Hi everyone,

Solar batteries are a hot topic and your installer might have a slightly different take on what's most important when choosing a home battery. Reliability is the word.
 
Over to electric vehicles - I recently attended the Fully Charged Live event in Sydney. Was it any good? What did I learn? Should you go next year? Find out here!
 
Still on EVs: while you can certainly charge an electric car from a standard power outlet, please read this electrician's advice first.
 
A very different type of charging now - power prices. Electricity bills look set to jump yet again for millions of Australian households, and the news triggered another rush on solar. On a related note, there should be a silver lining for solar owners in regional Queensland, with an expected feed-in tariff increase.
 
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 ON SOCIAL MEDIA

SQ VIEWS

Home EV Charging For Tightarses (Like Me)
Spent all your cash on an electric car and don’t want to incur the expense of a hard-wired home EV charger? Then this is the post for you. 
  
An Australian Installer’s Take On Home Battery Brands
We recently polled installers in the SolarQuotes network to discover their favourite home batteries. Tesla, Sungrow and BYD batteries took the podium. This post looks a little deeper into the winning brands from an experienced battery installer’s perspective.
 
2023 Fully Charged Sydney Review: EV Nerds & Newbies Unite!
I attended the recent Fully Charged Live event in Sydney; an electric vehicle show. Was it any good? What did I learn? Should you go next year? Read on to find out!
 
Even more news below!

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

Perth Port Powering Up With Solar Panels
Better late than never. More than 1,100 solar panels installed on the rooftop of Perth’s Fremantle Passenger Terminal are about to be switched on.
  
Tasmanian Solar Scheme Setup Slammed (Again)
Tasmanian Labor has come out swinging again in relation to the state’s Energy Saver Loan Scheme, saying it unfairly locks out many local solar businesses.
  
Melbourne Water’s Winneke Solar Farm Opened
Melbourne Water is another step closer to its net-zero emissions goal with the completion of a solar farm at Winneke Treatment Plant in Melbourne’s north-east.
 
Regional Queensland Solar Owners Rejoice
There was some good news for solar owners in regional Queensland last week – another proposed big boost to the feed-in tariff rate. But don’t get too excited just yet.
 
Looming Power Price Rises Spark Solar Rush
It didn’t take long for news of further electricity bill increases to motivate Australians to get cracking on having solar panels installed.
 
Another Huge Solar + Storage Project For Toowoomba Region
A development application for solar farm boasting more than 1.7 million solar panels and a big battery was lodged with Queensland’s Toowoomba Regional Council last week.
 
Draft Electricity Price Decisions Bring Grim News
Power bills look set to jump yet again for millions of Australian households and small businesses already reeling from the ongoing cost-of-living battle.
 
Victorian Power Saving Bonus Double-Dip Nears
Victorian households who haven’t yet taken advantage of the state’s Power Saving Bonus should get in now – and then get ready to grab it again very soon.
 
2023 Synergy Schools Solar Challenge Racing Kicks Off
Hundreds of students across Western Australia are participating in the 2023 Synergy Schools Solar Challenge – learning important skills while having a bit of fun with tiny solar-electric cars.
  
Read more from the blog

SOLAR TOOLS & REVIEWS

There's a bunch of hardware and installer reviews along with handy and easy to use tools and calculators on SolarQuotes. Find them 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.

FINN'S "101" GUIDES

Understanding Solar
This runs through the basics of residential solar energy and the components that make up the system. It demystifies the magic turning sunlight into clean power for your home that can save you a bundle of cash on your electricity bills, and clearly explains some important concepts you should understand.
 
Buying Solar
My original guide, updated for 2023 that also includes a printable and video version. Now you have a basic understanding of all the bits that make up a solar power system and how they work to generate electricity, it’s time to think about getting quotes. After reading this, you’ll be able to communicate effectively with a salesperson and be confident you’re paying the right amount of money for a properly-sized system with the right components  – and from the right installer.
 
Owning Solar
The panels are now on your rooftop and the installers have packed up and left. What should you do now and how can you make the most of the new valuable addition to your home? From checking the installation to maximising electricity bill savings, find the answers here.
 
Understanding Home Batteries
This chapter will provide you an understanding of solar batteries – and will help you determine if installing one is right for you. It covers topics such as how a home battery works, the different types of energy storage and how energy storage can save you money.
 
Buying Solar Batteries
My guide to buying solar battery storage provides useful advice on how to go about purchasing a good quality home battery system installation at a reasonable price – and how to identify some of the traps. By reading this, you’ll be better equipped to make a solid purchase decision.
 
Owning A Battery System
As the proud new owner of home energy storage, you’ll want to make the most of it. This chapter provides very useful information about owning a battery system and maximising the benefits it can provide.
 
EV Charging 101
This comprehensive guide covers pretty much everything you’ll need to know about EV charging at home and away from it; and all explained clearly.