Buyer’s Guide to Solar Panels Mid North Coast | Hello Solar
Electricity prices in Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Grafton or up the mountains in Dorrigo, are skyrocketing. So many Australians are feeling the heat of the rising costs of their bills. But now there is a new way to reduce this cost – solar energy! With solar energy, those living in these areas can enjoy the benefits of cheaper electricity bills with the help of solar energy systems.
Solar is becoming the investment that you can’t afford to ignore anymore. With the help of some generous national, LGA and state based solar incentives, the cost of solar panels has decreased significantly in recent years and they have become more efficient as well. This means that you can install affordable solar panels that should work for many years to come.
A plethora of information is available online about how to install solar panels, what type of equipment you need and what it will cost – But searching through the web for this information can be a time consuming exercise. So we’ve put together a solar buyers guide for anyone looking to install solar in Mid North Coast NSW.
This guide covers:
- Solar PV system options
- New South Wales Solar rebates and subsidies
- Getting started
What are the solar panel options on the Mid North Coast?
The Mid North Coast region is one of the sunniest regions in Australia. With this in mind, it is no surprise that there are a lot of people who live here and buy solar panels to be able to save money and live more sustainably. But what panels should you get?
The best advice we can offer is to find a manufacturer that you feel comfortable with and who has a good reputation. One of the common mistakes that buyers make when looking for a solar system is not really understanding what they are looking for and then making a bad decision. It is important that you do your research and find out more about the products before you buy.
How do I get Solar Incentives in the Mid North Coast?
There are currently two main types of solar incentives available to you if you are in Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Grafton & Dorrigo areas. The first is a Feed-In Tariff and the second is the STC Incentive. So, what are they?
Feed In Tariffs Explained
The Mid North Coast of Australia has long daylight hours and quality sunshine, so most homes won’t use all of the energy produced. So, residents can get credited by their electricity retailer for the excess solar energy that they feed back into the grid.
This is a form of micro-generation that allows solar system owners to generate their own solar energy and then sell what they do not use back into the grid. This process is called as feeding in or selling back to the grid and the amount that is paid per kWh is referred to as the Feed In Tariff.
STC Incentive Explained
Small Scale Technology Certificates (STCs) are assigned to all Solar and Wind systems under 100kW of generating capacity. The number of certificates awarded to each system differs around the country, with 5 zones mapped out based on the differing amount of sunlight across Australia. So, a system installed in Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Grafton & Dorrigo will receive slightly more certificates than that of its counterpart in Melbourne.
Once installations are registered with the Clean Energy Regulator tradable certificates that can be bought and sold on the market are created. Depending on volume, a price is negotiated between the buyer and seller for the transfer of the STCs.
Visit https://www.sunwiz.com.au/australian-pv-rec-zone-map/ for a detailed map of STC Zones.
Below we have provided a rough estimate of the value of this rebate for three popular sized systems. Please note, the STC deeming period reduces each year and these estimates are indicative for the time of writing. To learn exactly how much you can save with the STC incentive, contact our team today to get an exact quote.
Let’s say we installed these systems in postcode: 2450, Coffs Harbour, NSW
- 6.66kW system – $3,496 incentive (Eligible for approximately 92 STCs valued at $38 each.)
- 13.32kW system – $6,992 incentive (Eligible for approximately 184 STCs valued at $38 each.)
- 99.90kW system – $52,440 incentive (Eligible for approximately 1380 STCs valued at $38 each.)
Solar sounds great, but where do I get started?
This guide was a great starting point for getting solar installed in Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Bellingen, Grafton & Dorrigo, but there is still more to do before you get started. Download our solar buyers guide to keep reading for a complete overview of the process, as well as some tips on how to research the market. Hello Solar has been providing dependable service to these areas for over 5 years. Request a call back if you want to skip the reading at get some simple and straight forward advice on where to start with solar.