Solar PV Systems

Rooftop solar

 1000 Solar Roofs in 1000 Days – can we do it?

Imagine being the first town in Australia to have 10% of its rooftops go solar!
On Sunday 5 December, 2010 it will be 1000 days since Alice Springs became a Solar City. Alice Solar City is issuing a challenge to the Alice Springs community to have 1000 roofs go solar in 1000 days. If the town can achieve this, just over 10% of all Alice Springs home or business premises will be running on solar – a first in Australia, for a town of our size! You can go solar for as little as $2000. 
Already there have been 270 rooftop solar systems installed since Alice Solar City was launched, so we are well on the way. With the recently announced Bulk Purchase scheme for rooftop solar making solar system prices as low as $2,000, there has never been a better time to go solar.
We would like to congratulate Stephen Brady from Araluen for being the first householder to install a rooftop solar system under the Bulk Purchase scheme. 
Brian Elmer, GM of Alice Solar City and Rede Odgen from Odgen Power with Stephen Brady, the first householder to install a solar system under the new Solar Bulk Purchase Scheme
C’mon Alice Springs! Let’s go for 1000!
A full summary of these packages and all Terms and Conditions can be found here . You do not need to be registered with Alice Solar City to take advantage of these offers – just call our bulk purchase partners Conergy or eco-Kinetics today to arrange an inspection or quote.

What is solar PV?

A solar photovoltaic (PV) power system is a technology that converts light into electrical energy.

In a typical system, a set of photovoltaic modules, or 'solar panels', are installed on the roof of your home, and the energy generated by these panels is passed through an inverter which creates electricity to match that coming in from Power and Water Corporation.

A PV system can meet some or all of a household's power, depending on the size of the system and the household's needs.

In remote areas PV power systems rely on batteries to store energy so it can be used later; in urban settings like Alice Springs systems don't use batteries and are instead connected to the electricity grid. Under the Alice Solar City project, households become, in effect, mini power stations selling all of the electricity generated to Power and Water Corporation at an elevated rate.

PV systems should not be confused with solar hot water systems, which are sometimes also referred to as 'solar panels'. In a solar hot water system, panels on your roof use the sun's energy to heat a fluid which then heats your hot water.

Why install a solar PV system?

There are many reasons to have a PV system installed.

  • You will be generating clean, renewable energy.
  • You will save on your power costs as the PV system will meet some - or all - of your power needs.
  • The electricity generated by your PV system can be sold to Power and Water Corporation (subject to entering into the necessary standard Agreements with PWC).  Under current arrangements, all the electricity generated is sold to PWC at 19.23 cents/kWh (this is equivalent to the standard tariff rate for consumption). 
  • Because solar power is generated during the day when the community's power demands are typically at their highest your investment will help delay the need for expensive upgrades to our energy infrastructure.
  • The value of your home may be increased as demand for sustainability features in homes increases.

 What type of systems are available through Alice Solar City and how much are the incentives?

Alice Solar City’s funding for residential PV systems has been fully allocated; however, other Australia wide funding programs are still available and with the continued reduction in the price of solar panels and increase competition, householders can access very competitive solar power systems, starting from around $2,000. Householders interested in installing a rooftop PV system may wish to participate in the Alice Solar City facilitated bulk purchase program.

For details on PV system incentives available to Alice Springs businesses, click here.

The following information is for households who have participated in the Alice Solar City PV incentive program:

As of 1 July 2010, the elevated buy-back tariff is 51.28 cents / kWh.

The elevated buy-back is capped at $5 per day.

Can I supply all of my electricity needs from a solar PV system?

The answer to this question will depend on how much electricity you use and what size solar PV system you install.

As a rough rule of thumb, a 1kW solar power system, on roof with the optimal orientation, pitch and minimal shading, could produce around 1,600kWh/year.

The average Alice Springs household uses about 8,500 kWh/year. When installing a solar PV system, it is vital to also look for opportunities to improve your energy efficiency. Using solar water heating and ensuring that your home's air-conditioning needs are low are key ways to reduce your energy load, and are typically more cost effective than buying a larger solar power system.

The home energy survey provided by Alice Solar City will help identify large and small measures you can take to reduce your energy consumption and make the most of your PV installation.