Brisbane is a big city in Australia well-known (renowned) for its glorious sunshine.
With the increasing rise in energy (or power) costs, many businesses and residential homes in Brisbane are switching to solar energy; not only to reduce their monthly electricity bill or allocation from the grid but also because it’s environmentally friendly.
Solar energy is becoming more popular in sunny cities like Brisbane as well in other Australian states (or cities) and there’s currently no sign of the trend going down.
This is the reason for this rising trend in cities like Brisbane is that renewable energy now meets more than 50% of Australia’s electricity demands.
Despite solar panels being eco-friendly and capable of producing free energy (or electricity), purchasing and installing them are expensive.
For example, a typical home solar system in Brisbane is 6.6kW and with quality installation, it could cost you anything between $4,500 to $10,000. Depending on your home or business needs you might have to spend more.
Considering the amount used in purchasing and installing commercial solar in Brisbane, asking whether it’s worth it or not isn’t surprising. If you are thinking of switching to solar energy but if you are not sure if it’s worth your investment, then continue reading.
Benefits of using commercial solar panels in Brisbane
There are many benefits of using commercial solar panels in Brisbane, including:
- Solar panels help you save money on your monthly electricity bill.
- Solar panels increase the value of your property.
- Solar panels are eco-friendly and help reduce your carbon footprint.
- Solar panels require very little maintenance.
It reduces your overall electricity bill
Do you know that after purchasing and installing commercial solar systems in Brisbane, you could get paid for the excess energy your solar system produces? Well, now you do and it’s known as the feed-in traffic FiT).
The feed-in traffic is a great way of benefiting from your commercial solar system in the long run. The rates are usually paid in cents per kW, per hour of electricity generated by your solar panel system—the rates are often decided either by the government or your retailer.
The payment can be done in two ways. You can either send all the electricity generated from your solar panel system to the grid and get paid for it, but you’ll still have to pay for the energy you use (known as the Gross FiT system); or, you can just send the excess energy produced by your solar system to the grid and get paid for it—this method is known as the Net Feed-in traffic and it helps in cutting or reducing your overall electricity bill.
You can benefit from the ongoing small-scale technology certificate
The Australian federal government is giving small-scale technology certificates (STCs) to homeowners and small business owners who are interested in switching to solar energy.
To be eligible for the STCs, you’ll have to use approved solar panel systems that are less than 100kW in size. The installation must be done by a professional with all the papers in check. Once you have that all set, you can start selling your STCs at a clearinghouse, where you’ll receive about $40 for every megawatt-hour of electricity sold by your solar panel system.
If you consider that a small amount, you can get a higher price at the open market for your STCs but that depends on the current demand.
Increases the value of your property
Are you thinking of selling your property in the future? If yes, then know that a commercial solar system can help in boosting the value of your property.
According to a report from Merrill Lynch, it was found that installing solar panels on a home could increase its value by $15,000. The report also shows that out of the surveyed homeowners in California (one of the sunniest states), about 63 percent believed that installing solar panels would help in making their homes more valuable.
The report is based on studies done between 2007 and 2013 but it’s still safe to say that having commercial solar panels installed in Brisbane will definitely increase the resale value of your property.
It gives you long-term energy security
With a commercial solar system, you’ll be less dependent on the grid, which is often prone to power outages and fluctuations in electricity prices.
Installing a commercial solar system means that you’ll generate your own renewable energy, giving you the power to choose how much energy you want to use and when you want to use it—giving you complete control of your energy needs.
It’s good for the environment
If you are someone who is interested in doing their bit for the environment, then installing commercial solar panels is a great way to start. Solar panels rely on renewable energy from the sun to generate electricity, which doesn’t produce any harmful emissions of greenhouse gases.
According to the Climate Council, if all Australians switched to solar power, it would be the equivalent of taking almost 1.5 million cars off the road.
Drawbacks of commercial solar panels
There are a few drawbacks of commercial solar panels that you should be aware of before making the switch.
The initial cost can be high
The upfront cost of installing commercial solar panels can be expensive, with the average price being around $20,000. However, with government rebates and other financial incentives, the cost can be reduced by up to 50 percent.
The payback period can be long
The payback period is the amount of time it will take for you to recoup your investment through savings on your energy bills. The payback period for commercial solar panels can range from anywhere between five to 20 years, depending on the system size and the amount of sunlight that hits Brisbane.
Solar panels require maintenance
Solar panels need to be cleaned on a regular basis to ensure that they are working at their optimal level. Depending on the location of your panels and the weather conditions, they may need to be cleaned once a month or once every few months.
Additionally, the inverter (the part of the system that converts direct current into alternating current) will need to be replaced every five to 10 years, which can cost around $1,000.
Solar power isn’t stopping anytime soon and is only going to become more popular as the years go by. If you are thinking of making the switch to solar, it’s important to do your research and understand both the benefits and drawbacks of commercial solar panels.
Conclusion
The bottom line is if you are thinking of making the switch to solar power, now is the time. With all these benefits and more, there’s really nothing stopping you from going solar. Not only will you be saving money in the long run, but you’ll also be doing your bit for the environment. So what are you waiting for? Get in touch with a reputable solar company today and get started on your solar journey!
With all these benefits and more, there’s really nothing stopping you from going solar. Not only will you be saving money in the long run, but you’ll also be doing your bit for the environment. So what are you waiting for? Get in touch with a reputable solar company today and get started on your solar journey!
