Installing solar is great any time of year, but after so many years in the business we keep seeing an interesting trend among our clients..
People think that summer is the best time to buy solar. But it’s actually the opposite that’s true.
We get it, when the sun’s been out for a while you start to think: “We should really put that light to use”. Or, “I should really put solar on the house”.
But did you know that spring is one of the best times of year to install solar?
Here are the 8 reasons:
- Putting the panels on the roof is only one of a few steps involved in a solar installation. There is a lot of paperwork that we process in the background to make the system live. Such as confirming rebates, getting you connected to your retailer and making sure you get feed in tariffs. Because we have to wait for a response from energy retailers and utility companies, this process can take up to 5 weeks.
- As well as paperwork, summer is the single busiest time of year for solar PV installation. Even though we’ve got a fantastic install team, if everyone buys solar at once, there can be delays. Spring is your chance to beat the rush!
- If you wait until after December 31, the available rebate in the form of small-scale technology certificates drops, as the current programme is measured on a set timeline. Every calendar year that you don’t install, the amount of STCs you can claim decreases. This means that you pay more for solar.
- Tax time! Many people are getting tax returns at the moment, and therefore it’s a perfect time to invest in a home improvement that will save you money for many years to come.
- In summer, you also want to be relaxing and hopefully enjoying some time off from work and with the kids – not spending hours researching solar installers or sitting on the phone to your power company. Getting the panels up now means you don’t have to think about it when the holidays come around.
- Waiting until the start of summer to get the panels installed means that you miss out on all that summer energy. If you install in spring then you’ll be perfectly positioned to make the most of the summer sun.
- Did you know spring can be one of the best times for solar feed-in? This is because your panels are producing good amounts of energy as the weather warms up, but you often aren’t using as much in the house with air conditioners running, extra fridges in the garage, holiday cooking and entertainment. Therefore, you are feeding more into the grid and receiving a tariff for it – which recently went up to 11.3c per kWh in Victoria!
- Solar panels work on light not heat, so a sunny day with lower temperatures can give you more power. All our panels such as Sunpower and LG are designed for the harsh Australian climate, but nonetheless the shoulder months before and after summer are a great time for your panels’ production.
Remember ANYTIME of the year is the great for installing solar. But if you’re already thinking about it then spring is a great time for solar.
