The sun hitting your roof can power your life. It's just a question of gadgets.

If you install solar photovoltaic systems on your home and use them to cover your home electricity needs, you can eliminate the greenhouse gas emissions generated by your household. The Greenhouse Gas Office estimates this saving to be approximately six tonnes of CO2 per annum.

In addition to the environmental benefits there are many other good reasons to install solar photovoltaic systems in your homes:

• No electricity bills - For an average Australian Household this represents a saving of over $1000 per year for the next 20-30 years (ABS 4102.0 'Household Expenditure Patterns by Life Cycle').
• Rebate of up to $8000 - The Australian Federal Government offers a rebate of up to $8000 to cover the purchase and installation of your solar photovoltaic systems (see 'The Australian Government Photovoltaic Rebate Programme')
• Insulate yourself from future electricity price rises - By putting electricity into the grid at approximately the same rate (price) at which you take it out, you are earning more for your power if you are charged more.
• Improve the value of your home - The addition of solar photovoltaic systems in your home will increase the value of the property on resale, ensuring you reap the full value of your investment should you decide to leave.

These factors make a compelling case for exploring the addition of a solar photovoltaic system to your home. You may even one day know the joy of receiving a cheque from your local power company for the excess power you've just sold them.

Do it now!

There are four elements involved in installing a grid-connected Solar Photovoltaic (PV) system in Australia. These are

1.    Finding the right solar photovoltaic system installer

2.    Selecting the right solar photovoltaic system for your household

3.    Applying for (and receiving) Federal Government rebates

4.    Establishing a electricity trading agreement with your electricity retailer

Often all of these elements will be facilitated by the solar photovoltaic system installer.

The following questions and tips may be of use:

1.    Finding the right solar photovoltaic system installer

The Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) has a complete list of Accredited Solar Photovoltaic system installers at their site .

Try the following list of questions when you are speaking to a prospective installer for your Photovoltaic system…

• Is the installer a BCSE (Business Council for Sustainable Energy) accredited installer? When did they get their accreditation? To be eligible for existing rebates, your system must be designed and installed by a BCSE-accredited installer.

• Will the installer facilitate the complete process (PV system selection, install, rebates, RECs)? Their level of experience (and hence the advice that they can offer) can be the decisive factor in choosing a solar PV system installer.

• What experience has the company in installing solar PV systems similar to yours? Check the following system elements have been appropriately scoped out in the proposed system design:

• Can they provide some referees for recent installations that they have completed?

• What warranty on the installation of the system does the installer provide? Ensure the installer will guarantee the quality of their installation as well as the various product warranties.

• Does the quoted price include safety features (fusing, warning signs etc)?
• Will the installer be working with a registered electrical contractor or licensed electrician?
• Will they provide a Certificate of Electrical Safety?
• Will they be providing an instruction manual that includes a diagram of the system, emergency shutdown procedures and basic maintenance requirements?
• Ensure competing bids are in the same format - By ensuring that all of the bids you receive are made on the same basis, you'll be able to compare the bids easily.
• Request an itemised quote - This will allow you to evaluate the costs of labour, materials and so on. The standard PV system installation quote should provide specifications, quantity, size, capacity and output for the major components, including:
       - solar PV modules
       - mounting frames or structure
       - inverter
       - any additional metering or data-logging
       - travel and transport requirements
       - other equipment needed
       - any trench digging
       - a system-user manual
  • Have a signed contract before proceeding - In addition to the quote it is important to have a contract with your installer that includes:
       - an estimate of the average daily electricity output - in kilowatt hours (kWh)
       - the estimated annual production
       - the estimated production in the best and worst months
  the responsibilities of each party
       - warranties and guarantees, including installer workmanship
       - a schedule of deposit and progress payments

  2. Selecting the right solar PV system for your household

  Ensure the solar PV system is the right size for your household - The size of your solar PV system will depend on:

     - the physical unshaded space available for the installation of your modules
     - how much you are prepared to spend
     - what portion of your electrical demand you wish to generate.

  If your goal is to provide enough energy to run all your electrical appliances all year round, then you need to know your household electricity use for the year. This is measured in KWh and is documented on your quarterly electricity bill. From this figure you can calculate your average daily electricity consumption: that is, the amount your PV system needs to produce (on average) to cover your electricity needs.

  3.     Applying for (and receiving) Federal Government rebates

  The Federal Government offers two programs that help to fund the installation of Photovoltaic Systems in homes, schools and community buildings on the electricity grid.

  1.    The Australian Government Photovoltaic Rebate Programme - The Photovoltaic Rebate Programme provides cash rebates of up to $8,000 for the installation of solar photovoltaic systems on homes, schools and community-use buildings.

  To be eligible for a residential rebate, a notification of pre-approval must be received prior to system installation. See the link above for the eligibility criteria.

  For those not connected to the main electriaicty grid, the Renewable Remote Power Generation Programme (RRPGP) is best: rebates cover up to 50 per cent of the capital cost of renewable generation and essential enabling equipment (batteries, etc).

  2.    Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) - The Federal Government facilitates the certification and trade of Renewable Energy Certificates (REC) as an incentive to homes that convert to accredited solar photovoltaic systems. The REC is based on the efficiency of the solar PV system; the greater amount of power generated the greater the incentive.

  4. Establishing a electricity trading agreement with your electricity retailer

  Once you have priced the purchase and installation of your PV system, and know what the likely electricity generation will be, it's time to select and sign up with an energy retailer who will buy you electricity.

  Thinks to check on and compare when agreeing to sell your clean electricity to an electricity retailer are:

  • The cost of the electricity you purchase from them ( in cents per kWh)
  • The price they will pay you for your electricity (in cents per kWh)
  • Whether your metering registers the total production from your solar panels or just the excess (beyond what is consumed in your home)
  • Penalty clauses (termination costs)
  • Billing/payment periods

  Check with your installer which electricity retailer offers the best deals, mandatory feed-in tariffs that might apply in your state and advice on dealing with electricity retailers.

  More information: The Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) has a comprehensive guide to solar system installation and maintenance on their site.

  Why this action is important

  In order for humans to establish a sustainable civilisation, we must harness renewable, local and abundant energy sources - such as sunlight. This action can ensure the electricity you are consuming at home comes from a clean, non-polluting source with a cost-effective investment in sound technology and a generation of long-term returns (financial, environmental and intergenerational).