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Monday, October 29, 2012

{TWENTY NINE}

Two more days to go and I will have posted every single day of Blogtoberfest.  I actually found it really easy this year.  Is it because I have more to say or is it just because I am procrastinating again :).

Two years ago we installed solar panels and today I got the last 12 months of bills out to see how worth it they are.  We had 16 panels installed in November 2010 and I loved watching the meter run backwards for a few months.  Then they put in a new meter and that is when the trouble started.  Every bill we had for about 9 months was wrong.  I drew the line in October last year and decided to just accept the stupid mess and move on.  So my first even remotely accurate bill was the October 2011 one.

I used the bills from October 2011 - September 2012 so just short of 12 months.  

Total Generated: 1809.475kwh
Total Used (Peak and off Peak): 4218.988kwh

When we installed we became eligible for the Premium Feed In Tariff (no longer available to new applicants)  of 66c per kwh this has now gone down to 8c per kwh in line with the wholesale electricity rate (you can see more about it HERE)  So in $ figures:

Total Generated: $1149
Total Used: $980
 Credit: $213

If they keep generating at this rates they will have paid for themselves in savings in 4 1/2 years from now.

However, would we do it now.  The answer is no.  With the new feed in Tariff in Victoria being so low the $ figures for last year would be:

Total Generated: $144
Total Used: $980

As you can see this would mean that we would still have had to pay $836.  At that rate it would take 55 years to pay for themselves.  In my opinion it is just not worth it.

Please note these calculations were done for our personal use only.

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