A 250kW solar system in The Hunter Region has been installed atop J & S Engineering at Racecourse Road, Rutherford. Click here for the online news article.

This investment is big step in the right direction for Hunter industry and is the largest rooftop solar system in The Region to date.

See below for the official media release:

19 August 2014

SOLAR AUSTRALIA INSTALLS HUNTER REGION’S LARGEST ROOFTOP SYSTEMS

The recent installation of the Hunter Region’s largest rooftop solar systems at J&S Engineering at Rutherford will dramatically reduce the company’s dependence on the electricity grid by harnessing the power of the sun and delivering cost savings well into the future.

The system, consisting of 1000, 250-watt panels, was designed and installed by Hunter solar specialists Solar Australia and is spread across three buildings, covering a total area of 3000 square metres.

J&S has provided products and services for the mining and heavy earth-moving industry for more than 20 years. The decision to invest in the system was a way for the family-owned company to cut its overheads in the face of the current uncertainty surrounding electricity costs and in the short-term, take advantage of Federal energy reduction rebates before the possible winding back of subsidies.

General Manager Ben Hickson said the system made sense as a long-term investment for a number of reasons.

“The environmental aspect was really important to us, as was the fact that it was a cost-neutral investment that gives the business significant long-term savings.

“We churn through a fair bit of power so to be able to get it all from the sun is fantastic. We only expect to have to switch back to the grid during the night shift and rainy weather.”

Solar Australia General Manager Todd Watson said J&S now expected an annual saving of up to $65k, which in theory, could power approximately 50 average households for a year. The system will also significantly reduce carbon emissions.

In addition to the installation of the solar panel system, J&S’s aging factory lighting was replaced with modern, energy-efficient lighting to reduce consumption and improve light output and quality. This has also reduced maintenance costs, thanks to long lamp life minimising the need for replacement of lamps – a job requiring elevated work platforms and trained working-at-heights fitters.

Mr Watson said installing a solar system was one of the best long-term investments companies like J&S could make, providing savings for decades to come.

“In general, the overall market is down, and companies are looking to improve their bottom line and limit capital expenditure,” he said. “More often than not, the monthly repayments on a solar system are less than the savings companies make.”

Solar Australia assesses every installation on a case-by-case basis. In-house engineers analyse the data and site information to design the most efficient and cost-effective solution, with a strong focus on efficiency and cost effectiveness. The company also offers remote monitoring via the internet through state-of-the-art inverters.

“We offer a turnkey solution,” Mr Watson said. “We employ our own installation team and take control of projects from the auditing stage right through to commissioning. In this case, it was an end-to-end turnaround of less than six months.”

About Solar Australia

Solar Australia had its beginnings in Newcastle in 2006, and is dedicated solely to the installation of solar systems. In that time, it has completed almost 15,000 solar installations commercially and residentially. It now operates Australia-wide.

The post Commercial Solar – J & S Engineering 250kW appeared first on Solar Australia.

Charlestown Bowling Club’s 100kW Commercial Solar PV system has been featured on the front page of the Business section in Today’s Newcastle Herald. Click here for the online Newcastle Herald article or to view the front page of The Herald’s Business printed section, click here.

This milestone is a boon for the iconic Charlestown Bowling Club and Solar Australia alike, as it signals to Australian businesses and industry stakeholders that commercial solar PV is a viable option to hedge your business against rising energy costs.

See below for the official Media Release:

SOLAR AUSTRALIA AND CHARLESTOWN BOWLING CLUB TURN THE SUN INTO SAVINGS

When Charlestown Bowling Club flicks the switch on its premium new commercial solar panel system this week, it will be well on its way to saving around $30,000 of its annual electricity costs.

Local Newcastle company Solar Australia has installed the 384 panel, net-metered, grid-connected system as part of the first stage in the club’s energy efficiency program, which will be completed shortly with the installation of energy-efficient lighting throughout the club.

Solar Australia’s Todd Watson said switching to commercial solar made perfect sense for Charlestown Bowling Club which has around 8000 members, a diverse range of facilities and hosts many member-based and community activities.

“Not only is the club faced with substantial ongoing electricity costs, it is an organisation that is very community-minded and concerned about its environmental footprint,” Mr Watson said.

“The installation of this 100 kilowatt panel solar system means the club can not only reduce its environmental impact, but also save significantly on electricity costs.”

It is estimated Charlestown Bowling Club is looking at a payback period of around five to six years, with a $30,000 saving – or 20% – per annum on electricity premiums. Mr Watson said it was becoming more common for organisations and corporates to pursue commercial solar as a way of managing energy costs into the future.

“Financially, it makes no sense to be paying ongoing electricity costs – there is no return; whereas the switch to  solar means you are investing in an asset you not only own, but that will continue to save you money, with a return on investment of around 20%,” he said.

“Given the uncertainty around energy commodity prices at the moment, solar gives organisations a bit more control over their costs.”

Solar Australia started in Newcastle in 2007 and in that time has completed almost 15,000 solar installations commercially and residentially. It now operates Australia-wide and has a strong vision including energy-efficient lighting and power factor correction.

Mr Watson said the cost of solar installation has come down in the past three years, thanks to the refinement of the manufacturing process, investment into research and development and competition in the manufacturing and distribution markets.

“With a 10-year warranty on installation and a 25-year performance guarantee on the panels, choosing solar energy really is a smart decision for people who are concerned about rising costs and the environment,” he said.

“When we design a solar system there are two parts to it. We look at how an organisation or a household can reduce what it uses in the first place; and then we work out how they can produce as much of what they will use themselves.”

“It has been a fantastic experience working with Charlestown Bowling Club because everyone involved has been on the same page as Solar Australia from the beginning of the project, which had an end-to-end turnaround – from design to commissioning – of less than six months.

“This is a big week for the club, and we are really proud to have worked with them on their journey. We look forward to working with them in the next few months on the switch to energy-efficient lighting.”

Solar Australia’s official media release can be downloaded here.

The post Commercial Solar – Charlestown Bowling Club 100kW appeared first on Solar Australia.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. The ‘2 Free Panels’ discount offer is available at the time of written quotation and will be provided as an up-front discount off the installation price of a Solar Australia Solar Power (PV) system.

2. The discount is equivalent to adding 2 additional 250W-260W (or subtracting 2 panels to achieve the lesser price), in increments of 0.5-0.52kW as per Solar Australia’s gazetted PV Price List. Additional charges (such as inverter upgrade fees) may apply in order to provide an electrically-viable, turnkey PV solution.

3. The minimum PV system size eligible to receive the discount is a 12-panel PV system. This means that the customer may receive the ‘2 Free Panels’ discount on the 12 panel system, meaning that they only pay for a 10-panel system. Alternatively, the customer may pay for a 10-panel system but receive a 12-panel when installed. This offer is not valid for systems less than 2.5kW.

4. The ‘2 Free Panels’ discount offer cannot be used in combination with any other Solar Australia promotion.

5. The value of the  ‘2 Free Panels’ discount cannot be transferred towards non-PV or other product types offered by Solar Australia.

6. The Solar Australia April 2014 ‘2 Free Panels’ discount offer commences at 9:00am AEDST on Tuesday 1st April 2014, and will run until 5:00pm AEDST on Friday 2nd May 2014.

7. To be eligible for the ‘2 free panels’ discount, the customer must accept the written quotation in writing, within the validity period of the quotation and before Friday 2nd May 2014.

8. This promotion applies only to customers who receive a solar PV Site Inspection by an authorised Solar Australia representative.

9. This promotion applies only to solar PV installations within Solar Australia’s service area, where the site is located within 100km of Sandgate NSW 2304, Port Macquarie NSW 2444 or Lavington NSW 2641.

The post April 2014, 2 Free Panels Terms and Conditions appeared first on Solar Australia.

Recently, Hunter Ice Skating Stadium (HISS) in Warners Bay was approached by Solar Australia (as it is a relatively large consumer of electricity) to see what measures could be put in place to reduce their carbon footprint and lower their electricity bills every month. The management of HISS were eager to take the necessary steps toward energy reduction and were extremely helpful throughout the whole process.

From the outset, Solar Australia monitored their site by obtaining interval data and compiling information to put recommendations to management. This process took approximately two weeks. As Hunter Ice Skating Stadium had already contracted someone to upgrade their lighting to LED this was not considered in their plans though the reduced electricity in the future from such an upgrade was taken into account with Solar Australia’s designs.

The site experienced significant energy loads during the day at different times to keep the ice at the right temperature. This was evident when analysing the data provided. Measures and instructions as to how to best structure their power usage was conveyed to management and the results will tell the story.

The outcome was the installation of a 100kW solar system which was expertly designed, engineered and installed by Solar Australia. Two of the board members who were heavily involved with the project were exceedingly impressed with the outcome of the investigations and the installation. Monitoring equipment was installed and set up for the owners so that they could observe the output of their solar system and keep a close eye on their investment.

Garry Doré, General Manager of Hunter Ice Skating Stadium writes: “I can say that we regard Solar Australia as a very professional and efficient business to work with. From the onset of the program to completion there was no stone left unturned, and all agreements were comfortably met throughout the whole build. The installation team was extremely professional and caused no interruption to our business at any time. The job is immaculate. We are very pleased with Solar Australia and the products they provided. We are certainly looking forward to the benefits of producing solar energy and thank Solar Australia for placing us in that position”

This is not the first 100kW solar system Solar Australia has installed but it is one of its finest. Solar Australia’s installers took great pride in the outcome of the job stating that is was one of the most satisfying jobs they had done, being local too made it all the more satisfying.

The post Hunter Ice Skating Stadium Case Study appeared first on Solar Australia.

Solar Australia partnered with Solar Hot Water Specialists and Apricus Australia to deliver a much needed solar hot water solution to the New Lambton Site.

Project Testimonial:

For Ronald McDonald House Newcastle, finding a cost effective solution to our hot water needs was essential. We were fortunate to be given Community Building Partnership funding from the NSW Government, and Solar Australia worked with us to ensure that we had the best system to achieve our needs and within the budget. Continuous hot water is a necessity and our old system wasn’t coping with the demand created by up to 18 families daily. Our objective was to ensure that with maximum capacity of families under our roof, we are able to comfortably meet our hot water requirements no matter what time of the day it was. The Apricus solution that was installed ensures maximum heat is absorbed during the day and our large tank capacity can remain heated, delivering hot water when required, day and night.

We are grateful to the NSW Government Community Building Partnership funding and Solar Australia as our new solar hot water system allows us to significantly reduce our energy consumption and costs. Being a charity, this is money that can now be spent in other areas of the charity to help deliver better quality care for the families who we assist each day.
We would personally like to thank the Newcastle team who worked in with our restrictive timetable for access and noise and carried out such a professional install under these imposed conditions. A great job and great outcome for the whole community.
– Marisa Wilson, Relationship Coordinator, Ronald McDonald House Northern NSW, New Lambton Heights

See the image gallery for this project here.

If you need a solar hot water solution for your home or business, please Contact Us for an obligation-free assessment.

The post Ronald McDonald House New Lambton Heights Solar Hot Water Project appeared first on Solar Australia.

Solar Australia has just signed a business partner agreement with the Service Stations Association of NSW, a division of the Motor Traders Association of NSW.

We both look forward to strong business partnership, offering SSA members sound advice, installations and ongoing support.

To find out how Solar Australia can help you save, please Contact Us.

The post Solar Australia partners with the Service Station Association of NSW appeared first on Solar Australia.

The local business success story, Solar Newcastle, is changing its name to Solar Australia in order to provide consistency across its organisation. Starting in Newcastle, and opening up other local branches in Port Macquarie, Sandgate and Albury under the name Solar Australia, the time has come for us to proudly re-brand our Solar Newcastle name to Solar Australia.

We wish to advise our loyal customers that there will be no change to the services delivered by Solar Newcastle, as the name change is superficial. From Solar Australia (Newcastle branch), you can still expect the whole service delivered by Solar Newcastle: advice, design, supply, install and after sales support, and warranties on installations prior to the name change will be unaffected.

As has our motto always been, we are “Well established and here to stay” and we look forward to a bright, exciting 2013 year!

Solar Australia: New Name, Same People, Same Great Local Service.

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule your obligation-free Site Inspection, please Contact Us.

The post Solar Newcastle to become Solar Australia appeared first on Solar Australia.

For consumers, this means that the current government subsidy will be reduced by 50% for systems installed after 31st December 2012.

Call us today to secure your installation and be one of the last people to enjoy the benefits of the Solar Credits scheme.

The post Solar Incentives program closes early appeared first on Solar Australia.

Click here to refer your friend.

Conditions apply.

The post Referral Offer appeared first on Solar Australia.

Hunter United can help you GO SOLAR without costing the earth

Product 1 – 24 Month Interest Free Green Saver Credit Card

• 24 months interest free on your Solar purchase
• Ongoing credit card facility
• Unsecured
• Limit up to $25,000
• $99 annual card fee
• No early payout fees
• Terms and conditions apply

Product 2 – Green Saver Loan

• Variable interest rate 6.99% p.a. (Comparison 7.31%p.a*)
• Up to 7 year term
• Unsecured
• Amounts from $2,000 to $20,000
• No monthly fees
• $150 application fee
• No early payout fees
• Terms and conditions apply

Save on energy bills! Save the planet!

*The comparison rate is calculated on a unsecured loan of $20,000 for a term of 5 years. This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate.

Credit provider is Hunter United Employees’ Credit Union Ltd ABN 68 087 650 182. AFSL/Australian Credit Licence No: 238316. Finance is subject to Hunter United’s normal credit approval process.

Full terms and conditions will be included with our loan offer. Fees and charges apply. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account.

You should consider the relevant Terms and Conditions or Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before making a decision about these products. A PDS is available at www.hunterunited.com.au or by calling (02) 4941 3888.

The post Hunter United Finance Options appeared first on Solar Australia.