What is stopping you from installing solar panels on your roof?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Many thousands of Australians have taken the lake and installed solar panels on their roof. In fact, Australia has one of the highest take up rates of solar panel installation in the whole world. Innovation in solar harvesting technology continues to soar with solar roof tiles on their way, and according to Renew Economy, "Rooftop solar is also showing a rebound in interest – thanks to rising electricity prices and the introduction of small battery storage systems". So, if you are yet to take the plunge, let us know what is holding you back.

Too pricey

I'm not convinced of the benefits

My roof doesn't get enough sun

I don't have my own roof (e.g. apartment block)

Other (please tell us in the comments)

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marty's cleaning

6 years ago

I would be happy enough with a Tesla, let alone a Tesla roof!

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Comments (11)

Neryl Hollingsworth
6 years ago
I would love to use solar-panel roof tiles. I have looked into the new Tesla ones which I would get with a battery (as the feed-in tarrifs are not so great anymore). You are able to order Tesla's roof tiles for Australia but they are not yet saying when they will be delivered. https://www.tesla.com/en_AU/solarroof#order
Luke Buckle
6 years ago
My roof is actually too old so it needs to be replaced first before I can put anything else on top of it!
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macyjean
6 years ago
Some years ago we thought about it. We used to go on the annual solar house tours and always asked about the homeowners' experiences. There seemed to be a lot of new businesses jumping on the bandwagon and quickly going out of business, and people getting the equipment installed but having long waits to have it inspected so they could begin using it. We decided to let the industry get better established before making the sizeable financial commitment.
oklouise
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
we had Solar Hot Water for about 35 years and Solar Electricity for about 15 years in our old house and plan to update to Solar in our new house when the new batteries are more readily available..In our area the savings are worthwhile but never recouped the original installation costs but we felt it was more about reducing green house gases for the whole community and reducing our running costs (combined with insulation and orientation ete) not just about recouping outlay that is never a consideration with any other form of heating
Prabjot Singh
6 years ago
https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2017/05/crunching-the-numbers-on-the-tesla-solar-roof/
is a good article. the solar tiles are only a small percentage of the whole tesla solar roof and the only cheaper than a conventional roof installation as advertised because they include future savings. there are other companies who have had solar tile for many years eg http://monier.com.au/Products/Solar , http://tractile.com.au which is a combined solar power and hot water generator.
L O
6 years ago
Wish battery systems were more affordable!
minebathroom
6 years ago
Aesthethics - solar panels are ugly - the tiles might be a solution for a new build, but we have a period home

Lack of trust in the salesmen - wouldn’t buy a used car from most of them. Doesn’t appear to be any longevity in the businesses at the moment.

Feed-in tariffs very poor

Lack of “real” knowledge about their efficiency and expected life.

Waiting on efficient battery storage systems - but how will I know I can trust those salesmen?
effiegate
6 years ago
Our house is north facing, and with our roofline, solar panels would stand out like dogs whatsits. It wouldn't be pretty.
Barbara Dunstan
6 years ago
@ minebathroom and @ Luke Buckle, our electrician has informed us that we don't have to put solar panels on our house roof if we don't want to for aesthetics or if for example the roof was old as you mentioned Luke.

Panels can be placed on a shed or garage roof anywhere on your property if you are rural like us for example, as the power can be directed into the grid from anywhere the solar panels live and that doesn't have to be on the house roof.

We would love to go solar but agree with all your other points @minebathroom, too expensive and expected lifespan and feed in tarrifs are very ordinary but then there's also the back up service too, will the company still be around in one year let alone 10 years.

When our electrician got his solar, he got such a fantastic tarrif rate which was offered at the very start of the solar revolution, he was recieving a cheque or refund of something like $500 a quarter but the rates are so low now, there is certainly no chance of recouping some of the instalation costs, although I wouldn't be so fused about that if I thought I would get say 20+ years out of the system before it begun to possibly fail in some way.

Things do have to get allot more reliable if nothing else!!
Susan Vale
6 years ago
It's not just about the panels. We had dodgy inverters sold to us. Have had one replaced in warranty twice now and it's gone again. No one will sell me another brand unless I replace both inverters and that will cost a motza. There are a lot of Cowboys in the industry still.

What is stopping you from installing solar panels on your roof?

marty's cleaning

Comments (11)

Neryl Hollingsworth

Luke Buckle

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