In March 2018, Ted Stuckey installed a new 5.4kW solar system for $8232. 18 x 300watt Trina panels facing 34 deg east (optimum is 0d - north) on a 22 deg slope (ideal is 37d), along with a Fronius Primo 5.1 KW Inverter comprise the ‘system’. The inverter can be read online and produces a record of production, consumption and energy to and from the grid.
A 400lt HWS, oven & cook top, dishwasher, washing machine, a split system AirCon, 2 x fridges and a freezer, are the main energy guzzlers, with a wood burner heater for primary heating.
In the year to Mar, 2020 the system produced 7145 kWh with 5378 kWh exported and 1808 kWh consumed directly. 2838 kWh was imported from the grid for a total consumption of 4310 kWh.
Daily output varied from 41 kWh to 5 kWh (foggy day in Feb20) with an average of 19.5 kWh/day. The system exported 14.6 kWh/day, supplying up to 62% (Dec19) and down to 27% (Jun,Jul, Aug19) of daily needs. This was an average of 4.9 kWh per day.
‘We aim to cook, wash clothes, run the dishwasher, iron, etc, while the sun is shining’ said Ted, ‘We produce enough energy to run the AirCon on a sunny day. Our ‘old clunker’ HWS is on off-peak rates but will be replaced with a heat pump system timed to use the surplus daytime solar.’ Ted added that a battery addition is likely down the track
‘The solar system is an investment. The past 12 months generated a return of 14.5% (much better than bank interest) and at this rate, will pay itself off in less than 7 years’