FAQs
What are the benefits of installing Solar?
Save money on your power bill (or eliminate it!)
You can save up to $3000 a year on your home energy bill by installing a 6kW system (average saving for Sydney, Central Coast to Newcastle region based on AGL offer of up to 21c/kWh) That’s close to $60k saving over 20 year lifetime of your installation.Save the environment
Did you know a 8 kW solar/6 kW inverter system has the environmentally equivalent impact of the sucking in of carbon dioxide from 170 trees per year, over the 25-30 year lifetime of the system.
Add value to your property
When you install a solar installation, you are adding the system value to the value of your property, increasing your property value.Stay cool/warm all day long
Installing solar allows you to increase your day time energy usage whilst still reducing your bill. A low energy use household could start using their air conditioner more often in the summer and winter once they have installed solar and still have a lower bill than before.
Want to know more? Click here to read our latest blog post shared by our Design Engineer here
How does a Coast Wide Energy solar installation work?
The solar modules we install are typically monocrystalline high efficiency solar modules around 20% efficient, these modules will usually convert 20% of the sunlight energy radiating upon them into useful DC electricity.
The solar modules are connected in ‘strings’ to an inverter which converts the DC power to AC power which can be used by your house at 240V.
The power you produce, if you don’t have batteries, will either be used instantly by your appliances and pool pumps or else it will be sold back to the grid for other people to use. This happens through what is called a net meter where your meter reads the incoming and outgoing power in time intervals for billing purposes.
“Did you know that across the world in 15mins we receive enough renewable solar energy to power the entire world for a year?”
How do I make money from my solar production? And approx. how much can I expect back?
It’s relatively easy to make money from your installation. If you’re producing more power than you are using from your solar panels, as is typically the case with Coast Wide Energy household solar installations without batteries, you will be able to sell your excess solar power at a rate between $0.06 to $0.21 depending on your area and electricity retailer’s solar feed in tariff.
If your solar power is used on site, this energy is valued at the usage rate for which you would otherwise pay the electricity retailer for energy, typically $0.25 to $0.30 per kWh.
Typically, the return on investment ranges from $20k to $40k for the average residential solar system installed by Coast Wide Energy on the Central Coast.
However, an exceptional system (no shading, high household energy usage, high energy prices and with a large north facing roof) can expect to save up to $60k over the system lifetime of 20 years.
If we install solar system, will we still have to pay a power bill?
Typically, our customers receive an 80-100% discount on their yearly bill, with some customers even receiving a secondary income of $800 per year on top of a 100% bill discount.
What size solar system is best for my household?
We generally recommend a 5kW system for the average household, but networks typically allow up to:
10 kW single phase residential
30kW three phase residential
For commercial systems, we can install 30kW-100kW+, depending on network permissions and roof space. Contact us here to discuss your household/commercial usage, location and requirements and we’ll put together a customised free solar package quote.
Is my roof suitable for solar panels?
We can install on tin, tile or cement roofs! No job is too big or small. Contact us here for a free consultation and virtual roof inspection.
Will my solar system work during a blackout?
Yes, depends on the system. With some Coast Wide Energy hybrid inverter and battery combined systems, the level 3 functionality is included. This functionality allows the system and your home power to operate even during a blackout.
Be sure to mention this functionality as a priority for your household during your free quote call with our team here
Tell me more about Coast Wide Energy
Coast Wide Energy stands out as the leading Central Coast solar installer and energy solution specialist.
We provide an extremely competitive install price
Our team of CEC accredited design engineers and installers are always providing premium service and solutions and are available for support or information 24/7
Always use quality brands with guaranteed warranties
Exceptional customer service & efficient install practices
As an example, for a recent Coast Wide Energy project we were able to install 5kW system for under $5000, whilst providing excellent maintenance and customer support services. As well as guaranteeing inverter performance for 5 - 20 years module output for 25 years and providing in-house customer support 5 days a week.
Click here to find out more about us and say hello!
“Expert tip: It’s a good idea to shop around for an electricity retailer who will pay you a solid feed in tariff as this can make a difference in income of over $10k over the lifetime of your system.”
Is it worth me getting solar on my roof if I have trees or tall buildings around my property?
Yes! Urban and suburban homes can have a customised solar package installed by Coast Wide Energy and have a solid financial return within 2 – 5 years of install, depending on roof orientation, shade and system type.
Your solar system will always produce differing levels of power depending on the number of hours of sunlight. Typically, a house with a couple hours shade throughout the day can have a simple string inverter and solar package installed and still generate enough power to earn a solid return on the investment.
For houses with serious shading, energy solutions do exist in terms of mico-inverters and optimisers. These allow the panels to still produce power in partial shade conditions.
Contact our team here to book in a call to discuss the best solar solution for your home.
Do I need to get batteries for my solar install?
Batteries are suitable for households that have the following:
Very high peak electricity rate, i.e above 45c/kWh and a low feed in tariff solar rate, i.e below 10c/kWh
High peak time energy usage ( i.e 5pm-9pm) as this is when power costs the most
Some batteries, such as SunGrow SBP4K8 batteries, are currently priced as low as about $4500-$5000 fully installed, with a capacity of 4.8kWh. These have the ability to save a household up to $8k over a ten year period. (depending on household electricity rates, usage patterns and solar feed in tariff).
How much does maintenance cost for our solar installation?
As part of the solar installation the Coast Wide Energy team will run you through how to monitor the inverter output and keep an eye on any potential fault alarms. This will ensure the system is running smoothly.
Maintenance can be done on a 5 year basis or if necessary, whenever a fault occurs. A Coast Wide Energy maintenance visit (approx. $300-$500) will typically cover cable integrity, module cleaning, thorough component and inverter inspection and roof condition inspection.
Want to get a quote for a Coast Wide Energy Maintenance visit? Click here to get a free quote.
What are the finance options for the solar installations?
Coast Wide Energy provides financing solutions in collaboration with Solaris finance and Australian Solar Finance. We can enable an instant savings of almost $0 upfront spent by the customer. Typically repayments can be made during a 4- 6 year period.
Repayments and the bill combined are usually lower than the household power bill before installing solar!
What incentives are available for installing solar?
STC or Small Technology Certificates are issued with every commercial and residential installation under 100kW and LGCs are issued for installations above 100kW. The STCs supplied by the government cover about 40-50% of the system price, offering an immediate saving to the customer.
These incentives are costed into your quote from the very start to ensure you’re able to get the best quality solar installation system for your household at a fraction of the cost.
Our power bill is quite low, is there a benefit of installing solar?
Coast Wide Energy solutions are always custom designed by our CEC Design Engineers to provide exceptional value. We are able to create and install systems on virtually any household or businesses including low power users, i.e 1 person household, to high power users, i.e large families and energy intensive businesses. Harnessing the sun through your custom designed Coast Wide Energy solution means you could start earning money back from the excess energy you’re generating as well as do your part for the environment, because every little bit counts!
What is the expected lifetime of a solar installation?
The modules we typically use are guaranteed for 25 years and the inverters warranty period is between 5 - 20 years depending on the customer’s preference.
Generally, a 25 – 30 year lifetime is expected with only 1 inverter replacement after 12-15 years (approx. $800-$1500)
How much energy will my solar installation produce?
Your Coast Wide Energy solar installation will typically perform at varying power outputs over the day, as the sun’s intensity changes. This power multiplied by the time over which the power is produced gives you your energy production number.
Generally, there are both gains and losses involved in a solar system however the standard 5kW system on the Central Coast can expect to output around 30kWh per day, on average, in useful energy throughout the year.
Any tips for evaluating solar quotes and choosing an installer?
Great question! Yes we do right here. Our in-house CEC Design Engineer shares 7 simple tips for understanding and evaluating your solar proposal so you can make the best decision for your home or business.
Can we arrange a site inspection before any agreement is signed?
Yes, a site visit on the Central Coast can be done on request to confirm your requirements and the final costs. Reach out to our team to book in your complimentary inspection.
What monitoring system/software comes with the inverter?
All Coast Wide Energy projects include a smart meter and training that empowers our customers to keep track of solar energy being generated and consumed by their household/business.
