Home Solar & Subsidized Feed In Tariff Qld

[UIZ733]

The 44 cent feed in tariff in Qld is based on the residence it was negotiated on, NOT the account holder. If the account name on the premises changes (for example renting) the tariff is lost, and the account reverts to the current rules.
The only way (it would appear to me) to retain the tariff if one rents out their home, would be to keep the electricity account in their name and negotiate the bill payment with the renter.
Is this a correct assumption? Are there any difficulties associated with an arrangement of this kind in rental agreements?
Comments, experiences and advice appreciated.

[listo]

I'm pretty sure that's the way it is mate, Ergon/Energex only have an account name, not a tenancy agreement. Same goes on stations, the owner holds the account & the manager out there uses the power.
All you should have to do is have an agreement with your tenant.

I'm off today, but I'll check up on it tomorrow & let you know for sure if no one else on here can confirm it by then

[Fizzie]

Hi UIZ

Yep, sadly you're right 

https://www.dews.qld.gov.au/energy-water-home/electricity/solar-bonus-scheme/frequently-asked-questions has got all the details, but simply, if you change the name on the a/c (sole exception being if you change to your spouse's name) then you lose the .44c FiT. As far as I can tell, even if you change it to your kid's name, they will lose the .44c. Even if you change it to someone else for a while, then change it back to your name, both the person in the middle & then you both lose the .44c & work on the current standard (.08c?).

However, if you don't change names at all, then the .44c is still supposed to last till 1/7/2028   

So, if you're renting the place out, leave the 'leccy in your name, you pay the bill & get the money back off the tenant - don't know if I'd go so far as to give the tenant any credit that may actually come in though! 

[McGirr]

Naturally if you sell the house the new owners do not get the benefit of the 44c. While in realestate people selling their homes that had spent a fair amount of money on panels would complain that buyers did not see the value that was spent.

I was always asked was it worth adding panels to a house when selling and the answer was no.

Mark

[plusnq]

Naturally if you sell the house the new owners do not get the benefit of the 44c. While in realestate people selling their homes that had spent a fair amount of money on panels would complain that buyers did not see the value that was spent.

I was always asked was it worth adding panels to a house when selling and the answer was no.

Mark

New battery systems will probably change that equation though.

[Bird]

I cant see anyone complaining with free electricity... Wish I had it.

[muzza01]

I put a 2.75 KW system on our house under the .44c scheme. Unfortunately I only put in a 3KW inverter. So I can put another 250W panel on the roof to increase my output to 3KW but if I change the inverter to a larger unit to add more panels I revert to the new scheme.

The agreement is on the size of inverter not the number of panels. I so much wish I had of had the foresight or knowledge at the time and I would of put in a 5KW inverter so I could continue to put more panels on the roof as I could afford to do it.

[UIZ733]

I put a 2.75 KW system on our house under the .44c scheme. Unfortunately I only put in a 3KW inverter. So I can put another 250W panel on the roof to increase my output to 3KW but if I change the inverter to a larger unit to add more panels I revert to the new scheme.

The agreement is on the size of inverter not the number of panels. I so much wish I had of had the foresight or knowledge at the time and I would of put in a 5KW inverter so I could continue to put more panels on the roof as I could afford to do it.

How would they know you had made a change?

[MattNQ]

The 44 cent feed in tariff in Qld is based on the residence it was negotiated on, NOT the account holder. If the account name on the premises changes (for example renting) the tariff is lost, and the account reverts to the current rules.
The only way (it would appear to me) to retain the tariff if one rents out their home, would be to keep the electricity account in their name and negotiate the bill payment with the renter.
Is this a correct assumption? Are there any difficulties associated with an arrangement of this kind in rental agreements?
Comments, experiences and advice appreciated.

If you have a rough idea of what your house costs per week to run, you could include it in the rent amount rather than having to chase them up each month/3 months to pay the bill.
Got some friends who rent out a house to uni students on a per room basis. 
They put solar on & kept electricity in their name. The rent agreement includes electricity.
Only issue they had was tenants going out & leaving the aircon on all day. You'd have to consider some motel key type arrangement or coin operated setup if that was an ongoing problem.

[rotare]

I put a 2.75 KW system on our house under the .44c scheme. Unfortunately I only put in a 3KW inverter. So I can put another 250W panel on the roof to increase my output to 3KW but if I change the inverter to a larger unit to add more panels I revert to the new scheme.

The agreement is on the size of inverter not the number of panels. I so much wish I had of had the foresight or knowledge at the time and I would of put in a 5KW inverter so I could continue to put more panels on the roof as I could afford to do it.

I reckon in SA it is based on your actual installed system size, not inverter size.  Looking at the paperwork lodged by the installers to the authority for my system, they asked specific details on the number of solar panels installed and the rated panel output, which then led to the obvious question about total maximum system sized installed. From what I understand most systems have a slightly bigger rated inverter, than the system is capable of producing - I guess that makes sense.


Also the wording in other documents I have about the government solar rebate scheme is that it only applies to the original installed system.  In other words, if you replace it with an equivalent (output wise) system down the track, then technically you can't receive the same level of rebate you did with the original system, if that makes sense. 

How would they know you had made a change?

 

I'm guessing if all of a sudden you're producing considerably more power than your system is supposedly capable, this would trigger a physical inspection of your system to determine whether there has been some tampering or changes.

Reminds me of the story about the clever electrician who realised that he received more in rebates per watt generated, than he would if he paid for the electricity off the grid through his provider.  So he fed mains power into his inverter and the sat back and waited for the big rebate cheque to arrive in the mail at the end of the month.  Sounds like a great idea but he didn't take into account he was feeding power back into the grid 24 hours a day..... I guess he had to explain how his solar panels managed to make power all through the night 

[MrCruza]

How would they know? Welcome to the world of smart meters. AFAIK when the system is installed it is registered on the network so they can see how much you're feeding back to them. If the system details changed they would know.

[Jeepers Creepers]

How would they know? Welcome to the world of smart meters. AFAIK when the system is installed it is registered on the network so they can see how much you're feeding back to them. If the system details changed they would know.

Correct, we've got a 2kw system with a 3 kw inverter, but even adding panels now, is deemed a change and there goes the 44cent deal.

Any upgrade or change, its all over red rover.

[Trrrumping Beast]

Correct, we've got a 2kw system with a 3 kw inverter, but even adding panels now, is deemed a change and there goes the 44cent deal.

Any upgrade or change, its all over red rover.

This is interesting because my father has done exactly this - added extra panels to an existing system. Kept the same inverter though. No issue as yet. Still making $, only more of it....i must mention this to him. If he has anything to add i will post back here. I think he is with origin energy.
Nigel

[Fizzie]

Correct, we've got a 2kw system with a 3 kw inverter, but even adding panels now, is deemed a change and there goes the 44cent deal.

Any upgrade or change, its all over red rover.

Jeepers, are you sure about that?

From the link I posted earlier:

I am on the 44 cent tariff and have a 5 kilowatt inverter with panels of a lesser capacity. Can I add additional panels to my system?

Yes. You can add more panels to your system without affecting your eligibility to continue to receive the 44 cent rate. Systems are required to be compliant with the relevant Australian Standards. Please notify your electricity distributor of your intention to add panels to your system.

Who are you with? Does the Bay come under Ergon or are you still SEQ?

[Sheepy]

I have just moved after been transferred and rent a house with solar the account stayed in the owners name and it is written into the lease on how much I get off the bill.

[grafy82]

You can put more panels on your roof as long as you don't change the inverter size you signed up for. If the power company questions why you are making more, you just tell them you changed all your lights to L.E.D, bought a more efficient fridge, stopped using so much air-conditioning, etc. Lots of ways around it. Ergon never looked on my roof when they hooked me up.

[Bill]

Correct, we've got a 2kw system with a 3 kw inverter, but even adding panels now, is deemed a change and there goes the 44cent deal.

Any upgrade or change, its all over red rover.

This the reason we had a 5kw inverter installed with our 3.6kw system.
We could now add panels with no one being the wiser.(hopefully)
Bill

[Isuzumu]

I was told if you buy another house you can take your system with you and not loose your 44c rebate, have not tested it though.

[MrCruza]

I was told if you buy another house you can take your system with you and not loose your 44c rebate, have not tested it though.

Not correct, Bruce. The contract stays with the property and expires if you sell.

[MattNQ]

You can put more panels on your roof as long as you don't change the inverter size you signed up for. If the power company questions why you are making more, you just tell them you changed all your lights to L.E.D, bought a more efficient fridge, stopped using so much air-conditioning, etc. Lots of ways around it. Ergon never looked on my roof when they hooked me up.

I wonder if they'd get sus if you put in over & above the inverter capacity to keep it pumping it out at maximum power for longer ? When I signed up, I wasn't allowed to get 6kw of panels for my 5kw inverter & still get the 44c. Which would have been handy as more panels had to face east than the more optimum north
I did wonder if they'd notice if I augmented it later.

[Green rv]

I was talking to an electrician mate and he tells me that 1000 people drop of the 44c deal per year (ie selling house)
me thinks it time for a current affair to look into this

another mate has a 5kw system and still pays $320 per 1/4 (not on the 44c)(also has a pool)
i have a 1 kw on 54c deal and pay $120 1/4. wish i had some more $$ at the time and put a bigger system on

 
Adam

[street camper]

I've got 1.48 kW system Every bill under $100 mark for the last 4years happy days!!

[Trrrumping Beast]

I wonder if they'd get sus if you put in over & above the inverter capacity to keep it pumping it out at maximum power for longer ? When I signed up, I wasn't allowed to get 6kw of panels for my 5kw inverter & still get the 44c. Which would have been handy as more panels had to face east than the more optimum north
I did wonder if they'd notice if I augmented it later.

That's precisely what my father has done - added more panels than the theoretical capacity of the inverter.  So far no issue from the power company, but time will tell I guess.

[markg66]

I put 2kWs of panels on the roof with a 5kW inverter in lots of shade before the rebate ended. I instelled it myself (I have a contractors licence but no solar accred), so got a lecky with solar accred to sign it all off and apply to energex, 5kW inverter registered and no export for the last year or more. I finally got around to building my arrays and moved the 2 kW to the arrays and added another 3kW. Energex couldn't care less as the 5kW is already approved and registered.

You can add more panels than your inverter is rated for but at peak production times the inverter may shut itself down and restart continuously until the panel input is back within the invertver limits, so you will be wasting your best production time. Just don't over do it and it should be fine.

[Jeepers Creepers]

Jeepers, are you sure about that?

From the link I posted earlier:

I am on the 44 cent tariff and have a 5 kilowatt inverter with panels of a lesser capacity. Can I add additional panels to my system?

Yes. You can add more panels to your system without affecting your eligibility to continue to receive the 44 cent rate. Systems are required to be compliant with the relevant Australian Standards. Please notify your electricity distributor of your intention to add panels to your system.

Who are you with? Does the Bay come under Ergon or are you still SEQ?

Probably not.... 

Its something I was told by someone who I think knew something about it that if the powers to be, pickup that there is a significant change, they would chase it up, as they don't wanna be paying 44cents any more than they have to.