am
I'm also a skeptic, which is why I didn't run out and sign up immediately (or yet). But I didn't want to dismiss it as a scam either, in accepting that bulk purchases of lower end systems for a reduced price, are probably possible..
Regards,
Ross..
Turns out almost everyone at the village is going to sign up. My mum didn't want to feel left out, so I had no choice but to now reassure her signing up is not a bad idea, considering they have not been asked to pay anything at all.
Apparently the company told everyone they would never get another electricy bill. But based on my mums 8kWh daily average (not unreasonable), I told her to still expect a (much smaller) bill.
If everything goes smoothly and as claimed, then they all get a 1KW solar system installed for free. With nearly 150 units in the village, this will be a big installation.
I'll keep the group updated on progress.
Dave.
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Are you telling me that none of these old codgers was smart enough to get that statement in writing?
< .. >
One of the previously more expensive vendors seems to have cut their price, i.e:
Time to sign up with someone, I suppose..
Regards,
Ross..
I'd sign up in a second if I could get a 1KW system for $2500. I hope the new "no means test" rebate after June still allows for prices like these. Shows the power of bulk "community" buying though. Individuals pay $2500+, my mums community gets the same thing for free.
Dave.
-- ================================================ Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast: http://www.alternatezone.com/eevblog/
In my understanding, the new scheme will be based on RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates). A REC currently is worth about $46. In the new system it will be worth 5x, i.e $230.
A 1kW system currently gets 21 RECs, or around $1000. Under the new scheme those RECs will be worth $4830, so that is the "rebate". A 1kW system will therefore be less subsidised.
However, a higher output system such as 2kW will be worth about $9660 in rebates, so the subsidy is greater than the previous $8000. The greater amount of RECs, the greater the subsidy.
Interestingly the means testing was introduced by the Labor party in
2008, and did not exist previously, but I suppose the price of PV systems was a bit higher at the time..Quite a few vendors have been offering "$0" systems such as Nu Energy, State Solar Services, Beyond Building Energy. Some ask for a (refundable) deposit, others do not. A fairly lively whirlpool thread has formed over this here:
The difficulty for those that qualify is in deciding between paying a reasonably "small" $2500 or paying "$0", at the risk that the "$0" company might be somehow "less reliable" or not deliver. Then amongst the "$0" companies, there are those that ask for a (refundable) deposit of around $2000, and those that don't. The question then arises as to what happens to a deposit, if a company goes under.
Some people suggest to cover this risk with a credit card, but I spoke to my bank, and the chargeback period for a credit card is 90 days, although they will consider chargebacks after this period at their discretion. With 6-8 weeks for pre-approval, none of these companies can install in less than 90 days.
Regards,
Ross..
Systems are getting cheaper very quickly, almost monthly it seems, so hopefully by the time the new REC scheme comes around the "loss" in the rebate may have been made up for in what the system installers can offer price-wise. I'll still happily pay a few thousand for a system, but over that it's not quite such a no-brainer. Time will tell...
Dave.
-- ================================================ Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast: http://www.alternatezone.com/eevblog/
David L. Jones wrote: [snip]
[snip]Just came across a letter to the editor in our local paper regarding this subject. Someone signed up for $8500, after the rebate....
(You can see a copy here:
IIRC one can actually get out of such a contract, within a cooling off period. Hope they know about this.
Tony
Geeze, they didn't even name the company! Only an idiot signs up on the spot for something like that without getting further quotes, the salesman saw them coming.
The good thing is they don't have to pay a cent, the ball and risk is squarely in the installers court, if they don't come through their creditors will eat them alive.
Dave.
-- ================================================ Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast: http://www.alternatezone.com/eevblog/
$8500 AFTER the rebate? Someone has no idea what they heck they are doing, to do that without even gauging the average price for a system from more than one installer.
Regards,
Ross..
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