MASH-wide news Archives - Page 31 of 53

Solar helps future-proof Campbells Creek home

lidia-weil-mash-customer-campbells-creek — “I felt that MASH has done the research and that I could rely on them to install a quality solar system at a competitive price.” – LIdia Weil, MASH customer, Campbells Creek

Protection against rising power costs and reducing the family’s carbon footprint were the two main reasons why Lidia and Sonja Weil decided to invest in a MASH solar system for their Campbells Creek home.

A more sustainable way of life

“I’m going on a pension soon and I need to make sure that we have a sustainable way of life into retirement”, said Lidia.

“Right now my daughter and her two young children are living with us. We use a lot of daytime power. My plan with the MASH solar system was to go a bit bigger than what we need right now, and over time, to move some of the gas services – like some heating – over to electric to cut our overall power costs. We want be very independent in the coming years and solar is part of that.”

MASH being local, a plus

“I went straight to the MASH community solar bulk-buy because it is already organised and from what I’d heard, it seems to run so smoothly”, said Lidia. “Plus it is local. The Hub Foundation, the organiser of MASH, is in town and the people behind the MASH project live in town. I like that.”

MASH ‘done the research’

With no spare time for researching the ins-and-outs of solar systems, Lidia found the help offered by the MASH team to be really useful. “I didn’t have the time to do the research. MASH spelt everything out for me. I went to the MASH Castlemaine info meeting and it was very informative.”

“I had a girlfriend who had a bad experience with another solar organisation. I didn’t want that. I felt that MASH has done the research, the hard yards, and that I could rely on them to install a quality solar system at a competitive price.”

Solar system that handles shading

Lidia chose to go with a slightly different MASH system from the norm; one that could handle the partial shading on her roof at certain times of the day and the need to position the panels in three separate arrays.

She opted for a 5.2kW SolarEdge system, which has power optimizers on each of the 20 panels. This means that when one panel is shaded it only affects the output of that panel, not the entire array.

20 panels split across 3 sections of the roof

“Another reason for paying the extra for SolarEdge is that I wanted as many panels as possible north facing and the rest on the other available roof spaces”, said Lidia. So Sunergy, the MASH solar supplier, designed the system to optimise the solar production from the roof by splitting the 20 panels across three separate arrays, maximising the solar production of the available roofspace .

“So whilst I paid a bit more for SolarEdge, I’ve got a solar system that’s handling the shading issues on my roof and producing the maximum amount of solar power that’s possible with my roof layout. Plus with SolarEdge I get longer than average warranties; 25 years for the power optimizers and 12 years for the inverter. And that’s a pretty good feeling”, said Lidia.

“It was great to see the other morning that my MASH system was running all the electric appliances that I had running and I didn’t have to draw any power from the grid.

“I highly recommend MASH to anyone who’s thinking about investing in solar for their home. MASH’s supplier Sunergy has been great to deal with too.”

At a glance

Household size: 5 people
Campbells Creek, near Castlemaine, Victoria

MASH 5.2kW solar PV system comprising:
– 20 x JA Solar 260 watt panels
– SolarEdge 5000 inverter + SolarEdge P300 power optimizer

Running on electric: evaporative cooling, washing machine, dryer, dishwasher, 2 fridges, TVs, lighting, shed/studio and in the future a pool pump and some electric heating

About MASH

MASH stands for the campaign for More Australian Solar Homes, a community solar bulk-buy organised by the not-for-profit Hub Foundation in Castlemaine.

For more information about MASH, visit mash.org.au or call the MASH team on 1300 466 274.

MASH solar supplier expands workforce

Sunergy Managing Director Tony Smith at the company’s office in California Gully

Bendigo based solar company Sunergy has recently expanded its workforce thanks to the campaign for More Australian Solar Homes (MASH).

The company was appointed by The Hub Foundation Castlemaine earlier this year to supply and install solar for the current round of the MASH community solar bulk-buy.

Tony Smith, Managing Director at Sunergy said his company has expanded to meet the strong demand from the MASH project.

“We have employed two more office staff to service the installations and also contracted additional solar installers in the Mount Alexander and Macedon Ranges Shires, supporting economic growth in central Victoria” Tony said.

Tony also said that his company is delighted to be the supplier for the current round of the MASH community solar bulk-buy, “We fully support the community ethos of MASH and the commitment to installing free solar PV systems on schools and community buildings in the region.”

Whilst living in the Adelaide Hills in the early 2000’s, Tony experienced what it is like to have a low quality solar PV system installed at his own house, along with poor service from a solar company. This led him to research the solar PV business and then become aware that there are many inferior solar PV products on the market. Together with the desire to start his own business, Tony founded Sunergy in 2010 so he could offer residents and businesses the best quality systems at competitive prices. He moved to Bendigo in 2011 and his passion for solar has seen his business grow steadily.

Sunergy is a member of the Australian Solar Council and an accredited installer of the Clean Energy Council. The company is also fully accredited to install solar systems of all types and sizes, including residential, commercial, on-grid, hybrid and off-grid, and has a long history of supporting its community, including donating solar power systems to the Bendigo Discovery Science and Technology Centre and Quarry Hill Primary School.

MASH is also delivered in partnership with the Bendigo, Macedon and Mount Alexander sustainability groups, City of Greater Bendigo and Macedon Ranges and Mount Alexander shire councils.

The current round of MASH closes on 9 December 2016. For more information, visit mash.org.au or call the MASH team on 1300 466 274.

Relationship strengthened by MOU

darren-fuzzard-ceo-mt-alexander-shire-council-l-and-neil-barrett-chair-hub-foundation-r — Darren Fuzzard, CEO, Mt Alexander Shire Council (L) and Neil Barrett, Chair, Hub Foundation (R) at recent Ride to Work Brekkie organised by the Hub Foundation

Mount Alexander Shire Council has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Hub Foundation to formalise a collaborative approach to reducing the shire’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The Hub Foundation is the not-for-profit Castlemaine organisation behind several projects including the popular solar photovoltaic bulk-buy program More Australian Solar Homes (MASH).

The Hub Foundation has made a dramatic impact on the take-up of solar power throughout the shire, and helped many people to make informed environmental choices, said Jason Taylor, Director Sustainable Development, Mount Alexander Shire Council.

Council is very pleased to formalise our relationship with the foundation and we look forward to working together and continuing to support sustainability projects that benefit the community, said Mr Taylor.

Chair of the Hub Foundation Neil Barrett said Council had been a supporter of the Hub Foundation and its work since 2014.

We welcome this MOU as it is through agreements like these that our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions can be made more effective, said Mr Barrett.

Council has shown strong leadership in its support of the MASH community solar bulk-buy in particular and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the Mayor, Councillors and Council staff for their unwavering belief and support of our efforts, he said. MASH customers in Central Victoria now exceed 580 households, with over 350 in Mount Alexander Shire.

Today, 27 percent of homes in our shire have solar photovoltaic. The Victorian figure overall is only 11 percent. Our aim is to do our bit to keep raising the Mount Alexander figure to well over 30 percent, said Mr Barrett.

Mr Taylor said there was widespread support for Council to work closely with local groups. “Council carried out extensive consultation as part of our Environment Strategy and Climate Change Action Plan and a clear message was the importance of formalising relationships and working in partnership with local environment groups,” said Mr Taylor.

For more information on MASH events and solar power systems visit www.mash.org.au.

Beat the solar rebate cut

Order your MASH solar PV system by Tuesday the 15th of November to secure your solar system at current prices.

The solar rebate that is being reduced is the Small-scale Technology Certificates (STCs), a form of rebate under Renewable Energy Target, an Australian Government scheme. The reduction on the STCs comes into force on the 1st of January 2017; this is the date by when solar PV systems have to be installed to get the current higher level of STCs.

So, to meet this deadline and to have systems installed in good time, the MASH team has set the deadline for ordering MASH solar systems at current prices as Tuesday 15 November.

As an example, the value of the STCs reduction on a MASH 5.2kW system is $235.60 – so by ordering by the 15th of November you will be saving this amount, at least.

From 16 November, the prices for MASH solar systems will rise.

To register for a quote, visit mash.org.au or call us on 1300-466-274.

New solar feed-in-tariffs from 1 July 2017

The minimum feed-in-tariff for solar will rise from 5c per kilowatt hour to around 6.5c per kilowatt hour – and at peak times to around 8c per kilowatt hour – from 1st of July 2017.

These changes, announced by the Victorian Government last week, are welcomed by the Hub Foundation as it means that households will receive a feed-in-tariff that – for the first time – reflects the environmental value of solar. This will be followed in 2018 by a further increase that recognises the value of rooftop solar to the network.

This is the first time that the solar feed-in-tariff has increased in 6 years, said Jo Kaptein, Project Officer at the Hub Foundation.

We see it as a step in the right direction. Whilst this increase isn’t going to be worth a huge amount to households, at least it means that there is now a structure in place for calculating the true value of solar to the environment, society and the grid, Jo said.

Reflecting environmental benefit

The new solar feed-in-tariff structure will mean that the average price paid for solar exported to the grid will rise from around 5c/kWh now to between 6.5c/kWh and 7c/kWh. This reflects the avoided greenhouse gases, and in the absence of a carbon price, is based on Victoria’s energy efficiency scheme. The price paid for solar exports may go higher, to around 8c/kWh to reflect ‘peak rates’ – from between 3pm and 9pm.

The network benefit will be added from 1 July 2018 after a report from the Energy Services Commission is completed next year.

What this means for households

Solar households on the transitional and standard feed-in-tariffs (current getting around 25c per kilowatt hour) will receive a minimum of 5c/kWh when those schemes end on 31 December 2016 – although some electricity retailers may offer a few cents more. Those on the premium feed-in-tariff will continue to receive 60c/kWh until 2024. See the table below for how you will be impacted.

How you will be impacted

Current Feed-in-Tariff	End date	Feed-in-Tariff between 1 January – 30 June 2017	Feed-in-Tariff after 1 July 2017	Number of households affected
Standard Feed-in-Tariff – one-for-one, based on the retail electricity rate paid	31 December 2016 (started 2012)	Minimum 5 cents per kWh	Minimum 6.5 cents per kWh	Unknown
Transitional Feed-in-Tariff – minimum 25 cents per kWh for excess solar electricity fed into grid	31 December 2016 (started 2011)	Minimum 5 cents per kWh	Minimum 6.5 cents per kWh	67,160
Premium Feed-in-Tariff – minimum 60 cents per kWh for excess solar electricity fed into grid	1 November 2024 (started 2009)	Minimum 60 cents per kWh	Minimum 60 cents per kWh	None*

* Solar households on the Premium Feed-in-Tariff will continue to receive the minimum 60 cents per kWh if they do not add panels to their existing system or change energy retailers.

Castlemaine North Primary close to receiving MASH solar gift

north-school-banner-small — The school will put the first year’s electricity bill savings towards the purchase of blinds for two classrooms in the senior building.

Only eight more MASH solar systems need to be sold before Castlemaine North Primary School receives a free 5kW solar PV system. The system will be donated by the MASH community solar bulk-buy as part of its promise to ‘give back’ to local communities. This will be the fifth free solar PV system donated to community groups and schools by the MASH project since it started in 2014.

So close to 100. C’mon Castlemaine!

“We are delighted to be so close to achieving our target of 100 additional MASH solar homes as this will mean a free 5kW system for Castlemaine North School”, said Jo Kaptein, Project Officer at the Hub Foundation, the not-for-profit organiser of the MASH bulk-buy. “We’d like to thank everyone who’s bought a MASH system in this current round for their contribution to this great result and hope that it won’t be long at all before we can announce that we’ve reached 100.”

School is ideal recipient for solar

“The school is an ideal recipient for more solar as, like all schools, so much of their power usage is during daylight hours. This is when the biggest savings are to be made for those on the current feed-in-tariff,” said Jo.

Bill savings to directly benefit students

“The school will put the first year’s bill savings towards the purchase of blinds for two classrooms in the senior building. This will reduce the temperature and glare in the classrooms making it more comfortable for the students. At the moment in summer, they have to leave these classrooms on sunny days and work elsewhere because the glare is too bright,” said Cheryl Neilson, President, Castlemaine North Primary School Council.

“We hope that with this gift, the students will become more aware of the environmental benefits of solar power,” said Jo Kaptein.

Other solar PV systems donated by MASH

Other free solar PV systems donated by MASH are at:

Newstead Community Centre. 5kW system
Two homes occupied by tenants case-managed by Castlemaine and District Accommodation and Resource Group. 2 x 2kW systems.
Newham Primary School. 5kW system.

MASH stands for the campaign for More Australian Solar Homes. It is a local not-for-profit initiative that is helping Central Victorians move towards a cleaner energy future.

For more information about MASH and to register for a quote, visit mash.org.au or call 1300-466-274.