Getting Solar In Your Home
On Sunday 18th November 2007 we held an information session on Getting Solar Energy In Your Home.
The Information Session aimed to link community members wanting to use solar energy to representatives offering grid connected photovoltaic systems at lower cost achieved by bulk purchasing.
We made clear at the outset that we are a community group dedicated to increasing solar power usage in the Bellingen Shire. We do not endorse any particular company (see our mission).
We started with Martin Hogan presenting a practical outline of what’s involved in using solar energy in your home for those wanting assistance in building their practical knowledge (see reference at bottom of page). Three organisations, Beyond Building Energy, Origin Energy and Bellingen Solar, followed with presentations of special offers based on customers purchasing in groups.
*The Origin Energy offer has now expired but the Bellingen Solar and Beyond Building Energy offers still stand.
Summary of Group Buy Offers
| Beyond Building | Origin Energy | Bellingen Solar | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System Size | 1kW | Offer expired | 1kW | |
| Price | incl Installation | $895 from midnight 15 Feb | $3300 | |
| Size of Group | 50 | 5 | ||
| Expires | End of Rebate | End of rebate | ||
| Larger Systems | Available | Yes | Yes | |
| Battery backup | Available | No | Yes | |
| Stand alone systems | Available | No | Yes | |
| Panels | Brand | BBE | BP | |
| Made In | China | Australia | ||
| Warranty | 25 years | 25 years | ||
| Inverter | Brand | BBE or Sunnyboy | SMA, Sunnyboy | |
| Made in | China or Germany (respectively) | Germany | ||
| Warranty | 3 years (see BBE website for how to extend) | 10 years | ||
| Australian Standards | To comply with AS5033 | To comply with AS5033 | ||
| Installer | Use accredited installers | Steven Doyle (fully accredited No.F1430) | ||
| Website | Beyond Building Energy | Bellingen Solar | ||
We encourage you to inform yourself so that you can evaluate what you read or hear about solar systems on offer. A very useful and readable source of information is the Australian Greenhouse Office booklet about solar energy: Electricity from the sun: Solar PV systems . The aim of this guide is to provide some background information to assist purchasers in making an informed choice about solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. A solar electric system is different to a solar water heater. This guide deals only with solar electricity. Solar water heaters use heat from the sun and/or surrounding air to heat water; they do not produce electricity.