The Land

With the RET reducing in 2020, now is the time to ask Santa for solar

With the RET reducing in 2020, now is the time to ask Santa for solar
With the RET reducing in 2020, now is the time to ask Santa for solar

Story sponsored by Solar Link.

With the Renewable Energy Target (RET) set to reduce on January 1, Solar Link's Adam Dolkin says there's never been a better time to put rooftop solar or a small commercial system on your Christmas wish list.

Not only does rooftop solar slash your electricity bills, he says, there are real economic benefits to be taken advantage of with the RET.

The way it works is simple. If you generate clean renewable energy, you can generate "certificates", which are essentially carbon credits.

You can then sell these on to large electricity companies, who need to reduce their net carbon emissions, and make a profit.

The number of certificates you are eligible for is calculated by the Clean Energy Regulator, which uses factors in for a number of important details when making its determination.

Firstly, they look at the size of the system, how much energy it is likely to produce over its lifespan and - most importantly - the date of installation.

In 2017, the government reformed the RET. Under the old scheme, you could claim certificates for 15 years. Under the new model, you could only claim for 14 years, with this figure reducing by one year, each year until 2030.

With the RET reducing in 2020, now is the time to ask Santa for solar
With the RET reducing in 2020, now is the time to ask Santa for solar

So, that means if you install your system before the end of 2019, you can claim for 12 years. If you wait until the new year, you can only claim for 11.

"Subsidies have made solar power very affordable in Australia. Over two million homes in Australia now have solar installed," Mr Dolkin said.

"In most cases a Solar Installation pays for itself within 3 years. Where else can you invest your money with a guaranteed return on investment of 30 percent?"

However, the RET isn't the only reason to go solar. The right type of system can literally save you thousands of dollars each year on your electricity bill.

With energy bills skyrocketing (and no real sign of reprieve any time soon), he says solar a long term investment that there's really no reason not to make.

"If you have a solar installation it just means your electricity bill is going to be smaller. And if it's sized correctly, it'll be non-existent," he said.

Solar Link Australia specialise in photovoltaic technology and can provide systems for all purposes, ranging from rooftop to light commercial to large scale production. Better still, he says, in most cases the systems pay for themselves within three years.

Mr Dolkin has helped many struggling households reduce their utilities, on average he says, by about $2000 per year.

With the RET reducing in 2020, now is the time to ask Santa for solar
With the RET reducing in 2020, now is the time to ask Santa for solar

He has also helped many across the agricultural sector reduce both their carbon footprint operating costs significantly.

"What a lot of farmers do is install a system for nothing - so we arrange finance for them - and then they just pay a monthly repayment fee for three, four or five years," he explained.

"The amount of money they're paying each month in repayments is typically less than what they would be paying in electricity bills anyway so, it's cash flow positive," he continued.

"After the final repayment has been paid the system belongs to them and the savings are ongoing for the next 25 to 30 years."

The installation repayments won't throw out the balance sheet either. Like the electricity bill, the repayments just become part of the day-to-day operating costs and they can be claimed as a tax deduction.

Plus, he says, every kilowatt the system generates is a kilowatt that otherwise would've been purchased from the grid.

Solar Link can provide both stand alone battery and grid connected solar systems as well as hybrid models that use the grid as a backstop.

The systems are also backed by long term warranties. The Samsung and LG batteries Solar Link sell are guaranteed for 10 years, whilst the panels are backed for 25 years.

For more information visit www.solarlinkaustralia.com.au or give them a call on 1800 155 597.

Story sponsored by Solar Link.