come into effect and are being felt throughout the state. Ordinary ratepayers are looking for ways to trim their bills, from cutting back on electricity usage, using more electricity on off-peak periods, or by finding retailers that charge them less money per kilowatt hour used. Solar power systems, whose prices have come down significantly in the past 3 years, are also being eyed more and more frequently as viable means of saving money by generating one’s own power.
Retail electricity price comparison services throughout Australia
Solar Choice helps customers by providing free, impartial advice about solar power systems and installers. Similarly, a number of electricity price comparison services have appeared online to help ratepayers decide on an electricity retailer. Below is a list of some of these sites:
Find lower rates, go solar, change your behaviour, or all of the above?
Although many electricity customers are wise to firs seek out the retailer that offers the best rates on electricity, the fact is that endeavouring to limit and time home power usage is one of the best ways to save money on an electricity bill. The main reason that many households are installing solar PV systems at the moment is to save money on electricity bills. With solar installation costs at all-time lows, now is a great time to invest in solar, and good returns on investment are possible in all states, whether a Solar Feed-in Tariff is on offer or not. The key to electricity bill savings, especially with a solar power generator installed on your home, is firstly reducing electricity consumption as much as possible, and secondly, timing electricity usage in a way that offers the best returns (whether you are on a 1-to-1 Solar Buyback agreement, a Solar Feed-in Tariff, or even if there is no solar incentive available in your state.)
© 2011 Solar Choice Pty Ltd
He is now the communications manager for energy technology startup SwitchDin, but remains an occasional contributor to the Solar Choice blog.
James lives in Newcastle in a house with a weird solar system.
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