If a power company charges you to feed power to the grid get your smart meter to shut off that process.

Don't have solar panels can't afford them because we don't use enough electricity to make them pay. But I don't know why the goverment can't supply every household free of charge instead of building solar farms at $600,000 each

We have panels, bills used to be bet. $900-1100/quarter. My last bill a few weeks ago (spring bill), $18. this was including a $75 govt rebate. but even without that still at $92, is a far cry from $900!!

where do you live?

We have solar panels and our power bill is always in a credit. We paid extra for the better quality panels, and glad we did as they survived 2 hail storms with hail the size of golf balls. Avoid the cheap ones offered by the fly-by-night cowboys. Unless your power bill is more than say $400 per quarter, don't bother. If you do get solar panels, then make them work for you by using your dishwasher, washing machine, charging your EV (if you have one) and such during the day. Getting a decent battery to store solar power is also a good idea, but keep in mind that many have been recalled due to issues and can cause fires. Like anything, do your own research first and deal with a reputable solar company.

we got panels and now don't have a bill

Don’t bother if your bills low , say $350

under consideration once come down prices

no.. no.. no

Go off grid completely go battery and solar build a mini nuclear reactor in your backyard. Build a wind farm that'll learn them

It’s not a cost saving option for us, we’re too old

As from July we have to pay for the energy we send back to the grid between certain hours, which of course are the sunshine hours. You will still get paid if you send energy back after the sun has set. I would ask how old your panels are because we got our first system back in the Kevin 07 days but have since replaced that system. Our neighbour who got her system after us has also replaced her system as it became less and less efficient. She replaced a large system with a smaller one as the price has increased over the years. A friend has also replaced her system as they become quite inefficient after about 10 years. You also have to pay to get rid of your old panels as they can't be recycled. You would need to find out if your inverter can take more panels or you may need to buy one that can. However, you will have panels of different ages and the system works to the maximum of the worst performing panel. So if you have one panel not performing well the rest of the system will be dragged down by it. Of course if you have a spare $10000 to $15000 you could get a battery as well and store the power you don't use, but remember they also only have about a 10 year life.

It’s worth it. Few companies would touch my townhouse due to a large Moreton Bay fig tree on the northern side, but two companies were more imaginative than the stock-standard companies you see being advertised, and they found a way to place the panels for maximum benefit. Between the rebates and my solar panels, I have not had a power bill for a whole year, and I even have an $850 credit in my electricity account. Go for it.

We should've been using solar panels a long time ago.

Yes it is worth while. My daughter has solar panels and pays a tiny electricity bill in comparison to mine. With a battery set up, you still have power when there is a black out. If there is an electric car, you can charge it at home, and stop paying for petrol too

We retired over 15 years ago when solar panels were not cheap. However we also used some of our savings to get batteries which have saved us a lot of hardships as lately in NSW the weather has been anything but calm and our local power lines have been struck by quite high storm and wind damage. At least we had lights and TV!

No as that horse has bolted. Once everyone gets them or a large percentage anyway of course they are going to find ways to rip off the consumer.

I wish we could get panels!

Really doesn't matter to me because we are not homeowners anymore. It probably would have been a good idea before we sold our big house.

We had solar panels installed. We paid cash and even though the rebate is very low, we have gone from over $200 per month cost to $0 per month. We were given $1000 dollars from the government our credit now stands at $1687. If they start charging us for solar we feed into the grid, they will be openly stating that Green energy being the best for us is a LIE. Edited 24-Jan-25 14:55pm

I have panels also a storage system .We are retirees & I still have to pay $135.00 a month according to my invoice without panels & storage my bill would be Approx; $300-400 per month

I'm not knowledgeable enough to give any advise or even state an opinion

Solar panels are somewhat of a con trick. It costs a fortune to get them installed, then you need an expensive battery to store the power for when there is no sun. You need to keep the panels clean for best efficiency (difficult since they're usually on the roof), even then the panels and the battery *will* wear out and need replacing. Even worse, they claim it is "green" energy, yet making and disposing of the panels and batteries is hideously polluting. Best not to bother and just stick with regular mains supply. If you can (not possible in New Zealand any longer 🙁), use a government owned supplier so you aren't being charged excessive amounts simply to fill the greedy pockets of the electricity company's management and shareholders.Edited 24-Jan-25 15:26pm

We purchased ours years ago when the State Govt gave a good price for our extra that we didn't use. They then reduced it to 3 cents, so no from me

I purchased solar panels in 2022 and a solar battery in early 2023 one of the best savings on electricity as I received a bill in credit and has so far has been paying for the upfront costs, I have not paid a electric bill since Sept 2023, definitely will be worth it in the long run.

not sure.in process of getting new ones as old are over 13 years old.this time i pay as thanks to government they were free

not sure. NZ doesn't have those rumours going yet. However different companies pay better than others. Most companies in NZ only allow max 10kw generation per day. Ideally I would like mix of vertical axis wind with solar. Previous gov't killed a lot of incentive by removing lower cost of monthly fees for 'low users'. Unfortunately don't think anyone has come up with a 'safe' disposing of the panels which only last bout 25 years

No I don’t , I got extra, new ones they took my old ones + I’m still paying, although I paid $6000 cash I was tricked & the government take money out of my account each month, to pay the remainder ?

We all have solar on our houses and my Dad has solar on his factory so none of us pay any thing for electricity. Yes the feed in tariff is so low at one stage we were on 55c not any more as we sold the house with a 1 kWh system on it. I would look into getting a battery as eventually that is what we want to do. New carpet, an EV, more solar panels and a battery. We also want to be able to run our house off the battery at night or if there is a black out ( doesn't happen as often these days and if it does it comes back on after a second which is more annoying than any thing.) The black outs used to be for a few hours before. Battery prices have come down I do believe but it is up to you and what you can afford Yeah! Edited 24-Jan-25 13:10pm

Doesn't sound too expensive to me. Anything that can help is best.

Pretty good value I feel. Plus you're helping the planet. One day hoping to afford a battery system, as we lose power all the time. Not paid a power bill since installing, only a 6.6kw.

I had a 3.3 KW sytem to begin with, then I added 6.6 KW to that, got a 5.8 KWH battery system. Now the electricity company's pay me. Although the batteries are expensive, to work out if I've made my money back or not I forget all the details. So I wonder if getting a buy now pay later with Solar & batteries is cheaper than an eclectricity bill each month or not (I worked out buy now pay later was more expensive than a bank loan so I payed it off in a bit less than a year). I think they are deffinately worth it if that is the case. Paying buy now pay later of say 300, and reducung the bill by say 450. look into it. + electricity keep going up, which makes another benefit in Batteries and Solar. Edited 24-Jan-25 12:52pm

as you mention,they will start charging you soon to put the power into the grid,id be more inclined to go for a battery or 3

No, it's not worth it. The only people getting rich of this are the Companies who sell them.

Electricity will not get cheaper. Depends On how much you use. If you have children you will spend more than $3,500 on power in 10 years. A friend of mine had his panels smashed in a hail storm. they were replaced by insurance. the new panels now generate more power than the old.

For what it's worth there is now an Australian company manufacturing solar panels it was begun under the Albo government. Hopefully better quality than the overseas imported flimsy more short lived ones.

I have no idea but their new one coming out lighter and cheaper ?

There are people on podcasts saying they build their own electricity solutions for off grid electricity to run your home at a fraction of the cost, no need for feed into the grid.I would look at that to get away from greedy electric companies

ty lin r

No

NO

Yes

I read that ceramic panels are in the making, and are considered better than glass solar panels. Also, small individual turbines are available to provide power to separate houses. But everyone I know who has them says that they are saving money.

Not now.

No my just when down not worth it

I wouldn't bother installing them as I wouldn't be able to afford the repayments I would have to pay and I am not sure how much longer I will be living in my own house

When we lived in Port Macquarie the electrician told us about the deal if we paid for the panels his cost was paid by the Government, it worked well for us put the dish washer on in the morning when we were making power & the pool also went on in the morning , our electricity cost halved, that was about eight years ago.

I live in a RV and wish I could use one

We installed solar about ten years ago - our utility gave us a subsidy to install them and we net-meter - our monthly electric bill is just about zero, we calculate it's about another 2 - 3 years 'til we break even and we certainly feel we have helped the environment. Our panels should give us another 15 - 20 years of use. Very happy with our decision.

I haven't looked into the deal with solar panels. I couldn't really say cause I don't know. I do see a lot of them out in fields in the country where I live. I haven't seen but maybe 3 houses at the most with them.

Not st all

It's just making the Chinese richer! And it's all bullshit. I wouldn't touch this crap, it's only for idiots.

WHAT A JOKE AND A RIP OFF THIS VIC SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT WHEN ANDREWS PREMIER SAVE THE PLANET GET SOLAR THE RE BATE IS NEARLY ZERO ALLEN IS NOT MUCH BETTER.

Been thinking about it, but not at that cost. Defeats the deal from Grey Power!

No

no, this is whats happening, and a lot of people are complaining about this.

Have researched this fairly thoroughly and have decided not worth the cost or effort.

no Jamie

As things are right now, total waste of money.

They are expensive. I cannot afford the panels.

TY JAMIE D 156261

absolutely not, by the time you start getting any return they are close to needing replacing, spend the money on a holiday

Since I rent a 1 bedroom duplex that was built in the 1950's , I'm happy to have received a Mercedes wall mount heat pump, a vent in the bathroom and a new circuit breaker box at no charge! I asked the owner about solar panels because they were offered at no charge, but he said, no. I'm blessed he said yes to the heat pump! I can't speak for others. ;-D

I do not own a house - I own a condominium. Buying solar panels is not an option (PERIOD) for me. Anyway, depending on how long you plan on living in your house (and how much sunshine you get where you reside) - paying $3500 to get more solar panels - now - is a fantastic DEAL!

I LIKE THEM, SOLAR PANEL IN FLORIDA GOOD, IN NOT CHICAGO WE GET CLOUDY DAYS, WINTER SNOW COVERED THEM. THE BATTERY IS EVERY 6 YEARS.

the power companies dont want you to make your own power unless they get a piece of the cake if everyone had solar planels they would go out of busines

I know someone in Florida who installed solar panels and it cost $25,000.. They feel it will take 7-10 years to recoup the cost.

I don’t have solar panels yet as they are unaffordable. I will wait until newer technology comes as new models are much better and more flexible and weightless to the current ones.

BETTER CHECK ALL COSTS FIRST INSTALLATION AND REMOVAL - not just initial cost but end of life cost as well IN AUSTRALIA only if you have at least $1500 per panel to remove and store them safely at end of life. This is not advertised - I wonder why AND you live in NORTHERN OZ. IN VIC not enough sun but might still be worth it for the reduction IN VIC you will be PD 00.33c pwh and charged 38+c off peak and 73 peak pwh OR MORE Might be better to see if you can get domestic wind. AND the gov will be charging you soon for supplying. THEY HAVE SAID SO I paid over $11000 for a 18 panel 5.5 w system and there is not enough sun in Gipps Vic to cover this or my 6-9 kw day usage...... I am still getting charged for power. At end of life it will cost me more $18,000 to remove.

Yes, its good

HI JANN R,TY, HAVE A GREAT TIME..

It is - but it’s certainly not encouraging with the charge to put fuel back into the grid, It makes people buy batteries to store their energy and that’s another big financial outlay.

Yes I do if I had more room on my roof I would have more solar panels but my house is small and only had room for 10 panels if I could aford a batery I would get one and go off the grid but my bills are quite low compared to those that dont have panels

Yes, I think that it's worth the cost for you to add $3,500 worth of panels.

Keep doing the homework this situation changes all the time Good luck

no

No

I'm not sure, even hard to work out why can't get the Govt Assistance when it's offered in the "low income" areas .. they tell you to insert Post Code and just comes back as no, not for you "dearie" type of response. If you're in South Australia, not sure if it's worth your while phoning NRG as they appear to be "good people" been there from the beginning and fitted quality panels, not the cheap rubbish from China that weren't up to Standard and they fitted by other Companies, which then had to be replaced for Safety Reason.

Best thing we ever did - solar panels and batteries. We don’t ever get power bills, and get some money quarterly from our Power Company for feeding into the grid.

If the power company is charging you to put power in the grid than it is absolutely not worth getting solar panel for that side but it's a great ideal for the use of your own home and not depend on the power grid. I can't imagine why a Electric Company would charge you to supply them with power, it should be the other way around.

some states or territories are offering them to be installed for FREE,but here in ACT they are only FREE if you own your own home,as the govt are too stingy to spend money on rentals....I wont go down that path Edited 24-Jan-25 06:49am

Im in an apartment so i cant have them Sorry no help from me

I rent. No solar panels here

In my opinion electric companies should pay people who supply energy to the grid that they can sell. At least half of what they receive should go to the supplier.

Depends on what rebate you get, ours sucks it’s currently about 8.75 cents per kw, it should be at least 50% of peak tariff 16.5 cents per kw. Let’s give to the rich shareholders screw the consumers, that’s why these a hole politicians sold off the assets. Edited 24-Jan-25 06:23am

In Australia a rebate just kicked in in November for battery installation. It is probably worth having a battery installed with the subsidy.

Think about a battery first

I think the drain on the grid is it worth it.

we thought about getting panels for the house but the time it takes to actually get savings is way to long. The cost isnt worth it

Not the least bit interested in solar panels, or the batteries, the cost of installing them and the maintenance compared to the return isn't worth it. Then when the solar panels die, there is matter of ensuring that the chemicals in the solar panels don't damage the Environment.

It is worth it. My last bill was 0. Some rebate is better than none and I love it when I still have power but everyone else does not. 20 years ago, a solar system would have cost at least $20000 and not been as "good" as the current ones (all tech is expensive and "not as good" as future versions when whatever it is hits the market: remember when a single dvd player cost $1000 and it was region locked this was "cheap" and now they are less than $50 and are not region locked) so spending $3500 for panels now is nothing for independence and environmental reasons.

We've had solar panels for years now but just to heat our hot water tank. Are thinking of more to cut down on electricity costs...but your points have made me think.

The cost of putting solar panels on very high and also, Very expensive to maintain. stick with your current grid

NO WAY, COULDEN'T PAY ME TO GO SOLAR, MY TAKE ON IT, BUT ALL TO THEIR OWN THINKING

No, I was advised by a company because we do not use much power it is not beneficial for us to use. They should be paying us since it is us that owns the solar or free

No I think it’s not for everyone Edited 24-Jan-25 03:52am

No, not worth the expense

We do not have a choice to have solar panels

We already have solar panels and have not paid a power bill for 2 years now.

I don’t think so for me. I live in a wooded area and don’t get that much sunlight.