We have a saying in the solar industry…
“Smart solar isn’t cheap – and cheap solar isn’t smart”
Here are a few tips to make sure that your solar system will perform as it should for at least the next 15 to 20 years.
1. Good quality solar panels – Choosing the right solar panels can seem like a stab in the dark. Every company tells you their brand of panels are the best and some even have magazine reviews or journal reports to try and convince you they are right. Now not all Chinese solar panels are poor quality, make sure however that the company has a global presence and an office in Australia.
A good example of a top quality Chinese solar panel would be Jinko – Who are the world’s largest solar panel manufacturer and the first Chinese manufactured solar panel to achieve the German TUV accreditation.
If you want the best, it’s hard to go past REC – a Singapore manufactured panel. REC are Norwegian company that produce high quality products at a great price.
2. A good quality solar inverter – The solar inverter is the brain of the solar system. It controls and conditions the flow of energy that your solar panels generate. The inverter will also communicate with your monitoring system and in the not too distant future control you battery.
A good quality Chinese inverter such as Zeversolar or SolaX will do the job, but if you ar after the best then SMA or Fronius are the way to go.
3. A Top quality installation – there is not much point having a first class solar system and a third class solar install. Some large solar companies hire sub-contractors to install the system for the lowest price they can get. The result? An installer that is more interested in getting the job done quickly so that he can move onto the next one. Sub – contractors have little responsibility for the system once it has been installed – need I say more?
So what should I expect to pay for my solar system?
Expect to pay $4600 – $7,000 for a decent quality 5kW solar system.
The quality of the product is usually reflected in the price.
Here is an example of pricing you would expect from Home and Energy.
Installed costs depend on cable runs and roof structure i.e. tin or tile.
5.13kW – Jinko Solar panels – Zeversolar or SolaX inverter – $4,600 – $4,800
5.13kW REC Solar panels – Fronius or SMA inverter – $6,000 – $6,200