Hi everyone,
 
Small solar inverters work out to be significantly more expensive per watt than large inverters - it's another reason larger solar power systems are better value - find out more here.
 
While on the topic of solar costs, over-promising and under-delivering isn’t a great way to win friends and influence people. While solar panels are a solid investment, be wary of ads spruiking "almost free" solar power systems.
 
Over to energy storage and Australian Vanadium Limited (AVL) subsidiary VSUN Energy is continuing towards its goal of releasing a residential flow battery in Australia. It will big - and not just in capacity.
 
More news below!
 
Don't forget you can get 3 solar quotes from trusted solar installers at our website - and everyone can also stay in touch with what's happening on SQ via our Facebook page.
 
Regards,

SQ VIEWS

Bigger Inverters Are Much Better Value – So When Buying Solar, Go Big!
Small solar inverters are expensive per watt. Big inverters are cheap per watt. It's just another reason larger solar power systems are better value.
 
Using Table Salt To Make Better, Cheaper Li-ion Batteries
The twin challenges of Li-ion batteries are to improve their energy performance while making them cheaper. Find out how table salt could help.

THE GOOD SOLAR GUIDE - READ ONLINE FREE!

7 Steps To Tiny Bills For Australian Homeowners - An Amazon Best-Seller!

The Good Solar Guide, authored by SolarQuotes founder Finn Peacock, demystifies the solar buying process in Australia; showing you how many panels you need, which panel brands to buy, which to avoid, and how to find a great installer.

The seven-step process revealed in this book, developed over 10 years in the industry, walks you through understanding, evaluating, buying, installing and using solar to deliver on its promise of tiny electricity bills. Order the book (available in paperback or Kindle) or read the whole book online free! Yes, for free. Crazy eh?

SOLAR NEWS

Prince Charles Launches “Terra Carta” Campaign
The Prince of Wales’ Sustainable Markets Initiative has announced a charter putting sustainability at the heart of the private sector – the Terra Carta.
 
100MW Solar Farm Project For Bundaberg Region Advances
Bundaberg Regional Council has approved a development application for a proposed solar farm around 60 kilometres from the city.

SunPower Shuttering Hillsboro Solar Panel Factory
SunPower Corp. announced last Friday it is to close its US solar panel manufacturing plant in Hillsboro, Oregon.
 
Ingeteam Tops 2GW Of AU Solar Inverter Capacity
Spain-headquartered Ingeteam says it has passed the 2 GW mark for solar inverter capacity supplied to the Australian market.
 
Samsung Adds Solar Cells To TV Remotes
Samsung Electronics has unveiled its 2021 range of Neo QLED, MICRO LED and Lifestyle TVs – all of which will have what the company says is “game-changing” remote control technology.
 
Improperly Disposed Pizza Boxes Thwart Solar Bins
BigBelly compacting bins have proven to be a useful tool for councils, reducing the number of waste collection trips needing to be made. But not even solar power can cure stupid.
 
Australia’s VSUN Energy Progressing Residential Flow Battery
Australian Vanadium Limited (AVL) subsidiary VSUN Energy is continuing to chug along towards its goal of developing a residential flow battery system for the Australian market. This battery won’t just be big on capacity.
 
Solar Power System Fires And Blasted Rooftop Isolator Switches
There have been several fire incidents in New South Wales in the last week or so involving solar power systems – and at least two are thought to have been caused by rooftop isolator switches.
 
Solar Panels Are A Great Deal, But They Aren’t “Almost Free”
Over-promising and under-delivering isn’t a great way to win friends and influence people. For even crap solar to be “almost free”, it would need to be particularly crappy to the point of not being installed.
 
Australia’s National Electricity Market – A Time For Tough, United Decisions
Reports released by the Energy Security Board indicate while progress has been made in the NEM on various fronts, system security and investor confidence leave a lot to be desired.
  
Read more from the blog

POPULAR SOLAR TOOLS

There's a bunch of handy and easy to use tools and calculators on SolarQuotes. You can find a selection of my most popular tools by clicking here.

FRESH IS BEST

If you're yet to get 3 obligation-free solar quotes from our network of trusted installers, or perhaps you didn't go ahead on a set of quotes issued previously for whatever reason and still want to install solar, now is a great time to submit for fresh quotes!

SUBMIT YOUR SOLAR REVIEW

If you're an Australian solar power system owner and would like to share a review of your solar panels, inverters, battery or installer with other potential Australian PV buyers to assist them in a purchase decision, SolarQuotes is the place to do it!
 
Please note in the case of solar panel and inverter reviews, the equipment should have been installed for at least one year.
 
Submit a review: Panels | Inverters | Batteries | Installers 
 
Pick up some tips on writing a review.

USEFUL SOLAR INFO

Solar Battery Reviews
We've kicked off our new battery reviews section with more than 40 manufacturers listed where you can find more information on energy storage companies and read or submit reviews.
 
Virtual Power Plant Comparison Table
Find out details of various Virtual Power Plant (VPP) programs on offer in Australia with our regularly updated VPP comparison table. See which VPP might be best for your home or business.
 
Solar And Battery Calculator
Our  new solar calculator provides you a complete picture of the savings and payback for solar power in Australia - with or without batteries - and it's very simple to use.
 
Solar In Your Location
Our extensive database contains useful information and up-to-date statistics on solar energy for practically every town and suburb in Australia.
 
Compare Electricity Retailers: Solar Feed-In Tariffs & Energy Prices
An easy to use comparison tool enabling you to instantly see which electricity retailers would be cheapest for a typical solar power system owner in your postcode.

Solar Panel Comparison Table
Easily compare solar panels, specifications and their prices side-by-side in our new solar panel comparison table.
 
Solar Power Forecast Tool
We developed this handy tool in collaboration with WeatherZone to help you forecast your solar system's output up to 48 hours ahead. 

Important Mistakes To Avoid In Buying Solar 
Don't become a lost sheep in a field of wolves. Learn about the top 7 mistakes people make when buying solar power systems.



13 Questions To Ask A Solar Company
Before you sign on the dotted line, ensure you have satisfactory answers to these important questions.

Solar Battery Storage Explained
How to buy a solar system with battery storage. Do you need backup functionality or not? How much should you pay, and what batteries are safe and reliable?
 
Solar Battery Comparison Table
Discover battery prices and specifications of dozens of energy storage solutions with our solar battery storage comparison table.