Sales Sharks
Sales Sharks“It’s our closing down sale! Amazing bargains are available now, but be quick, they won’t last long!”
Unfortunately, this kind of sales tactic is not only used by Australia’s favourite rug store. The solar industry has its sharks too. The latest tactic is to twist a half-truth about a relatively insignificant standard.
From March 1, 2015, “systems capable of exporting more than 3kVA must have a Power Factor (reactive power) Control setting activated at a designated value.”(Energex)
N.B.: This does not mean it will be more expensive or less effective to get a 5kw solar system after March 1.
This does mean that:
- Your inverter needs to have that capability. (Unless you’re buying a second-hand inverter off Gumtree – you’ll be fine).
- When your inverter runs flat out on a good day at lunchtime (a 5kw inverter running over 4500w), it will be capped at 4500w. This portion of power is usually sent back to the grid, so you’re probably only losing your 8-cent feed-in tariff.
- The grid voltage problems caused by solar will be marginally reduced, and Energex will be able to allow more solar onto the grid. (Nope, Energex is not the antichrist.)
Mark Cavanagh
