solar panels - where do we start?

[StellaBloom]

We are really keen to get solar panels on our roof.

We also dont know where to start.

Has anyone done this? What was a cost thereabouts? What power source did you use it for (e.g. hot water or power??)

Thanks!

[battlecrumpet]

We don't have them but there's some good info on the Local Power website. There are also a lot of great links on that webpage, particularly right down the bottom of the webpage.

(Local Power is a solar panel buying group based in Brisbane).

I did the sums a couple of months ago and worked out that at our place , solar panels would take about 11-12 years to pay for themselves (government rebates were accounted for in these sums). I guess we'd use a slightly less than average amount of electricity here.

In addition to the existing schemes, I think the Labor Party has pledged to introduce a low-interest loans schemes for things like solar panels, if they get into power. That could help with the upfront costs of solar panels I guess

[Rinelle]

We're having solar hot water included in our house when it's built. I believe the cost otherwise is around $5-6,000. I'd love to have full solar, but I calculated somewhere that it would cost about $20,000 or so to cover our power usage (this was before the rebate though), so not really viable right now. Hopefully once we get into our new house and do some new calculations it might be possible down the road though.

[Amanda.R]

I too have been trying to research solar hot water, not sure if we can afford it yet but there were a couple of companys on the net that had interest free payment plans for solar hot water systems, I cant remember which ones they were though I think they were the more well known companies that do gas and electric as well.

[Jakaluma]

Are there any rebates available?

(Here's a thought Pollies, put that in your election campaign)

[battlecrumpet]

$1000 rebates from the federal govt are available in some situations, they're means tested. More info here.