A 250kW solar system in The Hunter Region has been installed atop J & S Engineering at Racecourse Road, Rutherford. Click here for the online news article.

This investment is big step in the right direction for Hunter industry and is the largest rooftop solar system in The Region to date.

See below for the official media release:

19 August 2014

SOLAR AUSTRALIA INSTALLS HUNTER REGION’S LARGEST ROOFTOP SYSTEMS

The recent installation of the Hunter Region’s largest rooftop solar systems at J&S Engineering at Rutherford will dramatically reduce the company’s dependence on the electricity grid by harnessing the power of the sun and delivering cost savings well into the future.

The system, consisting of 1000, 250-watt panels, was designed and installed by Hunter solar specialists Solar Australia and is spread across three buildings, covering a total area of 3000 square metres.

J&S has provided products and services for the mining and heavy earth-moving industry for more than 20 years. The decision to invest in the system was a way for the family-owned company to cut its overheads in the face of the current uncertainty surrounding electricity costs and in the short-term, take advantage of Federal energy reduction rebates before the possible winding back of subsidies.

General Manager Ben Hickson said the system made sense as a long-term investment for a number of reasons.

“The environmental aspect was really important to us, as was the fact that it was a cost-neutral investment that gives the business significant long-term savings.

“We churn through a fair bit of power so to be able to get it all from the sun is fantastic. We only expect to have to switch back to the grid during the night shift and rainy weather.”

Solar Australia General Manager Todd Watson said J&S now expected an annual saving of up to $65k, which in theory, could power approximately 50 average households for a year. The system will also significantly reduce carbon emissions.

In addition to the installation of the solar panel system, J&S’s aging factory lighting was replaced with modern, energy-efficient lighting to reduce consumption and improve light output and quality. This has also reduced maintenance costs, thanks to long lamp life minimising the need for replacement of lamps – a job requiring elevated work platforms and trained working-at-heights fitters.

Mr Watson said installing a solar system was one of the best long-term investments companies like J&S could make, providing savings for decades to come.

“In general, the overall market is down, and companies are looking to improve their bottom line and limit capital expenditure,” he said. “More often than not, the monthly repayments on a solar system are less than the savings companies make.”

Solar Australia assesses every installation on a case-by-case basis. In-house engineers analyse the data and site information to design the most efficient and cost-effective solution, with a strong focus on efficiency and cost effectiveness. The company also offers remote monitoring via the internet through state-of-the-art inverters.

“We offer a turnkey solution,” Mr Watson said. “We employ our own installation team and take control of projects from the auditing stage right through to commissioning. In this case, it was an end-to-end turnaround of less than six months.”

About Solar Australia

Solar Australia had its beginnings in Newcastle in 2006, and is dedicated solely to the installation of solar systems. In that time, it has completed almost 15,000 solar installations commercially and residentially. It now operates Australia-wide.

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Charlestown Bowling Club’s 100kW Commercial Solar PV system has been featured on the front page of the Business section in Today’s Newcastle Herald. Click here for the online Newcastle Herald article or to view the front page of The Herald’s Business printed section, click here.

This milestone is a boon for the iconic Charlestown Bowling Club and Solar Australia alike, as it signals to Australian businesses and industry stakeholders that commercial solar PV is a viable option to hedge your business against rising energy costs.

See below for the official Media Release:

SOLAR AUSTRALIA AND CHARLESTOWN BOWLING CLUB TURN THE SUN INTO SAVINGS

When Charlestown Bowling Club flicks the switch on its premium new commercial solar panel system this week, it will be well on its way to saving around $30,000 of its annual electricity costs.

Local Newcastle company Solar Australia has installed the 384 panel, net-metered, grid-connected system as part of the first stage in the club’s energy efficiency program, which will be completed shortly with the installation of energy-efficient lighting throughout the club.

Solar Australia’s Todd Watson said switching to commercial solar made perfect sense for Charlestown Bowling Club which has around 8000 members, a diverse range of facilities and hosts many member-based and community activities.

“Not only is the club faced with substantial ongoing electricity costs, it is an organisation that is very community-minded and concerned about its environmental footprint,” Mr Watson said.

“The installation of this 100 kilowatt panel solar system means the club can not only reduce its environmental impact, but also save significantly on electricity costs.”

It is estimated Charlestown Bowling Club is looking at a payback period of around five to six years, with a $30,000 saving – or 20% – per annum on electricity premiums. Mr Watson said it was becoming more common for organisations and corporates to pursue commercial solar as a way of managing energy costs into the future.

“Financially, it makes no sense to be paying ongoing electricity costs – there is no return; whereas the switch to  solar means you are investing in an asset you not only own, but that will continue to save you money, with a return on investment of around 20%,” he said.

“Given the uncertainty around energy commodity prices at the moment, solar gives organisations a bit more control over their costs.”

Solar Australia started in Newcastle in 2007 and in that time has completed almost 15,000 solar installations commercially and residentially. It now operates Australia-wide and has a strong vision including energy-efficient lighting and power factor correction.

Mr Watson said the cost of solar installation has come down in the past three years, thanks to the refinement of the manufacturing process, investment into research and development and competition in the manufacturing and distribution markets.

“With a 10-year warranty on installation and a 25-year performance guarantee on the panels, choosing solar energy really is a smart decision for people who are concerned about rising costs and the environment,” he said.

“When we design a solar system there are two parts to it. We look at how an organisation or a household can reduce what it uses in the first place; and then we work out how they can produce as much of what they will use themselves.”

“It has been a fantastic experience working with Charlestown Bowling Club because everyone involved has been on the same page as Solar Australia from the beginning of the project, which had an end-to-end turnaround – from design to commissioning – of less than six months.

“This is a big week for the club, and we are really proud to have worked with them on their journey. We look forward to working with them in the next few months on the switch to energy-efficient lighting.”

Solar Australia’s official media release can be downloaded here.

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Solar Australia partnered with Solar Hot Water Specialists and Apricus Australia to deliver a much needed solar hot water solution to the New Lambton Site.

Project Testimonial:

For Ronald McDonald House Newcastle, finding a cost effective solution to our hot water needs was essential. We were fortunate to be given Community Building Partnership funding from the NSW Government, and Solar Australia worked with us to ensure that we had the best system to achieve our needs and within the budget. Continuous hot water is a necessity and our old system wasn’t coping with the demand created by up to 18 families daily. Our objective was to ensure that with maximum capacity of families under our roof, we are able to comfortably meet our hot water requirements no matter what time of the day it was. The Apricus solution that was installed ensures maximum heat is absorbed during the day and our large tank capacity can remain heated, delivering hot water when required, day and night.

We are grateful to the NSW Government Community Building Partnership funding and Solar Australia as our new solar hot water system allows us to significantly reduce our energy consumption and costs. Being a charity, this is money that can now be spent in other areas of the charity to help deliver better quality care for the families who we assist each day.
We would personally like to thank the Newcastle team who worked in with our restrictive timetable for access and noise and carried out such a professional install under these imposed conditions. A great job and great outcome for the whole community.
– Marisa Wilson, Relationship Coordinator, Ronald McDonald House Northern NSW, New Lambton Heights

See the image gallery for this project here.

If you need a solar hot water solution for your home or business, please Contact Us for an obligation-free assessment.

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Solar Australia has just signed a business partner agreement with the Service Stations Association of NSW, a division of the Motor Traders Association of NSW.

We both look forward to strong business partnership, offering SSA members sound advice, installations and ongoing support.

To find out how Solar Australia can help you save, please Contact Us.

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The local business success story, Solar Newcastle, is changing its name to Solar Australia in order to provide consistency across its organisation. Starting in Newcastle, and opening up other local branches in Port Macquarie, Sandgate and Albury under the name Solar Australia, the time has come for us to proudly re-brand our Solar Newcastle name to Solar Australia.

We wish to advise our loyal customers that there will be no change to the services delivered by Solar Newcastle, as the name change is superficial. From Solar Australia (Newcastle branch), you can still expect the whole service delivered by Solar Newcastle: advice, design, supply, install and after sales support, and warranties on installations prior to the name change will be unaffected.

As has our motto always been, we are “Well established and here to stay” and we look forward to a bright, exciting 2013 year!

Solar Australia: New Name, Same People, Same Great Local Service.

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule your obligation-free Site Inspection, please Contact Us.

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For consumers, this means that the current government subsidy will be reduced by 50% for systems installed after 31st December 2012.

Call us today to secure your installation and be one of the last people to enjoy the benefits of the Solar Credits scheme.

The post Solar Incentives program closes early appeared first on Solar Australia.

Over 4600 schools have been awarded a grant, totalling more than $190 million in funding. Over 90 per cent of these projects include solar power systems.

Of these, more than 2,600 projects have been installed across the nation. These schools are already generating their own electricity from renewable sources and improving their energy efficiency by reducing energy consumption.

All PV systems installed on Schools by SOLAR NEWCASTLE include a comprehensive Network Communications Package. This will allow the schools to use the data uploaded to Web Graphs Portal to be used in the education of the pupils. It will also allow the system administrators to monitor the systems energy creation and performance from a desktop location anywhere throughout the DET Network without having to go out to the inverter location.

The National Solar Schools Program (NSSP) has opened for applications. The 2012–13 application round will close on 4 May 2012. This is the last opportunity for schools to apply.

Please CLICK HERE to register you interest

Let Solar Newcastle offer you the best Value

Call us for a free site Inspection on 1300 608 834

4.0kw for $15,000

10.0KW for 33,000

15.0KW for 50,000

Subject to site Inspection

All Quotes will include System communication to DET Network for easy access to WEBGRAPHS Portal for monitoring and reporting as per the National Solar Schools Program Requirements.

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Government incentives still exist and you still have plenty of viable options for solar power.

What do these changes mean for new customers?

Customers who are looking to invest in solar for the first time are encouraged to call Solar Australia because despite the closure of the Scheme, there are still Net metering options available.

Change to the Federal Government upfront discount

It was also announced last week that the upfront discount provided by the Federal Government through the RECs will now have a multiplier of 3 rather than 4 from July 1, 2011. This means your upfront discount will be slightly reduced. We encourage you to get a free quote and be pleasantly surprised by our prices!

Solar is still available and viable!

Solar power with Nett metering is a great way to beat your power bill and we look forward to showing you how to get started! For further details click here to visit the Government’s FAQ.

Pricing – Solar Credits

READ ON TO FIND OUT HOW RECS can work for you.

If the system is installed between 9 June 2009 and 30 June 2011, the home owner will receive five times as many RECs as under the deeming arrangements for the existing Renewable Energy Target Scheme.

The multiplier reduces to three for systems installed from 1 July 2011 and continues to reduce each year until it has phased out to the standard multiple of 1 from 1 July 2013.

Under the existing Renewable Energy Target Scheme. System owners can receive RECs for the lifetime generation of the system either upfront or over longer time periods of one, five or (in the case of solar PV systems) fifteen years (“the so-called ‘deeming period”).

To assist with administrative efficiency and for maximum upfront assistance, the additional Solar Credits will only apply in the first time period that certificates are created for a system.

This means that home owners can receive the full lifetime benefit of the solar system upfont at point of sale, helping with the upfront costs of installing the system.

RECs Defined

A renewable energy certificate (REC) is a commodity in the REC market. RECs are created by eligible parties and sold to liable parties via the REC Registry to meet their liability under the Renewable Energy Target (RET). More information about Australia’s RET and the RECs market is available at the Office of Renewable Energy Regulator.

The level of subsidy will depend on a number of factors, including the price of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), the deeming period chosen by the applicant, the location of the solar PV system and the size of the system.

A solar PV system in Sydney, Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane or Canberra will receive a higher rate of RECs than a system installed in Melbourne or Hobart that will receive fewer RECs as these areas have less sunshine so less renewable energy is produced.

RECs Example

The RECs multiplier of x3 is limited to systems up to 1.5kW & for every level above 1.5kW you will receive a multiplier of x1. This does not include GST.

For example a 2.1kW system receives 43 RECs calculated as follows:

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