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PROPERTY
SOLAR STORAGE THE WAY OF THE FUTURE
All homeowners should consider the short- and long-term benefits of switching to solar and installing battery storage. WORDS: Tracey Johnstone.
Storing solar-generated energy
in home batteries is back on the
climate action agenda as Australia
addresses renewable energy and
the imminent wide-spread introduction
of electric vehicles.
Also worth noting is that in the
future residential owners who make
environmental improvements to their
home may benefit from cheaper home
loans. The National Australia Bank
is currently championing a home
sustainability rating tool known as
Greenhouse. It’s early days yet, but it’s
something that owners thinking about
installing smart meters, solar power and
batteries should watch out for.
In the meantime, simply saving
on household costs is a good reason to
consider installing a battery.
Currently between 4pm and 9pm the
rate of power is higher, so when the family
comes home from work or school and
starts turning on home appliances, they
are drawing on peak-time grid power.
Imagine what will happen when you also
plug in to charge your electric vehicle.
Without battery storage, unused
solar power gets lost back into the grid.
Wholesale Solar Installers owner Bret
Davis says if there is a battery, the stored
excess tops up the power.
“If you turn an appliance on and
there is no solar as the sun’s down or it’s
a cloudy day, it will look to the battery
before it goes to the grid,” he says.
An increase in battery-stored power
could also help the grid during summer
storm blackouts. “For houses that are at the
end of the grid such houses as in Maleny,
Doonan and North Arm, which are not in
town, they tend to get blackouts frequently
through the year,” Mr Davis says.
The available crop of batteries is
expensive, costing on average $10,000.
Plus, there is the cost of installing an
inverter or for existing solar panel
systems, converting to a battery-ready
hybrid converter. But with the 10-year
replacement guarantee, the long-term
investment in saving solar energy and
contributing to a better environment is
well worth considering.
“We are seeing a lot more
manufacturers coming into the market
and battery technology is getting better,”
Mr Davis says.
“We are seeing a lot
more manufacturers
coming into the
market”
Bret Davis, Wholesale Solar Installers
For new house builds, the federal
government offers a rebate on the
installation of solar panels that covers
about 40 per cent of the up-front costs,
Mr Davis advises. To find out how much
battery storage you need, he suggests you
read your meter before 4pm and then look
at it again the following morning,
recording the kilowatts used.
A premier waterfront address
at the heart of convenience.
Health &
Wellness
Services
Sunshine
Plaza
Coles &
Woolworths
Kon-Tiki
Business
Centre
Maroochydore
Beach
Maroochydore
City Centre
Goodlife
Gym
Homemaker
Centre
Located in an established masterplanned community, ‘Reflection Cove’ has been
developed to capitalise on its magnificent waterfront position and offers a peaceful
oasis to call home. Surrounded by stunning landscaped gardens, boardwalks and water
views, this exceptional lifestyle address provides a spectacular position of convenience,
while central to the Sunshine Coast’s natural attractions and lifestyle amenities.
1 bed from $369,000 | 2 bed from $499,000 | 3 bed from $689,000
Enquiries John Stamp T 5406 9066
E info@reflectioncove.com | reflectioncove.com
Maroochy River, Maroochy RSL, Ocean St. Dining & Entertainment Precinct are all within 2km walking distance.
48 My Weekly Preview | December 9, 2021
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