Encouraging Solar Feedback

Just thought I would share this email with you that I received from a reader a couple of weeks back in reply to the post The Rise of Shonky Solar.  The post was quite harsh and I got some of my facts wrong especially regarding East or Westerly facing roofs.  I will check my facts more thoroughly next time, I promise.

The email is from Ruthy in Western Australia, who gave me permission to reproduce it here, and it has given me the encouragement to keep writing about all Solar PV. 

Hi Gavin,

Just to share a positive story about photo voltaic power.  We live in Perth WA.  We had a 1.5 kW system installed last year.  We have only recently seen returns from it as the amount paid for putting back into the grid has only just gone up to a reasonable amount (I think it’s now 47 cents per kWh were as previously it was 7cents!)  Our system couldn’t face North because the roof wouldn’t allow it and it faces East instead.  At the end of the day the roof is partly shaded by a large tree branch and this just cuts the power down to nothing so we are looking at this for future (e.g. trim tree).  There are only 2 of us and we very frugal by nature so our bills are low ( about $70 a bill).  I read your blog entry the other week and only just learnt that it is better financially to use power at night.  So I now vacuum only once a week and during the evening and same with washing machine.  We have just had a bill and we are really pleased as we have made enough power to pay the bill as well as generate a $50 credit.  We are hoping in the long run to not have to pay money at all for our electric as the credits in spring? summer will hopefully cover the winter/autumn when there is less sun.  However the money paid for returning power to the grid only lasts for 10 years so we will have to plan something (don’t know what!) for the longer term.  In WA there is still a grant for solar power.  It’s about $5,000.

Many Thanks

Ruthy 

PS love the blog!  Thanx for all the info you share : )

Well done Ruthy.  Better in your pocket than the electricity retailers. 

It is fantastic feedback to me that I have made a difference to help lower their electricity bills via my tip about usage times when participating in a feed-in tariff scheme.  I makes my heart glow like the Sun!