August 2021 - Bila Energy

Why choose a CEC accredited Solar Installer?

August 27, 2021 admin

If you have decided to install solar power in your home or business, you are already one step ahead in saving the environment from greenhouse gas emissions and saving money on your energy bills.

The steps you take when choosing a solar installer can determine your solar panel quality and performance. So, making sure you have in-depth knowledge while choosing a solar retailer- in particular, a Clean Energy Council (CEC) Accredited solar installer can save you from headaches and thousands of dollars.

What Is a Clean Energy Council Accredited Solar Installer?

To begin with, you may wonder what it means to choose a CEC accredited solar installer. Are they worth it? How do they benefit you? And you may have many other questions arising. Before getting into those details, let’s see what a CEC accredited solar installer is.

CEC installers provide the highest grade services and leadership in the clean energy sector. In simple words, it sets the standards and guidelines for solar retailers to offer a quality service to their customers.

A solar retailer becomes a CEC accredited solar installer when they agree to sign the strict requirements and standards (Code of Conduct) set by CEC. Once they have signed, they also undergo a series of evaluation processes conducted by the CEC. It includes checking their customer policies, finances, and many such requirements.

If a solar retailer company happens to pass these criteria, they become a CEC accredited solar installer. In addition, depending upon the size of the company, it also demands an annual fee.

As you can see, a CEC accredited solar installer must fulfil thorough requirements to ensure a reliable service for you. So, what are the benefits?

You get the assurance of quality service and performance guarantee you are about to receive.
They give a standard minimum warranty of five years for your solar system.
They’ll make you understand the entire process, including solar installation and network connection.
You don’t have to worry about unethical and misleading practices.

What Difference Do They Make?

Not just one or two, but they make a big difference between an accredited and just any other solar retailer. A CEC accredited solar power installer can cater to:

1. Pre-Sale Phase

Assures that the sales representative will adhere to the company’s ethics and will not provide any misleading sales or advertising tactics.
Issues a clear and straightforward explanation in writing to make you understand everything about your purchase before signing the contract.

2. Post-Sale Phase

Strictly acknowledges all your legal rights, including your right to cancel a contract in case of any changes made that weren’t in writing.
Warranty on operation and performance, including workmanship and products.
Offers a full back up during the warranty period.
Provides you with complete information on installation and network connection or does it themselves on your behalf.

3. Documentation and General Business

Provides all the required documentation.
Takes full accountability for the actions of subcontracted parties.
Adheres to all legal laws and regulations.
Maintains a transparent approach to complaints and ensures a quick response within 21 days from the day you raised your complaint.

So, now you know why you should choose a CEC accredited solar installer. Bila Energy takes immense pride in being a CEC accredited solar installer because we believe in offering you the best value in everything we do. Therefore, you know who to contact if you are looking for solar energy installation in Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Taree and Nambucca Heads areas of NSW.

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Frequent Asked Questions (FAQs) About Solar Power

August 27, 2021 admin

What solar system size do I need?

This entirely depends upon your electricity usage, roof size and geographical location. But, in general, for an average household, a 4-5 kW system is sufficient to cover most of the energy consumption. However, it also depends on your meter size, whether it’s a single-phase or three-phase.

What are the warranties?

Most solar panels come with a warranty of 10 years with a performance guarantee of 25 years. Likewise, most solar inverters and batteries come with a warranty of 5-10 years. You also have a minimum workmanship warranty that is provided by your solar installer.

What are STCs?

STCs are small scale certificates that are tradable. You can sell them for around $40 each in an open STCs market. So, for residential solar systems, almost every solar installer will give you a rebate reduction on the purchase cost. To be precise, they will calculate the STC discount and will reflect that discount on your purchase quote.

What happens if there is a power outage?

Your solar system will shut down if there is a power outage. This is a safety precaution because a grid-connected solar power system sends solar power to the grid, and it becomes dangerous for linesmen working on any repairs or maintenance. Hence, it turns off and will automatically turn on when the power comes back during daylight hours.

What happens on cloudy days?

On a cloudy or rainy day, your solar system works. However, they may produce considerably less amount of electricity as low as 10% or 20%. So, in a grid-connected system, your grid connection compensates for it.

What is a grid-connected solar power system?

A grid-connected solar system is connected to the utility grid. It supplies electricity directly through the solar inverters to both your household and to the electricity grid.

Do I need a solar battery?

It depends upon your electricity usage pattern. If you consume more electricity in the evenings and nights, you definitely want a solar battery installed in your solar energy system. However, it may also require you to increase your existing solar power size. In such cases, your solar power installer may assess and provide the right solution.

What is a feed-in tariff?

In a grid-connected solar power system, your solar inverters send the excess energy (the available energy that is not needed for your household) to the main electric grid. So, you get paid for this extra electricity that your inverters send to the mains grid. This is called a feed-in tariff.

What is a solar meter?

When you install a solar panel system, your solar installer will upgrade your old meter to a bi-directional or a polyphase meter to accurately measure the amount of energy used by your household and the amount sent to the grid.

How much does a solar system cost?

The prices of solar energy systems vary according to their size and location. In NSW, a standard solar power system may cost anywhere between $3000 and $7,700, depending upon the size.

Will solar panels work at night?

No, solar panel systems do not work at night. They work only during the sunlight hours, so you may consider buying a solar battery to utilise solar power at night.

Does roof and roof orientation matter?

Although solar panels offer easy installation in almost any roof type and roof orientation, north-facing panels will produce the maximum output.

For more queries and information, contact our friendly team at Bila Energy. We provide superior solar installation services around Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Taree and Nambucca Heads areas of NSW.

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How Solar Panels Impact Your Home & Home’s Value

August 20, 2021 admin

Installing solar panels is a great way to reduce your electricity bills and is safe for the environment, but do they improve your home’s value? When your home is your biggest asset, maintaining it is essential. Renovations, maintenance and all your fittings and fixtures certainly improve the value of your home, but nothing can ease off or pay back your maintenance cost. Can solar power help you with that?

‘Solar Power Adds Value to Your Home’- a Myth or Reality?

When it comes to cutting down the cost of electricity bills, solar installation is such a great opportunity and will reap rewards in this area. Also, thanks to modern technology – the sleek design of solar panels does not spoil the look of your home. As of now, most Australians are now familiar with solar water heating, and people continue to show strong interest in installing a solar heating system. As per the statistics, more than 29% of homes in Australia have rooftop solar panels. While this can be a strong indicator of why people like to have solar panels, how does it improve your home’s value?

Solar Becomes Your Biggest Selling Point

The value of solar energy installed homes are increasing rapidly. Long gone are those days when people would look for just the aesthetic features and comfort while buying a home. People are now more eco-conscious. So along with the aesthetic feature, comfort and sophistication, people also look for solar power.

Solar power is obviously self-sufficient, safe for the environment and is economical in the long run. Due to its reliability and added benefits, many people who look for homes are more likely to invest in solar-powered homes. Moreover, solar panels also modernise your home. Solar panels can make the biggest selling point of your home, even making it sell much faster. Whether you are trying to sell your home or just add value to it, solar panels are worth it.

Minimum Maintenance

Nowadays, solar panels are more efficient than they were a couple of years back. You don’t need costly maintenance schedules frequently. The improved technology makes them work efficiently and have a good life span of over 25 years. Even though periodical cleaning is advisable, the charges are negligible compared to the financial benefits they offer.

So, now that you know solar panels add true value to your home, you should also be aware of some of the myths surrounding solar panel installation.

Are Solar Panels Are Bad for Your Roof?

Well, that happens only with poor installation. It requires skill to install effectively without affecting the structural and mechanical properties of your roof. Therefore, you must pay extra attention while hiring a solar installer. An accredited solar installer will inspect your roof and ask you to fix your roof if needed – that’s the first step for an effective installation.

Are Solar Panels Are Toxic?

Solar panels are made up of silicon crystalline PV cells. The cells are encased in polymer material with an outer covering of glass and aluminium frame. It only contains a trace of lead in the solder, but the latest technologies have even replaced them. Solar panels are harmless and are just like any other electrical and electronic device. Most importantly, solar panels are recyclable.

Contact our expert solar installers at Bila Energy based in Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, New Castle, Nambucca Heads and Taree areas of New South Wales.

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How Solar Panels Power Your Home

August 20, 2021 admin

Solar panels power your home by converting light energy into DC electricity. But the question is, do they really power your home? Are they beneficial? Yes, when you have the right system, the right solar power system can power your home efficiently and effectively.

How Do They Work? What Happens at Night?

As a matter of fact, solar power systems do not make electricity at night. Solar panels need sunlight to generate electricity. Therefore, solar energy is generated only during the daytime, and the maximum production is at the peak sunlight hours. So, the highest solar energy generation is usually between 11 am to 4 pm.

Seemingly this also varies with weather and during the winter months. Whatever solar energy your solar system harvests is used to power your home, while the excess is fed into the grid and stored in your solar battery (if you have one). So, at night, you’ll be using either the electricity that’s stored in your solar battery or the grid electricity (purchased from your energy provider). It can also be a combination of both.

Financial Benefits

In terms of financial benefits, even if you don’t have a solar battery installed, the right solar power system can cover the cost of the electricity purchased during the night. As mentioned earlier, it is through the excess electricity that is fed back into the grid. It is the feed-in tariffs that make up for the charges that you spend during the night. Depending upon the size of your solar system and the pattern of your electricity consumption, you can significantly reduce the power bills with or without a solar battery.

Average Power Usage

In general, an average Australian family consumes electricity anywhere from around 19kWh to 50kWh per day. Therefore, it may cost anywhere around $2,500 to $5,500 per year. It hugely depends upon:

Size of the family
The type/size of the property
Lifestyle
The energy efficiency of the appliances used.

Moreover, it also depends upon the climatic conditions, and the output varies in the summer and winter months. It’s important to consider all these factors if you are about to install a solar system in your home. Most importantly, check with your solar installer to assess and install the best solar system that powers your home according to your lifestyle.

It is always better if you have some idea about your electrical needs. You have to know the electricity consumption of your home. You can find that in the electricity usage and service calculation section of your electricity bill. Look for the average daily usage in kWh to find out how much electricity you consume daily on average.

Accordingly, you can install a solar panel system that will benefit you. If you are unsatisfied with your current solar system or want to check if it’s the right fit for you, hire an accredited solar installer to have your concerns resolved.

How To Improve Their Efficiency?

If you are looking to improve the efficiency of your current solar system, you can do it by installing or upgrading the solar battery system. Installing a solar battery allows you to store energy for backup during the night and at peak hours, helping you reduce the electricity bill. Moreover, solar batteries offer you the benefit of stacking – meaning you can add additional batteries until you achieve your ideal storage requirement. It also benefits you in case of a power outage.

If you are still unsure about getting the right solar system that suits your needs, reach out to our highly professional, experienced and accredited solar installers at Bila Energy located around Port Macquarie, Newcastle, Nambucca Heads, Taree and Coffs Harbour areas of New South Wales.