Are there still government rebates on offer?

Each Solar grid connect system is allocated a number of Small-scale TechnologyCertificates (STCs) when it is installed. The STCs are similar to shares with a market value which canbe traded. CSA Solar asks that you assign these STCs to them on completion of the installation in exchange for a point of sale discount.  Alternatively, customers who wish to trade the STCs themselves are welcome to do so.

Please explain the Queensland Solar Bonus Scheme and 'Net Feed-In Tariff'?

Queensland homes and small businesses with roof-mounted solar power systems that sign up for the Queensland Government’s Solar Bonus Scheme get paid a minimum of 44c for every kilowatt hour (kWh) of surplus electricity they generate and feed into the grid. That’s more than double the current general domestic use tariff of 21.35c/kWh (inc GST as at 1 July 2010). Please check with your electricity retailer as some retailers offer up to 52c/kWh for any surplus electricity sent back to the grid.

On top of this, the home or business needs less electricity from the grid, as the solar panels are helping to provide power to the home or business when the sun is shining.  The Solar Bonus Scheme is designed to make solar power more affordable for Queenslanders, stimulate the solar power industry and encourage energy efficiency.

How does the scheme work?

The solar bonus is paid for electricity fed into the grid at times when the solar system generates more electricity than the household or business is using. When the meter reader visits a customer's home or business at the end of the quarter, the total amount of surplus electricity exported to the grid and the total amount imported from the grid are read and passed onto the customer’s electricity retailer to calculate the bill.

The customer's quarterly solar bonus payment for the electricity exported to the grid is deducted from the total electricity consumption charge on their bill.

How does a solar photovoltaic (PV) system work?

The direct current (DC) electricity generated by the solar panels passes through a device called an inverter.  This is then converted to alternating current 240 Volts (AC), which is what is used through the type of electricity that you normally access through the outlets in your home or business facility. This AC electricity is either fed into your home for you to use, or is fed back into the electricity grid if you are generating more than you are consuming. You receive credits (feed-in tariffs) for that excess electricity which are offset against the cost of power that you take from the grid when needed.

For more information on any of the CSA Solar product range, call CSA Solar on 07 3142 0293 (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday - Queensland Time) or send us an enquiry using the contact us tab above.