Customer Story Archives - Page 4 of 14

New rules coming in to lift solar standards

The Andrews Government announced on 22 March 2019 that From 1 July 2019, Victoria’s top 150 solar retailers (based on the total number of systems they’ve installed under the Solar Homes program) will have to be approved under the Clean Energy Council’s Solar Retailer Code of Conduct if they want to continue to take part in the Solar Homes program.

MASH solar installation on a property on Barker St, Castlemaine

Solar retailers outside the top 150 have until 1 November 2019 to become approved signatories to the CEC’s Retailers Code of Conduct if they are to take part in the program.

Solar Victoria, who are responsible for administering the Solar Homes rebates says that they are bringing in these mandatory requirements “to ensure that people getting rebates from the Solar Homes program get quality service and only reputable retailers take part in the program.”

They state that, “Mandating that all solar retailers must be signatories to the Clean Energy Council’s (CEC) Code of Conduct will help establish a level playing field for all solar retailers and help protect consumers from unscrupulous operators.”

Jo Kaptein, Manager of the MASH and Hepburn community solar bulk-buys says, “We welcome these tighter rules from Solar Victoria and the higher standards that they will set for the solar industry. The end result will be a better outcome for householders buying solar.”

Energy Matters customers – important update about warranties

Flex, a Fortune 500 company with operations in 30 countries – and the parent company of Energy Matters (the supplier for MASH round 2, 3.2 and 4 as well as the first round of the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy) – announced on 12/3/2019 that they have appointed Skybridge, a national third party provider of field service solutions well known in the Australian market, to service all the warranty claims and outstanding issues for Energy Matters customers.

There are two ways to contact Skybridge:

By email: flex.warranty@skybridge.com.au
By phone: 133 SUN (133 786)

Read the letter from Flex here: Flex letter 12 March 2019 advising that Skybridge has been appointed to handle warranty claims

Learn more about Flex’s decision to withdraw Energy Matters from the Australian market.

Labour’s election win is great news for household solar

Labor’s stunning win in the recent Victorian State Election is great news for anyone thinking about installing rooftop solar panels.

Today, the question regarding solar panel installation is not ‘Should you?’ but ‘Why wouldn’t you!’

That’s the message from MASH (More Australian Solar Homes), a not-for-profit community solar bulk-buy for homes in the Macedon Ranges and Mt Alexander Shires.

MASH helps make it easier – and more affordable – for householders to ‘go solar’ with an option that is well-proven and backed by councils.

Solar panel rebate expanded

When Premier Daniel Andrews introduced the Victorian Solar Homes program in August, he promised to expand it if his government was re-elected.

The program will now roll out to 650,000 homes, providing a rebate that covers up to $2,225 of the solar panel system cost for eligible households.

The typical payback time of solar panels is around 5-6 years on a 5.13kW MASH solar system.

This is if you use at least 50 per cent of the power you generate during the day time.

But with the Solar Homes rebate, the payback is around 3-4 years.

The Solar Homes program is under the supervision of Solar Victoria, and anyone interested in applying can complete the eligibility form on their website at www.solar.vic.gov.au. Only Solar Victoria can confirm your eligibility.

Future plans for renters and batteries

Although home owners will reap the immediate benefits of the Andrews Government election win, in mid-2019 three additional programs should become available.

These are rebates on solar panels for renters, interest-free solar loans and a rebate on the cost of a home battery worth up to $4,838.

MASH is not yet taking inquiries on these programs. However, it will keep the community informed through its website and local media.

MASH – the benefits of being part of a community bulk-buy

MASH selects its solar panel supplier and solar panels systems through a competitive public tender process overseen by the Alternative Technology Association.

The advantages of organising your solar panel installation through MASH include:

Competitive prices due to bulk-buy
Trusted advice from experts, inc public info meetings
Excellent warranties on products
Supplier vetted for integrity and reliability
Community bonus – free 5kW solar system for community groups & schools for every 100 homes installed

Upcoming MASH Information Meetings:

Gisborne Community Centre, Thursday 13 December, 6.30pm–8.00pm.
Kyneton Mechanics Institute, Monday 17 December, 6.30pm–8.00pm.

Register for a quote or to attend an info meeting. Visit mash.org.au or call MASH on 1300 466 274.

Latest on the State Govt Solar Panel Rebate

A massive 260 households have ordered solar through MASH and the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buys since the 19th of August 2018 when the Victorian State Government solar panels rebate was announced. Worth up to $2225, the rebate is stimulating mega-demand through the MASH & Hepburn community solar bulk-buys and across the industry.

Lots of customers have been asking us whether this rebate will still be available after the election on 24 November 2018, even if their system hasn’t been installed by that date.

The MASH team has been talking to Solar Victoria, who administer the rebate, to check out the details.

Rebate will still be available after the election

The good news is that the answer is YES. The rebate will continue to be available after the election – regardless of which party wins – and it will be available to eligible households until 30 June 2019 or when 24,000 homes have received the rebate, whichever comes first. Solar Victoria tell us that there are still thousands of rebates left.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible, you must meet these criteria:

• Your combined household taxable income must be less than $180,000/yr.
• You are the owner-occupier of the home – and this is your primary residence.
• Your home is valued at under $3 million.
• You don’t have solar PV on my property OR you are replacing a solar PV system that was installed before 1 November 2009.

Get full details of eligibility criteria here.

How to get your spot reserved in the “rebate queue”

Solar Victoria advises that if you haven’t had your solar system installed yet, but would like to ensure eligibility for the rebate, the best thing to do is to complete the eligibility form on their website at www.solar.vic.gov.au. Only Solar Victoria can confirm your eligibility.

You will need to supply a Solar Provider Statement with your eligibility form. Energy Matters, the MASH solar supplier, will send you the Solar Provider Statement if you send them an email requesting it to: customer@energymatters.com.au. Alternatively you can call them on 1300 363 744.

Once a householder is eligible they will receive an eligibility number via email, which effectively reserves their spot in the rebate queue for up to 4 months while installation takes place. If installation takes longer than 3 months, the householder will receive an email prompt from Solar Victoria asking whether they still plan on installing the solar. At this point, the householder can request a longer installation period which Solar Victoria says that they will be happy to grant, providing that the installation is completed prior to 30 June 2019.

And more good news!! Solar Victoria has confirmed that if you meet the eligibility criteria and your Solar Provider Statement is approved, they will hold a rebate aside for you. Once you submit all the correct paperwork post-installation – within the time period specified by Solar Victoria – then there is every likelihood (although not an absolute guarantee) that you will be paid the rebate.

How the rebate is paid

The rebate is paid to households via EFT transfer from Sustainability Victoria. It is typically paid within 4 weeks of submitting all the correct paperwork once your system has been installed.

If you do not have access to the Internet, you can call Solar Victoria and ask them to post you the relevant forms.

Learn more – MASH Solar & Rebate Info Meeting, 20 Nov

Find out more about the rebate at the MASH Solar & Rebate Info Meeting on Tuesday 20 November, 6.30pm-8pm at the Castlemaine Senior Citizens Centre. To reserve your place, visit www.mash.org.au/events or call MASH on 1300 466 274.

Solar Victoria Contact Details

To contact Solar Victoria about the rebate, visit www.solar.vic.gov.au or call 1300 363 744.

Solar and Rebate Info Meeting, 20 Nov

An information meeting to help local residents who are keen to ‘go solar’ – and potentially benefit from the new solar rebate – will be held on Tuesday 20 November at the Castlemaine Senior Citizens Centre, from 6.30pm-8.00pm.

Hosted by the organisers of the hugely successful MASH (More Australia Solar Homes) community solar bulk-buy, the presenters will discuss the new State Government solar rebate as well as explain, in jargon-free terms, the pros and cons of different solar and battery systems on the market.

Since the State Government announced the new solar panels rebate on the 19^th of August, the demand for solar through MASH has literally quadruped, said Jo Kaptein, organiser of the MASH bulk-bulk.

For eligible households, the rebate is worth up to $2,225 which reduces the total out-of-pocket cost of going solar by a significant amount”, said Jo. That’s why over 260 households in our region have ordered solar through MASH since the 19^th of August – for many, solar is now a no-brainer.

“We had been thinking of going solar for ages”, said Carl Harvey, a MASH customer and Castlemaine resident. “So when we heard about the Victorian State Government solar panels rebate it seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up.”

“The new solar rebate was too good to pass up”, says Carl Harvey, who has just had MASH system installed. From L to R: Mike Wright, Buddy Norris, installers for the MASH project, with Carl Harvey, MASH customer in Castlemaine

“We went with MASH because we like that the MASH supplier and solar systems have been endorsed by the Alternative Technology Association. We also like that MASH gives back to the local community with free solar for schools and community groups. “Our experience with the MASH solar supplier, Energy Matters, has been great – very smooth.”

Information about the solar and battery systems available through the MASH bulk-buy will also be provided at the meeting, as well as costs and the approximate bill savings that households might expect.

The info meeting will be held at the Castlemaine Senior Citizens Centre, Mechanics Street, Castlemaine (next to the Castlemaine Library), 6.30pm-8.00pm. Around 30 minutes will be allowed for Q&A.

To reserve your place, visit mash.org.au/events or call the MASH team on 1300 466 274.

MASH Wins Environment Victoria Award

MASH (the campaign for More Australian Solar Homes) was one of six community groups and individuals from around the state to be recognised by Environment Victoria on Wednesday night for their outstanding contribution to protecting our state’s unique environment.

MASH solar bulk-buy wins Environment Victoria Award

MASH “repowering central Victoria”

“The 2018 Community Environment Recognition Award recipients are all leaders in their communities,” said Mark Wakeham, CEO of Environment Victoria. “We wanted to recognise MASH for repowering central Victoria with over one thousand solar installations and for their dynamic community engagement,” said Mark.

Over 20,000 panels installed

MASH, the community solar bulk-buy for households in central Victoria, was launched in mid 2014 as an initiative of the Hub Foundation, founded by Neil and Heather Barrett and Mark Carter, with the first installations taking place in September 2014. Since then, MASH has taken orders for over 1,150 solar systems with around 20,000 panels installed.

MASH cuts emissions and bills

Around 8,400 tonnes of CO2 emissions are being cut each year by MASH households, equivalent to around 1700 fewer cars on the road. MASH households, as a group, are saving around $1M off their electricity bills each year. In addition, MASH is creating local jobs with three local installation companies currently working full-time on MASH installations, as well as around six local people working on a part-time or casual basis on project management and administration.

Over $70,000 raised for community groups and schools

“MASH has raised over $70,000 for free solar for community groups and schools since we started, said Jo Kaptein, manager of the MASH community solar bulk-buy. “We’re delighted to have been recognised by Environment Victoria. We couldn’t have achievement these results without the support of so many people and organisations. Thank you to everyone who’s been part of our story.”

MASH is in central Victoria – and extending to the Mallee

The MASH solar bulk-buy is available in the Mount Alexander Shire, Macedon Ranges Shire and City of Greater Bendigo. MASH’s sister bulk-buy – the Hepburn Solar Bulk-Buy – is available in the Hepburn Shire. MASH will shortly be launched in new regions across central Victoria starting with Swan Hill.

MASH is now hosted by the not-for-profit Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance.

For more information about MASH and to request a quote, visit mash.org.au. Alternatively call 1300 466 274.

Notes:

The list of the six community groups and individuals recognised by Environment Victoria in their 2018 awards can be viewed here:

Local environmental leaders applauded at the 2018 Community Environment Awards