The AWS SunMate is a device that takes your excess solar energy and pumps it into your hot water tank, potentially saving you more money than solar panels alone. The […]
Category: Installation advice
Solar Choice blog articles about what to consider when installing your solar power system.
How much can a hot water diverter shorten payback for your solar PV system?
Solar PV systems are still an excellent investment in Australia, even as feed-in tariffs have fallen across the country. Installing a hot water diverter – a device that automatically sends […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index: June 2016
Average commercial solar system prices have remained virtually unchanged for the past six months, according to data from Solar Choice’s installer network database, sitting at around $1.33 per watt of […]
Residential Solar PV Price Index – June 2016
Average solar PV system installation prices in Australia’s capital cities increased very slightly between May and June to approach $1.68 per watt. With the exception of 10kW systems, prices were […]
On grid or off-grid? Some advice for a Solar Choice customer
We were recently in touch with a customer who was deliberating between whether to have his new-build home connected to the grid, or to go off-grid with a solar-plus-storage system. […]
How to get the most out of your solar PV system part 2: What’s your electricity usage pattern?
For anyone who has a solar PV system for your home/business or is thinking about getting one, understanding electricity usage patterns throughout the day is integral for guaranteeing a good return […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index: May 2016
Average commercial solar system prices continued to hug $1.32-$1.33 for the 5th month running (since the beginning of the year), according to data from Solar Choice’s installer network. Larger systems […]
How much does a 5kW solar system cost in Melbourne, Victoria?
Solar power is still a great investment option for Melbourne homes & businesses, even after a number of changes to state and federal government incentives. 5kW solar systems have proven to […]
Seven habits of smart solar shoppers
Going solar is still a no-nonsense investment options for homes across Australia, with payback periods as short as 2-3 years in the right circumstances. This is due in great part […]
Which retailer is offering the best electricity plan for solar customers in Brisbane?
Getting a higher feed-in tariff from your electricity retailer looks great on paper, but it does not necessarily mean that you will save more money on your electricity bills. We’ve taken […]
Residential Solar PV Price Index – May 2016
Based on data from Solar Choice’s installer network database, the average price of per watt of a fully installed residential solar system in Australia as of May 2016 is about […]
Adapting your home’s solar energy usage for autumn
If you’re looking to be more energy efficient this autumn, a good place to start is adding solar panels to your home. It’s been suggested that autumn is the best season […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index: April 2016
The average price of a fully installed commercial-scale solar system changed little between March and April 2016 – holding steady at about $1.33 per watt. While there were slight increases in […]
Honey, I shrunk the inverter! Winners of Google competition push limits of inverter size
The CE+T Power ‘Red Electrical Devils’, winners of the Google ‘Little Box Challenge’, have created a 2kW inverter the same size as a takeaway coffee cup. The winners of the […]
Residential solar PV price index – April 2016
Average solar PV system prices dropped slightly between March and April of 2016, following a downward trend that started in February. Based on data from Solar Choice’s installer network database, […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index: March 2016
The average price of a commercial solar system has increased slightly between February and March, according to figures from Solar Choice’s installer network database. The average price of an installed commercial […]
What’s a partial off-grid solar-plus-storage system?
Going partially off the grid is a smart alternative for homes who want to become completely energy self-sufficient. A partial off-grid solar system is one that runs a few essential […]
Tesla’s Powerwall in Melbourne, Vic: Compare prices
Melbourne remains one of Australia’s top spots for rooftop solar power. With solar homes receiving only a pittance for their excess energy and the state’s Transitional & Standard Feed-in Tariffs […]
Residential solar PV price index – March 2016
After two consecutive months of increases, average solar PV system prices have dropped slightly for the first time in the new year, currently sitting at about $1.65/W. Average solar PV […]
Tesla’s Powerwall in Sydney, NSW: How much, and is it worth it?
Tesla’s Powerwall is the home battery bank that has taken Australia by storm – interest and demand are through the roof for this particular product despite a plethora of other […]
Can you go off-grid with a 3kW solar system plus batteries?
One of the most common solar system sizes in Australia is 3 kilowatts (kW). 3kW solar system strike the right balance between size and affordability, costing on average about $4,700 […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index: February 2016
Average prices for commercial-scale solar PV system installations have remained largely unchanged between this month and last, according to figures from Solar Choice’s installer network database. Commercial solar system prices […]
Residential solar PV price index – February 2016
Average solar PV system installation prices for Australia have risen for the 2rd month running, according to data from Solar Choice’s installer network database. The average price per watt for […]
Earth faults in solar PV systems: A cause for concern?
As of July last year, new measures have been introduced for dealing with dangerous earth faults in Australian rooftop solar PV systems. The most important among them is a requirement […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index: January 2016
Mirroring the Residential PV Price Index for this month, commercial system prices have undergone a slight up-tick since the end of last year. Average commercial solar PV system prices currently […]
The cost, productivity & return on investment for 2kW solar panel systems.
How much does a 2kW solar system cost, how much energy can you expect it to produce, and what sort of a financial return will a home see on a […]
Residential solar PV price index – January 2016
After about 5 months of steady declines since about August of 2015, the average price of solar PV system prices rose slightly (approximately 5c/W) between December of 2015 and January of […]
Commercial Solar PV Price Index: December 2015
December marks the second month running where the installer-nominated ‘Solar Choice Discount’ has been excluded from our calculations, resulting in pricing more reflective of actual retail commercial solar system prices […]
Residential solar PV price index – December 2015
On average solar PV system prices dropped for the month of December 2015 were lower across all capital cities for all system sizes than those from November 2015. The drop […]
How Fulcrum3D’s CloudCAM aims to improve solar farm reliability
Fulcrum3D is an Australian technology developer whose innovative CloudCAM technology allows solar farm developers and operators a high degree of granularity in predicting solar energy yields thanks to its sophisticated […]
Victorian government clears roadblocks to rooftop solar PPAs
See this explanatory article on solar PPAs Victorian households will now have access to rooftop solar at little-to no up-front cost through leasing deals solar companies, following regulatory changes announced […]