Residential Solar FAQs

There are two types of rebates available, the federal Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs) program, and the Solar Victoria Rebate/loan program.

1. All installations under 100kW are eligible for STCs, regardless of whether you’ve previously accessed an STC rebate or not.
2. The Solar Victoria Rebate and Loan program has eligibility requirements (see below).

1. The STC rebate is not means-tested and is accessible by everyone. The solar PV system or product you purchase in order to receive STCs must adhere to the Clean Energy Council (CEC) design and install guidelines, only use panels and inverters on the CEC approved list, comply with the relevant standards (like AS 4777), and be installed by a CEC accredited installer. Green Sky Australia only uses CEC accredited installers, and we ensure we only use quality, CEC approved panels, inverters and batteries.
2. You are eligible to receive a rebate for installing a solar PV system if you meet the following criteria:
3. 1. You are the owner-occupier of an existing property or the owner of a home under construction where the system is to be installed;
   2. The combined household taxable income of all owners is less than $210,000 per year (based on the previous year’s Notice of Assessment);
   3. The property is valued at under $3 million, or a home under construction that will be valued at under $3 million at the time of completion;
   4. The property address has not previously received a solar panel (PV) rebate under the Solar Homes Program;
   5. The property has not had a solar panel (PV) system installed in the last ten years.

More details can be found on the Solar Victoria Website

1. As part of our service, we take care of the paperwork relating to the STCs. All you will need to do is assign over the STCs to us, which we will explain upon completion of the installation.
2. With Solar Victoria, we will create a quote for you. Once you accept our quote, we will upload it into the Solar Victoria portal, and send you an email with the steps for you to follow. You can read more about the application process here.

How long is a piece of string? Every household is unique with both their electricity usage as well as their roof design. We always look at your historic usage to ensure that you get the right sized system for YOUR needs, not just give you a standard 6.6kW system.

There are generally three different pricing levels, which depends on the brand you chose, as well as the system type. Also, the larger the system you install, the more expensive it will cost. A home solar system can be as little as $3,000 or as much as $15,000.

Similar to the previous question, that depends! Some customers want to fill their roof with panels, others want to minimise the look of their panels. We will work with you to provide a design and layout that you are happy with.

Most systems that are smaller than 20 panels can be installed within a day. For trickier roof layouts, or larger systems, the installation will likely take 1.5-2 days.

How long is a piece of string? Like the question about system size, the amount of actual saving is dependant on their time of usage. The more electricity you use during the day, the more you will be able to save. We typically expect homeowners to be saving 50%-80% off their electricity bills.

Most Solar manufacturers give a 25-year product warranty, and then a 30 year linear performance warranty. This means that there is expected minimum degradation of the performance of the panels over the 25-year period that the manufacturer will guarantee.

Absolutely! Solar power reduces CO2 emissions by providing a clean and renewable source of energy. The panels that are installed on your home collect energy from the sun and convert it into usable electricity. This process does not rely on fossil fuels or other products and none of the energy is wasted because it can be stored on the grid for future use.

Moreover, solar energy reduces water pollution because PV panels do not need water to operate as other manufacturing processes do. Sunlight is converted into electricity without the need for local water supplies and solar energy doesn’t pollute our waterways like fossil fuels do.

By switching to solar powered energy, you can drastically reduce your household’s carbon footprint, which is the total greenhouse gas emissions caused by your home. Additional ways to support this lifestyle include driving less, eating more local and organic food, planting a garden, line drying clothes, and unplugging your devices at night.

It does. North facing panels are going to be exposed to the sunlight for most of the day. If you don’t have a Northern oriented roof line, that’s ok. Panels installed facing West or East will also generate plenty of electricity. You can read more about different orientations here.

Research indicates that the more solar panels there are on the roof, the higher the value of the home – with an estimated increase of almost $6,000 dollars per kilowatt of solar energy. If you were looking for a new house, and saw that it had Solar PV Panels on the roof, wouldn’t you pay more knowing you will not need to pay an electricity bill?

Solar feed in tariffs are a rate paid for electricity fed back into the electricity grid from a designated renewable electricity generation source such as a rooftop solar panel system. In Victoria, the current rate paid depends on your retailer, but the base rate from 1 July 2024 is 3.3c/kWh.

There are four types of warranties: Solar Panels, Inverter, Mounting Kit, and Installer. They will differ by manufacturer, but broadly speaking you get the following warranties:

1. Solar Panels: 25-year product warranty, and then a 30 year linear performance warranty.
2. Inverters: 10 years
3. Mounting Kits: 10 years
4. Installer: 10 years

Depending on the system initially chosen, there may be capacity to increase the size of the system. The main factor is the brand and initial size of your inverter. If needed, we can always upgrade your inverter with the new panels.

The only way to store electricity is by having a battery installed alongside your solar PV system. If you are considering installing a battery, we recommend you do it at the same time as you install the solar PV system to take advantage of the Solar Victoria Battery Loan Program.

Most home and business insurance companies will cover the solar power electric system as part of your home insurance. We recommend that you call your insurance company prior to having the system installed to notify them and have it added to the insurance

Solar panels rely on energy from the sun. Cloudy days will reduce the available energy for panels to convert, so expect to have a lower output on these days.

If you have an old house, with an old switchboard/meter, then it is quite possible one or both will need to be upgraded before a solar PV system can be installed. This is why we ask for a photo of your switchboard and meter before we proceed, so that we can let you know what is needed up front, rather than surprise you with extra costs after you have signed up.

A grid-connected solar power system won’t work during a blackout because the inverter will automatically disconnect from the power supply to avoid electrocution. It means you won’t be able to access electricity or send power to the grid. However, if you have installed a DC-coupled battery with your PV system, you will be able to keep using electricity (on your main circuits) during a blackout.

Solar power is a series of solar PV panels that are directly connected to your switchboard to help power your house. Solar hot water is a series of different solar panels that are used exclusively to heat your water tank only.

We recommend that your give your system a service and clean every 2-3 years. Regular maintenance of your solar panel system will ensure:

• solar panels are clean, secure and free of defects.
• no parts have deteriorated/corroded.
• vents are free of debris.
• switches do not have any defects.
• wiring has not been damaged/has not deteriorated.
• electrical checks to ensure all components are operating as intended.
• confirming fittings and cables are securely attached.
• reviewing the inverter display panel for recorded faults.
• checking that access to the isolator switches has not been impeded, and/or
• making sure the emergency procedures for shutdown and isolation are clearly displayed.