The short answer is yes, your solar system will be covered by your home and contents insurance however your premium might increase. It is recommended that you contact your insurer and discuss the impact of your solar system on your home and contents insurance with them. Note some insurance companies can provide additional insurance cover if your solar PV system is damaged or malfunctions in some way.
Solar rebates come in three forms:
- Federal rebates: i.e. Small-scale Technology Certificates (STC) which are available in all states.
- State based rebates: Available in some states from time to time and may be means tested (you can email info@pure-electric.com.au for more details).
- Feed in tariffs: Different tariffs are offered by different retailers.
Small-Scale Technology Certificate (STC) rebate
Currently, all solar systems are eligible for an STC rebate which is calculated using four factors.
Factor 1: The total size of your system in kW
i.e. you have a 10 kW of panels and an 8.2 kW inverter your system size is considered 10 kW
Factor 2: The Zone you are in
Australia is divided into four solar zones.
Source: Solargain
Zone | Rating |
1 | 1.622 |
2 | 1.536 |
3 | 1.382 |
4 | 1.185 |
To find out which zone your postcode is in click this link.
Factor 3: The STC multiplier based on the year in which you install your solar system
The STC multiplier is a factor worked out based on what year you install your solar system and is as follows:
Source: Solargain
Factor 4: The price of STCs
STCs can be priced through the Government's STC clearing house or on the open market at places like Green Energy Markets.
As an example say that you are installing 10 kW of panels, in Zone 1 in 2020 and the current price of an STC is $35 your STC rebate would then be:
STC rebate = 10 x 1.622 x 11 x 35 = $6,244.70
This would appear as a $6,244.70 discount off the total cost of your solar system.
State specific rebates and Feed in Tariffs (FiT)
If you want to find out the currently available up-front rebates or Feed in Tarrifs (i.e. the amount you are paid for feeding power back into the grid) you can always email us at info@pure-electric.com.au for more details.
The following is a list of state government entities that manage state based solar incentive schemes:
- VIC - See the following website: https://www.solar.vic.gov.au
- SA - See the following website: https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/energy-and-environment/energy-efficient-home-design/solar-photovoltaic-systems
- WA - See the following website: https://www.energy.gov.au/rebates/electricity-feed-tariff-wa
- QLD - See the following website: https://www.qld.gov.au/housing/buying-owning-home/energy-water-home/solar
- ACT - See the following website: https://www.actsmart.act.gov.au/energy-saving/rebatessubsidies
- NSW - See the following website: https://energysaver.nsw.gov.au/households/solar-and-battery-power
There are many benefits in installing a solar PV system including:
- Reduce or eliminate your power bill - you can regain control of your electricity costs.
- A revenue generating asset - you make back many times the initial cost of the system over the lifetime of your solar PV system.
- Add value to your home - a solar system adds value to your home increasing the resale value.
- Reduce your carbon footprint - a solar system generates no greenhouse gases while in operation giving you zero carbon power and lowing your overall carbon footprint.
Generally, most mechanical defects will be covered during the warranty period, as long as they are deemed a manufacturing fault. Most suppliers also guarantee 80% power production for the first 25 years of your solar power system’s life.
It is important to understand that warranty terms and conditions vary from supplier to supplier.
Yes it certainly is. Each panel type typically gets a 25 year performance warranty and at least a 10 year manufacturing warranty, depending on the panel chosen. Jinko panels offer a 10 year manufacturing warranty, QCells panels 12 years, and SunPower panels offer a 25 year manufacturing warranty (parts and labour).
Check out your panel and inverter warranty sheets for more details!
If your house is single phase power, the amount of rooftop solar PV that you can install will depend on your electricity network provider, as each electricity network provider has different rules.
In almost all instances, you can install more inverter capacity than what the electricity network provider says, so long as you grid export limit your solar PV system. Note: Not all inverters have grid export limit capability.
Below is a table showing the allowed capacity (inverter capacity and your grid export limit), for each of the electricity network providers for single phase households:
SA Power Networks (SA) | max 10kW inverter capacity, 5kW export limit |
Powercor (VIC) | no inverter limit, 5kW export limit |
CitiPower (VIC) | no inverter limit, 5kW export limit |
Ausnet Services (VIC) | max 10kW inverter capacity, 5kW export limit |
United Energy (VIC) | max 10kW inverter capacity, 10kW export limit |
Jemena (VIC) | max 10kW inverter capacity, 10kW export limit |
Energex (QLD) | max 10kW inverter capacity, 5kW export limit |
Ausgrid (NSW) | max 10kW inverter capacity, 10kW export limit |
EVO Energy (ACT) | max 10kW inverter capacity, 5kW export limit |