Update on NSW Solar Power 2012

Hi, Huon here again from LJW Solar. So, what’s happening in the solar industry at the moment?
Well, there’s been an interesting turn of events since most of the state feed-in tariffs
have been scaled back or pulled completely. Now, what that’s meant for the industry
is about a 95% decline in sales across New South Wales, as an example. It also means
that a lot of my competitors have gone out of business, which in turn means that a lot
of customers who have bought systems from the various companies no longer have a point
of call for the service, repairs, or maintenance. Now, this can be a good thing and a bad thing
for LJW Solar because it means that we can come out and reliably give you a professional
service, maintain your system, and look after you. But, what it does also mean, is that
our company is being tied to the same brush as many of the other companies that are now
going out of business. Now, some really good things have happened in the industry. The
Australian dollar is quite high, which means that we are buying at very competitive prices
from our overseas suppliers. The cost of solar panels has also come down dramatically because
the world wide market is somewhat depressed at the moment. Now, there’s still a government
rebate, the federal government have still got in place the Small Scale Technology Certificates,
or STC’s. Now, this can save you anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000 off the upfront costs
of your system. The other thing that may be good if you’re going solar is the rising
cost of electricity. Now, the higher the cost of electricity, the better the return on your
investment. Now, for anyone not going solar this is a detriment because it means that
you’re going to be paying more and more for your electricity. In fact, the expected
rise in cost over the next three years is up to %64 higher for any of your electricity
bills, so you really need to do something about it today. Keep in mind when selecting
a solar system the size of the system. Now, because there is no feed-in tariff it means
that exported power that goes out to the grid isn’t being credited to you at the same
price as what you buy power. What this means is you’ll want to use your solar power when
you’re creating it. Shifting things into the middle of the day like pool pumps, or
air conditioning, or even your dishwashing and washing up can improve your return on
investment by using the solar panel directly when you’re making it. So, for someone looking
at going solar today, there’s never been a better time. With returns on your investment
well under seven years, possibly even under six years. Now, that’s domestic or commercial.