Solar Panels

[cove]

I have doubts about that solar guy........
Cleaning dust off solar panels does improve performance.
A lot of Australia gets dusty over summer and solar performance can decline when there is a heat wave as well.
The problem with solar is the people who don’t have it seem to have to pay more because so many of us now use so little of the grid power.

 

[VPS]

I have doubts about that solar guy........
Cleaning dust off solar panels does improve performance.
A lot of Australia gets dusty over summer and solar performance can decline when there is a heat wave as well.
The problem with solar is the people who don’t have it seem to have to pay more because so many of us now use so little of the grid power.

and I'm on the old 60c feed in tariff

 

[get me outta here]

Excellent Tarriff. I only get about 53.5 or thereabouts.

and I'm on the old 60c feed in tariff

 

[Quickstatus]

I’ve heard 1 bird poo can significantly reduce the output of not only the poo panel but also all the panels in that string.

My problem with solar is a NE aspect plus most of my consumption occurs in the evening. Time shifting with a battery is not financially viable

 

[cove]

We haven’t been able to get to yes on solar battery storage. It is not ready for us based on cost versus saving.

 

[Quickstatus]

As I have minimal net feed in tariff of I think 12c/kWH, there is no incentive to load shift from the night time rate of 14c/kWh

So best I can do is to match the generation with demand during the generation period

 

[amaroo]

and I'm on the old 60c feed in tariff

Nice FIT - does that have an expiry date?

We’re on a Gov scheme providing 44c FIT that expires 1st July 2028, pretty extravagant deal IMO ... once you add the retail FIT we currently get 54.5c. We pay for a cleaning service every 6 months and export around 80% of generation. IIRC the cost to clean is around $5.00 per panel.

System is now 6 years old and generates >10.5 MW a year.

 

[Quickstatus]

System is now 6 years old and generates >10.5 MW a year.

Any deterioration in generation capacity over that 6 years?

 

[amaroo]

Any deterioration in generation capacity over that 6 years?

I believe so, but there has been some wild weather during those 6 years where some months generate up to half compared to previous years. I upload to PVOutput so comparing day/month/year is accurate and very easy.

I can confirm cleaning the panels makes a big difference .... you can see the proof on PVOutput.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Nice FIT - does that have an expiry date?

We’re on a Gov scheme providing 44c FIT that expires 1st July 2028, pretty extravagant deal IMO ... once you add the retail FIT we currently get 54.5c. We pay for a cleaning service every 6 months and export around 80% of generation. IIRC the cost to clean is around $5.00 per panel.

System is now 6 years old and generates >10.5 MW a year.

Same scheme here. I'm currently doing about 1.65MWh/kW installed per year but my array orientation is not perfect (but not bad). My array is just shy of 5 1/2 years old and I have suffered a reduction, but it's impossible for me to say how much is due to degradation (yet) as I'm extending and renovating and the extension has cast a rather large morning shadow over the panels (micro-inverters would help me at the moment, no end)! When I finish stage 2 of my extension (where the panels will be transferred to) later this year, I should be over 50MWh/year total. No wonder the coal fired dinosaurs are worried.

 

[amaroo]

Same scheme here. I'm currently doing about 1.65MWh/kW installed per year but my array orientation is not perfect (but not bad). My array is just shy of 5 1/2 years old and I have suffered a reduction, but it's impossible for me to say how much is due to degradation (yet) as I'm extending and renovating and the extension has cast a rather large morning shadow over the panels (micro-inverters would help me at the moment, no end)! When I finish stage 2 of my extension (where the panels will be transferred to) later this year, I should be over 50MWh/year total. No wonder the coal fired dinosaurs are worried.

Interesting. Isn’t the 44c FIT restricted to a 5kw inverter ? I thought installing an inverter greater than 5kw is in violation of the T&C.

I was told my system was the best you can do under the FIT agreement... I have 7kw of panels feeding into a 5kw inverter. I tried adding more panels, but was told this would exceed the inverter capabilities.

 

[tgh]

We were discussing this today , neighbours input drops over winter due to less than perfect alignment.
He is wanting to add a few panels to keep the output right on the 5Kw.
My advice was that I had considered adding a couple of panels to maximise the throughput… but decided to tread carefully.
We now have a digital meter with a radio sim, equates to real time monitoring with an already established fit pattern.
The vultures would just love to nail us on output.
Caveat Emptor...

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Interesting. Isn’t the 44c FIT restricted to a 5kw inverter ? I thought installing an inverter greater than 5kw is in violation of the T&C.

Depends upon your supply authority and date of the agreement. Ergon is more restrictive (but possibly illegal) but Energex and the Qld Gov't are still honouring the original agreements which were for 30kW (ie ... mine). I sat on my install for some time due to the reno's and a certain GFC, but it reached a time I could leave it no longer without losing it. I had to install to keep the original contract alive and kicking so I did ... even though I knew I would need to move it at some point. I'd keep your details a bit quiet though if I were you, as an overclocked inverter is actually in breach of the Gov't policy

 

[amaroo]

I checked it out before signing, 5Kw is the limiting factor .... the FIT authority wasn’t worried about anything else. The ultimate legal limiting factor is what your 5kw inverter can safely handle and still be fit for purpose and safely installed. One needs to remember it is live electricity we are playing with, and overloading an inverter isn’t the smartest move.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I'd keep your details a bit quiet though if I were you, as an overclocked inverter is actually in breach of the Gov't policy

Actually, I should also say that it was originally all about the inverter size. It was OK to overclock them. That no overclocking requirement has been a recent (ish) amendment. Provided the number of panels was detailed originally on the contract, you should be right to keep the overclocking and FiT (but I wouldn't push my luck on that, if I were you).

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I checked it out before signing, 5Kw is the limiting factor .... the FIT authority wasn’t worried about anything else. The ultimate legal limiting factor is what your 5kw inverter can safely handle and still be fit for purpose and safely installed. One needs to remember it is live electricity we are playing with, and overloading an inverter isn’t the smartest move.

Posts passed in typing. Many of the inverters are rated for overclocking. Mine have an input rated considerably higher than their official rating and I was intending to do that (to make a bell curve a square wave ) but there is no way now I'd risk it.

 

[VPS]

Nice FIT - does that have an expiry date?

We’re on a Gov scheme providing 44c FIT that expires 1st July 2028, pretty extravagant deal IMO ... once you add the retail FIT we currently get 54.5c. We pay for a cleaning service every 6 months and export around 80% of generation. IIRC the cost to clean is around $5.00 per panel.

System is now 6 years old and generates >10.5 MW a year.

2028 for me too

 

[amaroo]

Posts passed in typing. Many of the inverters are rated for overclocking. Mine have an input rated considerably higher than their official rating and I was intending to do that (to make a bell curve a square wave ) but there is no way now I'd risk it.

30kw system installed 5 odd years ago - guessing somewhere between $50-$55k ?

Was the payback time around 3 years?

 

[amaroo]

Posts passed in typing. Many of the inverters are rated for overclocking. Mine have an input rated considerably higher than their official rating and I was intending to do that (to make a bell curve a square wave ) but there is no way now I'd risk it.

IMO it depends on the inverter. I have an SMA, there are plenty of inverters I wouldn’t overcook.

 

[Quickstatus]

Payback time should include amortised cost of capital.
My BIL says he saves on average $2500 pa on electricity bill or about $625/quarter. However he does not include the amortised capital repayment at the same interest as his mortgage. After some calculations using excel I showed him that the amortised capital repayment amounted to about $550 per quarter. So a saving of $75 per quarter until the capital is repaid in Yr11. (He uses a battery which negates most of his savings - and he has to replace the battery likely in Yr7-10 which has not been factored in the capital amortisation, nor the cost of maintenance/repairs/cleaning)