There are many reasons to consider getting solar panels, and a few factors that stop people from doing so.
By far the biggest obstacle for most of us is cost. In a recent survey, upfront cost was voted the main reason for hesitating to install solar panels by 38% of respondents, way ahead of all other considerations.
So what steps can you take to reduce the cost burden of installing solar panels? One of the best solutions here is to look for government rebates — programs that aim to reward solar customers by covering some portion of the costs through financial incentives.
In Queensland, there is a solar rebate system in place. In this article, we’ll take a look at what the Queensland solar rebate involves, how much money you could save, and some other government incentives for Queensland residents.
What Is The Queensland Government Solar Rebate?
The Australian government wants to reward people for switching to solar. It’s clean, safe, and good for the environment, so anyone who purchases solar panels in Queensland will qualify for a rebate to cancel out some of their expenses.
There’s a handful of conditions:
- You must be located in Queensland
- Your modules and inverter must be approved by the Clean Energy Council
- Your panels must be installed by a CEC-accredited installer
How Much Money Can You Get Back With The Queensland Solar Rebate Scheme?
The amount of money you can save under the Queensland solar rebate scheme depends on a few factors like the size of your solar system and your exact location. However, in an ideal scenario, you can get back up to a third of the cost of your solar panels.
Queensland Feed-In Tariffs
If you’re looking to save money on your solar panels in Queensland, another good option is feed-in tariffs.
Your solar panels will usually generate more power than they can use at a given time. One way to make use of this surplus power is to store it in a solar battery, however, you can also make money from it.
The Queensland feed-in tariff scheme rewards you when you return excess solar energy to the grid. You can earn around 8-12 cents for every kWh of power you return in this way, making it a good choice for those looking to recoup some of their solar costs.
How Much Can You Save With Queensland Feed-In Tariffs?
The amount you can save depends on your location within Queensland. If you live in South East Queensland the rates are set by your electricity retailer. This means the amount you can get back depends on the retailer you use — and this can vary quite a bit so it’s worth doing some research.
If you live anywhere else in Queensland, the rate is set by the government at a flat rate of 9.3c per kilowatt hour.
Requirements For Feed-In Tariffs In Queensland
There are a number of requirements you’ll need to fulfil to benefit from the Queensland feed-in tariff scheme, such as:
- The maximum inverter capacity of your solar system must not exceed 30kW
- You must consume less than 100 megawatt hours of electricity in a year (the average home only uses 4.3MWh per year so if you’re a household it’s unlikely this will apply to you)
- You must be a retail customer of Ergon Energy Retail or Origin Energy
- You need a network agreement with an electricity distributor and have their permission to connect your solar system to the grid
- You must not be receiving any other tariff
Saving Money On Your Solar Panels
Solar panels don’t come cheap, so it’s important to get educated on the different ways you can save money and make money back from your solar system. These rebates and incentives can make a sizeable dent in the cost of your panels, making the decision to switch to solar much more manageable.
At SnapSolar, we help households and businesses in Mackay and the surrounding Queensland area make the right decision when it comes to solar. We’ll guide you through the process of installing and maintaining your panels, and help you access the best incentives in your area.
Contact us to learn more and get started.
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