Solar Trust Centre Team
True or False? Solar Is Too Expensive
Despite the fact that you can see people signing up to have solar power systems installed at their homes and businesses all over Australia, there are...
There isn’t just one type of “solar power system.” As with anything, there are a number of manufacturers for solar power — and they differ in more than just cost. A solar power system is a significant investment. It’s worth it to do some research and find the correct system for you.
Cheap Solar Panel Systems vs. Quality Solar Systems
When you compare solar panel systems, you’ll likely see some systems that are much cheaper than others. However, there’s a substantial difference between these cheaper systems and high quality, long-lasting solar.
- Cheap solar systems. Not only are the manufactured parts usually cheaper (and also won’t last as long), you will usually have a shorter warranty period. Even if your product fails while under warranty, the warranty may not be honored, or may be highly restrictive. Cheap solar companies frequently go out of business and may not be able to provide the support that they promised. Even if they are, there will often be surcharges for the maintenance.
- Quality solar systems. When you purchase a quality solar system, you often get a lengthy warranty that provides full support. Quality solar systems are made of better materials with more thorough testing, to ensure that you’re getting exactly what you paid for. This means they’re going to be more reliable and less likely to break down.
When it comes to something as serious as your power, you don’t want to invest in a system that’s not going to work. Investing a little more in a quality solar system will often save you money over time.
What Are the True Costs of a Cheap Solar Panel System?
Your solar power system will pay for itself over time, but only if it’s efficient. An inefficient solar system isn’t going to produce as much energy, will require costly repairs, and may need to be replaced quite quickly.
To be efficient, save you money, and protect the environment, a solar panel system has to be as efficient as possible. But due to the popularity of solar, many less than reputable companies have begun to manufacture solar panels.
These solar panels may look and act in every respect like a higher quality panel, but they’re made out of inferior parts. They will break down faster, won’t produce as much energy, and ultimately will cost more money long-term.
How Can You Identify High Quality Solar Systems?
As with many things, reviews and testimonials can help you identify a higher quality solar system. Solar systems do cost money upfront, but they save you money over time. Going with the cheapest solar system is almost never a good idea: there’s a reason that the solar system is so cheap.
Many foreign manufactured solar systems don’t adhere to the same regulations and standards that domestically produced solar systems do. These solar systems aren’t going to perform as well as others.
With a solar system, the purchase price is only one cost. There’s an additional cost for maintenance. High quality solar systems will cost very little to maintain. Cheap, Chinese panels have been known to fail, and can cost a lot to repair or replace.
Solar systems are an excellent way to save money over time, as well as to commit to sustainable energy consumption. But if you’re interested in getting a solar system, you also need to commit to the research, get multiple quotes, and look up reviews and testimonials.
How to Find Solar Dealers Who Ensure Quality Delivery
LG Solar awards dealers across Australia for meeting strict quality measures for products and installations. Each state has it’s own category for the annual LG Installer of the Year award.
The 2019 winner for Victoria is G-Store Solar, who also won this category in 2018 and 2017. Matt from G-Store had the following to say about his company’s win:
“To be awarded this on the best solar panel in the world by the most reputable solar manufacturer in the world is a tremendous tremendous achievement. I know we all believe in a quality offering and unrivaled service and I look forward to ongoing achievements such as this across the entire business.”
Matt from G-Store
The 2019 winner for South Australia is Generate Energy. The team celebrated this win by saying the following:
“We are immensely proud of our team for all of the hard work they have put into quality installations, using only products from the best manufacturers in the world. We look forward to another year of powering Australians’ homes with LG’s solar products.”
Generate Energy
We encourage you to assess the quality and assurance measures of any solar installer you consider working with in the future. This will guarantee you have a safe and reliable product that will last in the long term.
This blog post was originally published on 21/05/2019 and updated on 01/07/2020.