Posts By Ronald Brakels, Author & Fact-Checker At SolarQuotes

The Solar Panel Warranty Paradox

December 18, 2017 2017-12-18T13:54:21 by 13 Comments
solar panel warranty paradox

Presenting “Ronald’s Solar Panel Warranty Paradox™ “. Or what happens when you spend too much time thinking about solar panels and not enough time playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Why Solar Panel Warranties Are Less Important Than You May Think

I’ve written one or two blog articles over the years and if you’ve happen to have seen them, you may have noticed I have a thing about solar panel warranties.  Specifically, I like ’em long.  The longer the better.  It’s a little peccadillo of mine.  Because of my predilection for impressive warranties you could, quite understandably, reach the erroneous conclusion that I think a good solar panel warranty is a valuable thing for a household to have.  But this is not the case. I think for all practical purposes most solar panel warranties will be almost worthless. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Panels Tagged With:

Should you scrap your 1.5kW solar and replace it with a bigger system?

December 13, 2017 2024-01-25T16:16:39 by 54 Comments
solar rag and bone man

Should you bite the bullet and scrap your 1.5kW solar system so you can fit a bigger system on your roof?

Five to eight years ago, just as the Australian solar industry was getting underway, many people locked in high feed in tariffs for their new, cutting-edge solar power systems.  For example, many people in Victoria with systems installed before 2012 are now getting 71.3 cents per kilowatt-hour of solar electricity exported into the grid.  And they will continue to receive this for almost 7 more years. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Economics Of Solar

SA Power Networks Confirms 5kW Inverter Limit For South Australia

December 7, 2017 2019-06-06T12:22:37 by 74 Comments
new rules

Installing solar in SA after 1 December 2017? Here’s what you need to know…

SA Power Networks Makes Radelaide Sadelaide

It’s December and the latest rules for connecting rooftop solar to the grid in South Australia are now available from SA Power Networks (SAPN).  I called them late last month to try and get a scoop on what they were planning, but no luck there — SAPN play their cards close to their chests.

So first thing on Friday morning I checked their website and found no change from November.  But that’s okay, I completely understand.  I know there are times people will say they’ll get things done by Friday but actually get them in first thing Monday morning.  Or possibly three weeks later.  That also happens.

But now they’ve had a whole week now to catch up and I see there have been some changes on their site.  There is movement at the station and I’m passing the word around.  The colt from old Regret has got away…

If you can’t be bothered to read this whole post then here’s what you need to know about installing solar in SA from 1 December 2017: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Installation Tagged With:

Flex Solar Panels Review: Now Available In Australia – But Beware Outrageous Prices

December 5, 2017 2019-05-08T13:07:35 by 47 Comments
panels and pile of cash

Flex Solar Panels: Beware of door knockers selling them for silly money.

Update 8th May 2019:  Flex has stated they are leaving the wholesale and retail solar market in Australia but they will honor their commitments.

Flex solar panels are now sold in Australia and there is one thing I want to be very clear about.  Despite their name, you should not flex these panels.  They are not the flexible sort you might put on the roof of your caravan or, at a suitable level of insanity, your cat.  They are the normal sort that go on top of homes and if you flex them too much they will splinter and break.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Panels

Want $0 Electricity Bills? On-Grid Solar Beats Batteries.

December 4, 2017 2017-12-22T15:02:46 by 32 Comments
zero dollar bills?

Want Free Future Electricity Without Blowing The Bank?  Get On-Grid Solar Without Batteries.

When it comes to buying rooftop solar and batteries, people have a wide range of motivations.  Some want to save money, most are environmentally concerned, there are tech-heads interested in the technology, while others just want to be trendy.  Then there are confused people who ordered a battery thinking they were buying artillery or possibly a chicken.

But one motivation that pervades our society is love.  Love for free stuff.  In this case, free electricity.  Most people I know would love to have $0 electricity bills or better yet, be paid for providing clean solar electricity to the grid.

If $0 bills are what you want, it’s okay to admit it.  You’re among friends here. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Electricity Prices

Is Electromagnetic Radiation From Rooftop Solar Dangerous?

November 27, 2017 2017-11-30T00:05:46 by 61 Comments
EMF warning sign

Will Electromagnetic Radiation From Solar Panels And Inverters Frizz Your Heir?

All electrical and electronic device create electromagnetic fields or EMF around them when used and also emit electromagnetic radiation or EMR.  This includes solar panels and solar inverters.  So is it possible for the electromagnetic fields or radiation from your rooftop solar system to harm you or your family?

Normally these type of questions have two answers — a short one and a long one.  But today I’ll give you two short answers and then a long one. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Panels

SolarWorld AG Is Dead — Long Live SolarWorld Industries GmbH

November 22, 2017 2018-03-29T07:24:02 by 1 Comment
solarworld phoenix

SolarWorld Descended From Celestial Heights Into A World Of Pain But Rises Anew Like A Phoenix From The Ashes

Those of you who have German made SolarWorld panels on your roofs or are thinking of getting some, may be wondering about what’s happened with the company since they filed for bankruptcy in May this year.

Well, SolarWorld AG, consisting of SolarWorld in Europe and its shares in subsidiaries in Africa and Asia — but not the United States — is no more.  It went bankrupt and was bought out by a group of investors and brought back from the dead as SolarWorld Industries GmbH. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Panels Tagged With:

Elon Musk Says Tesla’s Electric Truck Will Beat Diesels On Total Cost – He May Be Telling The Truth

November 18, 2017 2024-01-25T07:24:47 by 28 Comments
Elon Musk presentation

Elon Musk with a semi.

Elon Musk’s Latest Announcement Is A Big Trucking Deal [Read more…]

Filed Under: Electric Vehicles, Solar Innovations Tagged With:

Enphase Misses Targets By Miles But Stays In Business

November 17, 2017 2017-11-19T19:51:15 by 18 Comments
Enphase target

Enphase have not got close to the cost reduction targets they set a couple of years ago.

Enphase is an American company that sells microinverters.  These are small, fun sized versions of the larger string inverters most solar homes use.  They work with individual panels and are either bolted beneath them or, in the case of AC panels, come already attached.  [Read more…]

Filed Under: Solar Inverters Tagged With:

Why Solar Feed-In Tariffs Are Likely To Fall Within 3 Years

November 13, 2017 2018-10-22T09:17:51 by 27 Comments
Crystal ball

Ronald’s crystal ball says: “The future may bring lower feed in tariffs if wholesale electricity prices tumble.”

Increasing renewables will reduce wholesale electricity prices. Unfortunately that means feed in tariffs will probably fall too.

Solar feed-in tariffs – the payment households receive for surplus solar electricity they send into the grid – are likely to fall within the next three years along with wholesale electricity prices.

The bad news: a fall in both feed-in tariffs and grid electricity prices will reduce the returns from rooftop solar. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Electricity Prices Tagged With:
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