How To Shop For Solar

Be Careful Of

When considering a solar power system for your property, you need to be mindful and sometimes careful of the following issues.

You should always confirm the following with your solar retailer:

Your Property Construction

• Do you have enough roof space to accommodate the required solar panels?
• Is your roof at the right angle/pitch for maximum exposure to the sun?
• Do you have any shaded areas on your roof?
• Is your roof north facing?

Solar Equipment And Supplier Quality

• Is the installer accredited and certified?
• Are the Warranties supported by a local office?
• Is the solar system made up of high quality international solar equipment brands?
• Does the solar panel and inverter manufacturer have an Australian office?
• What is the kWh output of the recommended solar system? Price and kW system size are very poor indicators of the value you will get from your system.

Beware Of Sales Hype

The solar industry is currently a government subsidised and booming global industry, which means it can attract many fly-by-nighters who are out to make a quick dollar. You should be aware and cautious of the sales hype and false statements that are being made in the solar industry, just to close a sale. Some solar retailers are simply call centre based operations that don’t have a local office or any on the ground consultants. This normally means they will supply you with limited information and will not complete a proper home assessment before quotation.

Here are some statements that you may come across, and you should be cautious of when you hear them. They are simply not true!

• All Warranties are the same.
• All solar power systems are the same.
• A 1.5kW system will cover your power bill.
• Upgraded inverters mean more power.