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Solar Power System Basics

24/4/2020

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Following the successful Climate Change even organised by KWT at the KSLSC on 27 February 2020, attendees were asked what the further information they would like and what action would they like to consider. One strong theme that emerged was the desire to make a personal contribution by installing residential solar power on either an individual or collective basis. In response, KWT has conducted some research to present basic straightforward information as a starting point.   

There are three broad residential solar power options currently available:
  • Solar panels without batteries
  • Solar panels with batteries combined in one household
  • Local solar girds with shared batteries and other infrastructure.
This article will set out the basic issues for the first two options. The local solar grid option will be presented in a later article. The content for this article is heavily reliant on content from www.solarquotes.com.au which is recommended reading. Another website, www.solarchoice.net.au, is also a good source of information. 
 
Main Solar System Components
PANELS
There are two types of solar panels:
  • Monocrystalline - have solar cells made from a single crystal of silicon
  • Polycrystalline – have solar cells made from many silicon fragments melted together.
 
Polycrystalline panels are slightly less efficient as they have lower silicon purity. So, slightly greater area coverage is required to produce the same power output. However, in Australian conditions the difference is not significant and this should not be a major consideration.
 
The most important consideration is to buy quality solar panels. Quality brands should last for more than 25 years. Cheap junk panels will last only 3-5 years. Having said that, there are some good quality budget brands. You will probably need advice about panel selection to ensure value for money – check www.solarquotes.com.au for a list of reputable brands.
 
INVERTERS
Inverters convert the DC electricity that the solar panels produce into 240V AC electricity, which is required for everything in your home. 
There are two types of inverters:
  • String inverters – the size of a briefcase and must be installed on a wall out of the sun (one per system)
  • Micro inverters – the size of a small book and are attached directly to panels (one per panel).
 
Micro inverters optimize each panel individually which results in more energy production. They are more effective if panels subject to periodic shading. They are more expensive and will add an average of 20% to the overall installation cost. String inverters are usually sufficient when cost is taken into consideration.
 
Inverters are the component most likely to fail in a solar power system as they have an average life of 10-15 years. This is because they are functioning full-time. It is more cost-effective to buy a quality item. 
 
RACKING / MOUNTING
These are attached to roof supports and solar panels are mounted on them. Again, there is a wide quality range. Premium mountings may cost $100 per kilowatt of power more when compared to budget products.
 
System Size
The simple answer is fit as many solar panels as your budget, roof size and your distributed network service provider (e.g. Ausgrid) will allow. It makes economic sense to go big. This advice is based on three factors:
  • the falling cost of rooftop solar
  • the increasing price of electricity
  • higher feed-in tariffs.
 
If you have single-phase power, the permissible limit will be around 6.5kW. If you have a large rooftop and three-phase power, you can increase this capacity.
 
The rationale for going big is:
  • that you won’t regret not doing so in winter or during cloudy periods
  • there will be additional installation costs
  • your surplus power will be returned to grid and help pay off the overall expense.
 
Angle of Panels
There is more flexibility than previously believed about the directions and angles at which panels must be installed to make solar systems efficient.  The basic principles are:
  • East-facing panels will peak in power production in the morning.
  • West-facing panels will peak in the late afternoon.  
  • North-facing solar panels will peak around midday (and provide the most energy overall). 
 
Because panels are now cheaper, they can be installed at various angles. For example, you can install both east and west panels to maximize the length of the day. Don’t let the angle of your roof put you off as there are solutions. Even south facing panels produce only 28% less than north facing panels.  In most cases, the pitch of your existing roofline will be sufficient. This allows quicker and cheaper installation.
 
Systems with Batteries
The main reason for installing a battery with your solar system is to go ‘off grid’. There is a strong emotional attraction to the ideal of independently providing for all your energy needs and turning your house into a carbon emission free mini power plant.
 
There is also the security that everything will keep running, day and night, during a total and prolonged power outage, which have been prevalent on the Central Coast in recent years. Due to climate change these power outages may become even more frequent. However, ironically, it should be noted that many battery systems will not provide backup when the grid goes down. If you really need backup then you must specify this up front, as it is often an extra feature that requires careful design and some rewiring of your switchboard.
 
Batteries can be retro-fitted to existing solar systems, All grid connected systems installed in Australia are compatible with batteries using a box called an ‘AC coupled battery inverter’. You can purchase these when you buy your batteries, and solar battery installation should be straightforward.
 
However, batteries are relatively expensive and, if you have limited resources, now is probably not the best time to acquire them. They can be added to a system at a later time. The economics of batteries is discussed in more detail below.
 
The economics of installing solar power systems
COST OF SOLAR SYSTEMS
The following table sets out the average cost, after rebates are taken into account, of a solar system without batteries. These costs include installation. The cost range reflects the available quality differences.
System size
Number of panels (approx)
Cost range
1.5kW
5
$2,500 – $4,000
2kW
7
$3,000 – $4,500
3kW
10
$3,500 – $5,000
4kW
14
$4,000 – $6,000
5kW
17
$4,500 – $8,000
6kW
20
$5,000 - $9,000
7kW
23
$6,500 – $10,000
8kW
27
$7,500 – $11,000
10kW
33
$8,000 – $12,000
If you want to use micro inverters, that will add approximately 20% more to the above costs.

COST OF BATTERIES
A battery with 10kHW of storage capacity will currently cost about $12,000. However, there is a general expectation that prices will drop significantly in the next 2-5 years.
 
OTHER COSTS
There can be additional costs if you need an electricity switchboard upgrade or other electrical work to make your home suitable for solar power, or if the design of your home makes the system installation more difficult.
 
GOVERNMENT REBATES
There is a Federal solar rebate for the installation of solar photo-voltaic systems. It is known as the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme(SRES). The rebate is being reduced every year, but is still significant. The rebate varies according to the size of the system. For example, in 2020 in NSW, the rebate is $2,812 for 5kWh and $5,032 for 9kWh.
 
NSW ended its broad-based rebate scheme in 2016. It is now trialing a limited solar system rebate for very low-income households in specific areas including the Central Coast (see energysaver.nsw.gov.au). It is limited to 3kHw systems and must be installed by specified suppliers. It is not a viable option for most households.
 
Unlike other States, NSW does not currently have a comprehensive rebate scheme for solar system batteries. However, it is trialing a new interest–free loan scheme called Empowering Homesin limited areas, but not the Central Coast. It should be rolled out more broadly next year. A loan is not as good as a rebate but it is still an incentive.
 
FEED-IN TARIFFS
The fundamental principle of solar power systems is that power is generated while the sun is shining. So for systems without batteries, the rationale is to consume as much of your energy requirements during the day, but you will not be able to consume all the energy you will generate. The unused surplus energy needs to be exported (fed-in) to the grid at a price (a tariff). 
 
It is more profitable for you to consume your self-generated energy than to export it. This is because you are paying energy companies somewhere between 25c and 30c per kHw for the energy they provide, but they will only pay you somewhere 7c and 20c for the energy you export to them.
 
A change of lifestyle and perspectives may be required to maximize your economic outcome. For example, run washing machines and dishwashers during the day. Power-up all your devices during the day. Run hot water systems during the day, not at overnight off-peak rates. Where possible, set up timers to run appliances if you are not usually at home during the day. 
 
If you want to shop around for energy companies who provide the best feed-in tariff rates, you should assess all price components, including the price they charge for power as well as other fees and charges that may apply. It’s the overall price of the package that counts.
 
PAYBACK TIME PERIODS
A solar system without a battery will have a payback time in the range of 3 to 8 years. The broad time range is totally dependent on your ability to meet most of your energy needs during the day. However, even if it takes 8 years, this is still a 12-15% return on your investment.
 
Batteries are a different story. At the moment, the average payback period of a battery is about 15 years and, as most batteries only have a 10-year warranty, you may have to replace it before you have broken even. However, the shining light is that the economics will become more advantageous as prices drop in the future.
 
Conclusion
If you can afford to purchase a solar power system, then do it. You are crazy not to. It is a secure and attractive investment, one of the few in these difficult times. Even more important than the pure economics, you will be making a personal contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions and the fight against climate change.
 
Unless you must have a battery right now, wait a couple of years when the price should significantly drop and they become more economically viable. Remember batteries can easily be retro-fitted to existing solar systems.  There is the potential to share batteries across households and defray their cost. This involves establishing a local mini-grid. This option will be explained in a future article.
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Climate Change Follow-Up Online Meeting

9/3/2020

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9.30am - 11.30am  Sunday 22nd March 2020
Online here:
 https://zoom.us/j/7280537843
As a result of the enthusiasm and positive feedback received at the Killcare SLSC on February 27th,  the Killcare Wagstaffe Trust is holding an online follow-up meeting on 22 March 2020. 

We're sure everyone understands that face to face meetings aren't feasible at the moment, so we've decided not to hold in-person meetings until life after corona. But we do want to continue the conversation about how we address climate change and hope that those who are interested can join us on the online platform Zoom.  

Time:  22nd  March 9.30-11.00am
Link:   https://zoom.us/j/7280537843

There is no need to download anything if you haven't used zoom before - just click on the link. If you're in a noisy room it may be good to use earphones and also be ready to "mute" yourself so other people on the call can hear themselves. 
​
We are particularly keen to find out your reactions to the public meeting as well as your ideas on what we should collectively do now. This will inform the Killcare Wagstaffe Trust’s future policies and initiatives on climate change.
 
Without limiting the potential agenda, topics can include:
  • How to build climate change action coalitions with other Central Coast environment focused groups
  • Best strategies and methods to lobby all levels of government and responsible agencies
  • Potential local initiatives to reduce carbon emissions. 
We look forward to seeing you there.
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Climate Change Presentations

9/3/2020

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At a packed public meeting organised by the Trust, Mark Diesendorf, Environmental Scientist and Campaigner presented his alternative energy solutions at the Killcare SLSC on February 27th. 

Climate Mitigation Solutions Dr. Mark Diesendorf Feb 2020
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Latest Reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

23/2/2020

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2018: Special Report on the Impacts of Global Warming of 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/

Here is a paragraph from the Introduction:  A.2.2. Reaching and sustaining net zero global anthropogenic CO2 emissions and declining net non-CO2 radiative forcing would halt anthropogenic global warming on multi-decadal timescales (high confidence). The maximum temperature reached is then determined by cumulative net global anthropogenic CO2 emissions up to the time of net zero CO2 emissions (high confidence) and the level of non-CO2 radiative forcing in the decades prior to the time that maximum temperatures are reached (medium confidence). On longer time scales, sustained net negative global anthropogenic CO2 emissions and/or further reductions in non-CO2 radiative forcing may still be required to prevent further warming due to Earth system feedbacks and to reverse ocean acidification (medium confidence) and will be required to minimize sea level rise (high confidence).

2019:  Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate
https://www.ipcc.ch/srocc/

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Annual General Meeting

27/4/2019

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The Annual General Meeting will be held at the Maitland Bay Centre on Sunday May 2 2020 at 9.30
​
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New Foreshore Plan

27/4/2019

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An updated foreshore plan with specific suggestions for species and planting locations can be downloaded here.
Download Foreshore Plan
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Guide to Bouddi Wattles

13/8/2018

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Mark Attwooll has prepared a two page guide to help identify the wattles grow on Bouddi peninsula. It includes all the wattles that naturally occur here and not the garden escapees.

It will be in the next newsletter but the wattles are out NOW. Download it by clicking HERE
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Identifying Local Gums

26/1/2017

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Download guide
Mark Attwooll has produced a handy guide to assist in the identification of local gum species. It appeared in the November 2016 newsletter and can be downloaded below.

The guide relies on getting a sample the dried fruit which can usually be found at the base of any gum tree if there aren't any available on accessible branches.

It can be downloaded here  by clicking on the button on the left
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  • Home
  • News
  • Get Involved
    • About the Trust >
      • History of the Trust
      • Membership
      • Newsletters
    • Maitland Bay Centre
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    • Environmental Awareness
    • Fire Preparedness
  • Natural Environment
    • Native Plants >
      • Bouddi Plant Life
      • Soil Types
      • Plant Communities
      • Plant species
      • Endangered Ecological Communities
    • Native Animals >
      • Birds
      • Reptiles
      • Insects
    • Beach and Ocean
    • Bouddi National Park
    • Weed Eradication >
      • Grasses and ground covers
      • Vines and scramblers
      • Woody weeds
    • Nature Watch Diary
  • Built Environment
    • Coastal Open Space System
    • Planning documents
  • Heritage and Landscape
    • Aboriginal Heritage
    • History
    • Bouddi Study
    • Geology
  • Contact