Any solar panel "experts" in TSE.

[Old fox]

Just got my last quarterly electricity bill.
It jumped up to $1600 for 3/12 usage

It's time for me to install solar + batteries.

Any solar *competent* TSE solar person that could help answer some questions.?

Lot of conflicting advice online.
Specifically about micro inverters and many of the new "hard to believe" prices on batteries- one mob advertises install of a 30kw storage battery for under $5k. Sounds too good to be true.

 

[Johnny Walker]

I have a 6.6kw solar system and a 10kw battery.
Everything in my home is powered by electricity.
My family of 4 according to my bill uses an average of 44kw per day at 30c pkwh plus a $1 a day transmission fee. So if I had no solar my daily cost is average $14.20.
On a good day in summer my system makes about 45kw so could power the home completely but we know that power is only possible in daylight hours. On a good day in winter it makes about 25kw.

A 10kw battery can hold $3 of my daily $14.20 and my wife works from home 3 days a week so can do washing and electricity heavy chores so makes good use of the power being made.

System was $9k installed and battery was $8k installed. Its a modular system so I'm planning to double it to 20kw system.

As we know power costs are going nowhere but up and we know prices of utilities never go down.

Personally I'm very happy with the set-up I have and my power bills are on average $450 in summer and $600 in winter. As I said previously everything in my home is powered by electricity. Yes that includes a grow area that's using about 1200w continuously.

If $5k for 30kw battery does sound ridiculously cheap if it's legitimate I'd buy it but I'd be doing a fair bit of research about its quality first.
Good thing about this stuff is is extremely regulated so the chances of fake stuff being installed is highly unlikely.

Hope that's of some use to you.

 

[Green Genius]

8.8kW, no battery yet. Will be installing 3x15kW batteries and a 20kVa silenced diesel generator within 12months

 

[benn0]

gotta invest in some of these bad boys like the pgr growers do, there are big gauge ones that can tap into the line before the power box, pull 20 kw all day and all night with the big gauge without breaking a sweat. Although I'm sure the transformer phase the house is on will be greatly different

 

[Old fox]

Thanks for replies.
Im considering around 13 kws of panels. It's across both a north and west roof orientation, with some partial afternoon shade from neighbouring trees. I understand output in this case could be maximised from micro inverters on every panel, vs a string inverter for whole unit.

Im considering a 20kw battery stack, as prices have come down significantly since the new Govt battery rebates kicked in. But if I can get a 30kw battery for only slightly more than a 20kw unit, I'll go bigger.

Household daily usage is around 40 to 50 kwh. Depends a lot on how/when we use our air conditioning.

 

[MoFo]

Hi old fox
What brand battery is the 30kw for $5000?

 

[Old fox]

Hi old fox
What brand battery is the 30kw for $5000?

Voltx battery brand.
They also advertise their 50kw battery for $5499.
Sounds too good to be true !!!
Few other entry level battery stacks are currently priced around $10k for 20kw storage.

Advertised battery prices appear to be plummeting, as cheaper brands are entering our market, creating more competition with slimmer margins.

If those prices are accurate, cost recovery for "battery outlay only" would take my household less than 2 years. Just doesn't sound right, as battery outlay costs in Aus have traditionally taken 15 to 20 years to break even/payback.
So Im naturally sceptical.

 

[Green Genius]

Thanks for replies.
Im considering around 13 kws of panels. It's across both a north and west roof orientation, with some partial afternoon shade from neighbouring trees. I understand output in this case could be maximised from micro inverters on every panel, vs a string inverter for whole unit.

Im considering a 20kw battery stack, as prices have come down significantly since the new Govt battery rebates kicked in. But if I can get a 30kw battery for only slightly more than a 20kw unit, I'll go bigger.

Household daily usage is around 40 to 50 kwh. Depends a lot on how/when we use our air conditioning.

Depending on where you live, talk to some locals about dunkelflaute events. While wind is irrelevant here, multiple overcast days can have significant efficiency effects on solar and battery systems. A lot of guys are using triple battery systems now to ensure balancing between charge / discharge and storage.

Also as a diesel generator can produce energy at about 90c/kWh incl capex, having one on standby can provide a financial return if exposed to wholesale energy rates. As well as provide generation capacity in prolonged natural disaster events.

 

[Green Genius]

Also double check battery installs under subsidy. A few force you into VPP agreements with very little rights. Basically the power company has legal rights to access the power in your battery

 

[itchybro]

def not an expert

i have a 6.6kw solar with no battery
i was contacted by a company wanting to add a 20kw battery via the government scheme , he went through all the details but the most important point i wanted to know was cost first then get into the detail , cost was no outlay up front just $124.50 per month unchanged for 10 years & said if you join Amber i think they were called or another similar company you can sell your power to them at peak usage times & at a peak price if you have excess of cause , you monitor the price offerings via there app on ya phone , you could be selling kw's for dollars not cents , up to $9 a kw the guy said , sounded like Bs but you could get the app & check it out i guess , also need to figure it might be true now but what about 2 years from now , will they still be buying for dollars not cents , the other thing i asked was warranty , he said 10 years & what to expect is the loss of 30% of charge power after 10 years with around 15% for every 5 years after that , anyway i passed on the idea

 

[MoFo]

I just took a dive into whirlpool and appears that voltx is a rebrand of byte-watt. Not to say that is a bad thing. I can't find any negativity and specs look good.

 

[Indy]

Pity Bufo doesn't frequent here, as the guy is a sparky that installs solar systems..

But yeah, personal preference. I'd be factoring in a diesel genny, multiple lithium battery packs, on a standalone system (not selling to any cunt).

But kinda screwed at the moment from heading in that direction. As I'm cashing in on the 44c a kw deal still. Once that's over, I'm going off grid too.

 

[Old fox]

Thanks for replies.
Nobody trusts energy companies in Aus

Am looking at a battery solution big enough so I don't have to sell any excess power back to the grid.

Setup must be agnostic, so not tied in to any specific power company or deals. Only the power company wins if we provide them with cheap ( excess) power,that they onsell with ridiculous mark ups to other households

I don't want to go totally off grid, just get my bills down to a few hundred bucks each quarter. That should save me about $5k a year, with current consumption patterns

 

[danny357]

Hi old fox I recommend to look the panels that absorb from both sides they are more efficient and make sure you get a outlet for a generator even if you don't own one as it will come in handy when there's no power cloudy for more than a couple of days and goodwe inverter x2 2 stacks of batteries are bloody good as I had no issues with them for over 12 months also you can 0% green loan aswell so it makes it more manageable