It’s no secret some people who’d like to buy a rooftop solar system are right now not in a position to do so. There can be many reasons behind this. It goes to show that while rooftop solar power has enjoyed huge support from Australians overall - with more than 2 million systems now installed across homes around the country - in reality, those numbers would be far higher if everyone who wants a system could acquire one now. But while some people may indeed need to play the waiting game for a while before the stars align and they get a solar system - or look to alternative avenues as we discuss further below - in reality, there are other people who right now could get solar but who aren’t pursuing it.
This is because a misconception they heard prior may lead them to believe it’s presently impossible for them to get a rooftop solar system. This is really unfortunate not only for someone who is keen on utilising solar power and could actually get access to it now, but also for the wider community, as whenever a new solar system is installed it can enhance our national capacity overall, and that’s ultimately good news for every household and community across the country. In turn, it’s why now is a good time to address some common misconceptions surrounding solar power.
1. ’A Home Renovation Makes Solar Impossible’
As anyone who has done so knows, getting a renovation completed can not only be very complex but also involve a number of surprising twists along the way. It’s understandable any household who is pursuing a project like this may feel that their plate is already full with tasks and that adding solar should only occur after the renovation is done. That’s a perspective some renovators will have firm feelings about, and there’s nothing wrong with it by default. This said, some people, unfortunately, misunderstand that just because renovations are occurring in one area of the property, it automatically rules out works being done elsewhere.
Part of this feeling can also arise because people believe that getting a rooftop solar system installed is a very complex task. While it’s important to find a solar installer that’ll take the time to get the job done right, installations of a solar system will commonly be done in just one day.
Additionally, even if it is impossible to place a rooftop system on a residence while renovations are occurring, it may be possible to install solar on a garage, or even to pursue a ground-mounted solar system. Accordingly, doing renovations is not by default an automatic barrier to getting a rooftop solar system now.
2. ‘Solar Isn’t Doable if Selling the Home Soon’
While it’s usually not possible to take a rooftop solar system when moving home - and even if it is it’s almost certainly going to be more expensive than it would be getting a like-for-like installation done at a new residence - the reality is solar power can add value to a property. So even if someone is not planning to be in their current home for much longer, solar could still be worthwhile to have now, and the home’s new owner could continue to benefit from it in years ahead.
3. ’Solar Isn’t Possible to Get When Renting’
Although it can be expected the property’s owner will need to be engaged, a chat with them about how solar power can bring benefits to the home - such as making it more eco-friendly and more modern - could see it brought into being. The reality is there are a lot of people out there who are interested in learning more about acquiring solar but are often delayed from doing so as they’re kept busy with the most immediate tasks that need to be done in their daily lives. As a result of this, it’s possible a property owner may in fact be happy to consider solar, but just hasn’t had anyone put some quality info before them yet.
But even if a property owner isn’t open to solar? The good news is there are other avenues by which we can expect solar to become more widely available in future. Let’s go through some of them now…
Alternatives to ‘Overhead’ Access to Rooftop Solar
For anyone interested in solar power but not able to install a rooftop solar system on their current residence, the following areas of solar power development are worth keeping an eye on.
Solar Gardens
Solar gardens are a model for solar power sharing that can allow those who are unable to install a system on their rooftop to participate in the growth of solar power, and also benefit from it. Although different dynamics can exist in different communities, a common arrangement is that it’s possible for a resident to acquire a plot in a solar garden, and to then receive a credit on their energy bill for the electricity that the solar panel(s) on their purchased plot generates. While this system is still a new model in Australia - with New South Wales’ Riverina Region’s 1MW Haystacks Solar Garden announced last year credited with being the first of its scale in the country - it has seen some solid growth overseas, and accordingly, it is hoped by many that we shall see solar gardens become a common sight across Oz in years to come.
Community Batteries
Community batteries offer a way for those who don’t presently have a solar power system to nonetheless gain access to power generated from this renewable source. Alongside their broader benefits - such as being able to drive down the risk of grid blackouts - they enable residences with solar power that generate an excess amount to feed their surplus energy into the community battery, which can then be fed out to nearby residences. The concept of community batteries remains a relatively new one nationally, yet there’s already been a number of steps taken in a push towards their greater use. At the time of writing, registrations of interest are currently open via the Ausgrid website surrounding a community battery trial in Cameron Park, New South Wales, and Bankstown, New South Wales.
Solar Systems Across Every New Home?
While the solar power industry in Australia has been going brilliantly in recent years - and demand is set to continue - in the future, we may see demand for installations supercharged if it becomes mandatory that new homes have to have a solar installation. As it stands a 2019 report by the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) and ClimateWorks Australia - which preceded the 2019 review of the Australia Building Code - recommended this.
This is perhaps not set to happen right away, but it may be along sooner than many may think. After all, the recent announcement by the NSW government that it would seek to reform environmental planning rules to ban dark roofs on new homes illustrates authorities are increasingly open to redefining the law of the land when it comes to seeing homes operate more harmoniously with the environment.
Lighting the Path
We’ve discussed here a number of hurdles that are actually possible to clear when it comes to getting solar power, and getting it sooner! For many people who’ve been keen to get solar but thought it wasn’t possible, learning of these pathways is surely welcome news. At the same time, it is necessary to note there can be some variables in this dynamic such as local rules and regulations, which means it’s always essential to have a chat with a trusted solar installer alongside other interested parties like a local council before seriously starting any plans.
Nonetheless, when we look across Australia and examine the future of renewable energy in this country, it’s clear that the sun is indeed shining brightly on solar power. Accordingly, if anyone right now is unable to get access to solar power - even allowing for the above pathways - it’s worthwhile to keep in mind the rapid growth of the solar sector and the support of it by both public and private entities means its reach is rapidly expanding every year. So there’s the hope that before long solar will indeed become easily accessible to all, all across the nation.
Solar Trust Centre Team
