Steps to Installing Home Solar

The cost of installing solar panels has recently reduced, while electricity costs have increased. For many homes in Ngaio, investing in solar can be a smart financial investment. It may pay for itself in 4 years and provide free power for the following 20 years.

Several members of the Ngaio Climate crew have installed solar systems and are happy to share how they did it, what it cost, and what they save. Call Ross on 021 404089, email solar@ngaioclimatecrew.org.nz or call in at our next event. Our page, Solar Examples in Ngaio has reviews of some  solar systems installed in Ngaio or Crofton Downs.

For a guide on how to assess your home and get multiple independent quotes, check the How To Solar section below.

 

How To Solar

1. Self Home Assessment
  • If you have a north-facing roof, someone is at home during the day and you own your own home, Solar is almost certain to be a strong financial investment. Get quotes.
  • If someone is at home during the day, the roof gets reasonable sun for much of the day and you own the house, solar will likely be a good investment. Get quotes.
  • If no one is home on most days, solar with batteries and a hot water diverter will still have a financial benefit.
  • If in doubt – talk to us at Ngaio Climate Crew – email solar@ngaioclimatecrew.org.nz

My Solar Quotes is an independent company that will arrange 3 quotes from reputable suppliers. They also have more details on different types of solar systems. All the quotes received via My Solar Quotes will be from SEANZ members (Sustainable Energy Association of New Zealand).

There are numerous Solar installers serving Ngaio, but we recommend ensuring they are SEANZ members.

It is likely that the quotes will be based on satellite images of your home and will be subject to a site inspection before finalisation.

Ngaio Climate Crew (NCC) can assist with this.

The quotes will estimate your average power generation for each month of the year. These tend to be accurate, but NCC can assist by comparing them against NIWA’s records of sunshine hours and solar Photovoltaic panel performance in Wellington.

The quotes will suggest savings that can be achieved on your power bills (most installers will ask for copies of your bills before quoting). NCC can assist you in calculating what savings you are likely to make.

There will likely be several different types of systems offered. Particularly with or without batteries. Batteries enable the system to run during power cuts (Systems without batteries won’t work in a power cut, even if the sun is shining). Batteries take a bit longer to pay for themselves. Still, with Time of Use metering about to become a major part of the NZ electricity supply regime, the payback time is shortening.

Ensure price completeness. Does the roof need maintenance before the job starts? Is a meter or switchboard upgrade required? Suppliers are generally good at advising of these things during the quote process.

With all the major banks offering loans at 0-1 % and usually with no establishment fees, It makes economic sense to take a loan.

There may be a 4-8 week delay before installation can start. The supplier should take care of all permits and approvals.

Typically, the installation will take 1-2 days. Certification may take a further week. Meter upgrades to sell surplus power back may take a little longer again.

This is a critical step. Buyback prices range from 8c to 17c. Time of Use plans can further cut your power costs, sometimes further halving them.

Your inverter will come with an Internet-connected phone app to monitor usage and power generation. Check that it is delivering the power promised, that you are using the power when you expected and that the retail electricity plan is the right one for you.

Making a few tweaks at this stage is common. But after that, sit back and enjoy the savings.