Solar Readiness for Strata - Section 5 - Solar Installers
You may want to watch a video on the Top 30 Solar Installers for Strata Buildings.
Look for a Reputable Solar Installer
There are thousands of solar installers in the Australian solar industry. This industry is highly competitive and if excessive warranty claims catch up with some of these installers, the easiest thing for them to do is to shut down their business and move on. As a result, many consumers are left with unfulfilled warranty claims.
A useful tip for consumers is to check the length of time the solar installer has been operating to determine if the company will be successful through the ups and downs of the solar industry. Typically, companies that have been in operation for less than 5 years haven't yet dealt with the influx of warranty claims. If a business can maintain a strong foothold through this period, it's a good indication that they will be around for more years to come. A solar company that has operated for more than 10 years will be considered a mature company.
The consumer should also check that the manufacturer of the solar panel and solar inverter have an Australian office. This allows the customer to fulfil the warranty claim of system components even if the solar installer shuts down their business in the future.
Clean Energy Council Accreditation
The solar industry has an accreditation body to protect consumers and maintain standards, known as the Clean Energy Council (CEC). The accreditation involves the solar system design, installation, as well as the main components used in a solar system.
The CEC website has a list of approved solar installers in your suburb, as well as the list of approved solar panels and inverters.
Look for a Reputable Solar Installer
There are thousands of solar installers in the Australian solar industry. This industry is highly competitive and if excessive warranty claims catch up with some of these installers, the easiest thing for them to do is to shut down their business and move on. As a result, many consumers are left with unfulfilled warranty claims.
A useful tip for consumers is to check the length of time the solar installer has been operating to determine if the company will be successful through the ups and downs of the solar industry. Typically, companies that have been in operation for less than 5 years haven't yet dealt with the influx of warranty claims. If a business can maintain a strong foothold through this period, it's a good indication that they will be around for more years to come. A solar company that has operated for more than 10 years will be considered a mature company.
The consumer should also check that the manufacturer of the solar panel and solar inverter have an Australian office. This allows the customer to fulfil the warranty claim of system components even if the solar installer shuts down their business in the future.
Clean Energy Council Accreditation
The solar industry has an accreditation body to protect consumers and maintain standards, known as the Clean Energy Council (CEC). The accreditation involves the solar system design, installation, as well as the main components used in a solar system.
The CEC website has a list of approved solar installers in your suburb, as well as the list of approved solar panels and inverters.
If the components, the designer and the installer are not CEC accredited, you won't be eligible for the federal government solar rebates, technically known as the Small Scale Technology Certificates (STCs). A 1kW solar system can generate a solar rebate of around $550 under this scheme.
Free Solar Quotation Websites
The installation of solar is a 25-year investment and it is important to consider several quotes before selecting an installer. There are many webpages such as solarquotes, solarchoice which offer up to three no-obligation quotes from their network of solar installers. Keep in mind, if you select one of the solar installers provided by these sites, the solar installer will pay a commission for the referral. An alternative is to use a no-commision solar installer matching service.
Free Solar Quotation Websites
The installation of solar is a 25-year investment and it is important to consider several quotes before selecting an installer. There are many webpages such as solarquotes, solarchoice which offer up to three no-obligation quotes from their network of solar installers. Keep in mind, if you select one of the solar installers provided by these sites, the solar installer will pay a commission for the referral. An alternative is to use a no-commision solar installer matching service.
Type of Solar Installer
The installation of solar in a strata building typically ranges between 10kW to 100kW. You are likely to be dealing with companies which work in both the residential and commercial solar space. Commercial solar companies often have a sales representative, as well as an in-house team of qualified electricians for the installation. These companies can be more reliable in the post-installation period to fulfil the workmanship warranty.
In the residential solar sector, there are many sales and marketing companies who often subcontract the job to other electricians for installation. The quality for some of these installers are sometimes below industry standards and they are commonly referred to as "cowboys".
Many large energy retailers such as Origin and AGL also have a separate division which provides the service for solar installation.
Nevertheless, the percentage of solar systems installed on strata buildings is still relatively small due to the many challenges of working with a strata committee. You may want to watch this video with 50 case studies of solar on strata or read our blog post on the Top 30 Solar Installers for strata.
The costs for the same sized systems with the same components will vary between 6,500 solar installers across Australia. As there are still very few solar installation retrofits on residential strata buildings, there is no comprehensive datasource which is publicly available. Some Solar on Strata Data Analysis compiled by Wattblock is here. Note: Different solar installers will quote different solutions for the same residential strata building and this should be expected, particularly as there is a trend by solar installers to quote oversized solutions. This can create a challenge for strata committees to create an "apples for apples" comparison of two or three different solar quotations.
The installation of solar in a strata building typically ranges between 10kW to 100kW. You are likely to be dealing with companies which work in both the residential and commercial solar space. Commercial solar companies often have a sales representative, as well as an in-house team of qualified electricians for the installation. These companies can be more reliable in the post-installation period to fulfil the workmanship warranty.
In the residential solar sector, there are many sales and marketing companies who often subcontract the job to other electricians for installation. The quality for some of these installers are sometimes below industry standards and they are commonly referred to as "cowboys".
Many large energy retailers such as Origin and AGL also have a separate division which provides the service for solar installation.
Nevertheless, the percentage of solar systems installed on strata buildings is still relatively small due to the many challenges of working with a strata committee. You may want to watch this video with 50 case studies of solar on strata or read our blog post on the Top 30 Solar Installers for strata.
The costs for the same sized systems with the same components will vary between 6,500 solar installers across Australia. As there are still very few solar installation retrofits on residential strata buildings, there is no comprehensive datasource which is publicly available. Some Solar on Strata Data Analysis compiled by Wattblock is here. Note: Different solar installers will quote different solutions for the same residential strata building and this should be expected, particularly as there is a trend by solar installers to quote oversized solutions. This can create a challenge for strata committees to create an "apples for apples" comparison of two or three different solar quotations.
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Solar for Strata Webinar
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